You probably cannot turn your television on without seeing some type of coverage about former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin is a figure in American politics who cannot be overlooked—whether you love or hate her. Revolutionary Paideia does not endorse Sarah Palin but has selected her as the July 2010 Person of the Month because she truly represents the “unsettling, unnerving, and unhousing” spirit that founded Revolutionary Paideia. What I most appreciate about Sarah Palin is her willingness to do things her own way. She is not willing to change anything up for political purposes or to fit a certain image—she is just Sarah Palin.

Governor Palin is ushering in a new kind of feminism—a conservative feminism. The type of conservative feminism she is offering provides a significant contribution to the extant feminist discourse, criticism, and theory. Extant feminism is fundamentally leftist. With Palin, we have an opportunity to see a new feminism that is rooted in the values and principles of limited government, individual responsibility, low taxes, pro-life, pro-business, a strong defense, and strong families. Unquestionably, those aforementioned values and principles are conspicuously absent from existing feminist discourse, criticism, and theory. The conservative feminist ideas and ideals being championed by Governor Palin will not be able to be ignored by feminists. Even though many (if not most) feminists will make a serious attempt to dismiss Palin’s feminist ideas and ideals, the ideas and ideals she offers deserve to be thoroughly considered in all spaces where feminism is contemplated.

Revolutionary Paideia really appreciates how willing Sarah Palin has been to attract more women to the Republican Party. Although pro-life positions are unpopular with the majority of women, Palin has not allowed that to stop her from pursuing a pro-life agenda aimed at gaining larger support of women for conservative causes. You got to give her credit—she is the only American politician who would believe that a significant number of American mothers would buy into the thought of themselves as “Grizzly Moms”—only Governor Palin has the level of nerve to do that.

Even though she was not successful in her bid to become the Vice-President of the United States of America, she has not allowed this to stop her criticism of President Obama when she has felt that his policies are wrong for America. She has communicated her criticisms of President Obama and his administration through Facebook and as a Fox News Contributor. Although Governor Palin is not the most sophisticated person when it comes to policy, she does offer a common sense conservative approach to policy that should not simply be overlooked. When the Left simply says that she does not have any answers to the vexing quandaries facing our country, I have to say that this is simply a lie. She has offered numerous times through various mediums answers to some of America’s most challenging problems, but some have simply disagreed with her answers and found her answers to mean no answers—this is unfair to her.

I am deeply troubled by how people are not willing to engage in substantive discourse about Sarah Palin. People just reduce her to a laugh, joke, smirk, and/or rude comment. I will simply say that this woman had more experience in actually running something than President Obama—this is just a fact and not an attack. At Revolutionary Paideia, we simply want to give credit where credit is due—Sarah Palin, like her or hate her, is certainly a figure that reflects the notion of “unsettling, unnerving, and unhousing” people that represents the founding ideas and ideals established by Revolutionary Paideia.

Congratulations to former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for being selected as Revolutionary Paideia’s July 2010 Person of the Month! While Revolutionary Paideia does not endorse Sarah Palin, we do honor her willingness to challenge the status quo.

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison