Another nothingburger accusation against Sarah Palin

I think there are plenty of legitimate criticisms of Sarah Palin. She seems to not be able to get beyond slogans and platitudes when talking about foreign policy. Shielding her from press questions doesn't inspire confidence. However, I've considered most of the spears aimed at her in the blogosphere to have been pretty bogus and haven't paid them much attention. I'd be willing to pay attention to discrepancies between what she's said about her record on earmarks and the Bridge to Nowhere if the media had paid half as much attention to Barack Obama's rather sketchy record from Chicago and Illinois as well as his lack of a record in the Senate.

However, this newest brouhaha of people seeming shocked because once, when she was mayor of Wasilla, she did nothing while a visiting Kenyan pastor prayed over her and prayed that she be protected from witchcraft. What was she supposed to do? Runaway and start screaming about what a kook he was? I think that Bill Donohue has the right take on this nothingburger of a controversy.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue said today that "for the past two decades, Americans have been lectured by educators and the chattering class that we must respect cultural, religious, racial and ethnic diversity. It seems that exceptions to the creed of multiculturalism are only made when it suits the ideological agenda of the left. ... Witchcraft is a sad reality in many parts of Africa, resulting in scores of deaths in Kenya over the past two decades. Bishop Muthee’s blessing, then, was simply a reflection of his cultural understanding of evil. While others are not obliged to accept his interpretation, all can be expected to respect it. More than that — Muthee should be hailed for asking God to shield Palin from harmful forces, however they may be manifested. And for this he is mocked and Palin ridiculed?"

And, as Ace reminds us, Barack Obama has shown similar respect to a foreign culture when he visited Africa and was prayed over there. And probably all of us have done similar things to show respect when we visited houses of worship for religions that we don't ascribe to. As a Jew, I bow my head respectfully when I'm at a Christian wedding or funeral service and the minister prays about Jesus Christ. That's what we all do and so who cares that Palin did the same thing when this pastor from Africa prayed over her?