Gov. Sarah Palin’s home church was badly damaged by arson, leading the governor to apologize if the fire was connected to “undeserved negative attention” from her failed campaign as the Republican vice presidential nominee.
Damage to the Wasilla Bible Church was estimated at $1 million, authorities said Saturday. No one was injured in the fire, which was set Friday night while a handful of people, including two children, were inside, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele.
He said the blaze was being investigated as an arson but didn’t know of any recent threats to the church. Authorities didn’t know whether Palin’s connection to the church was relevant to the fire, Steele said.
I bow to nobody in finding Sarah Palin to be an odious lightweight. And I find the version of Christianity presented by her church to be deeply flawed. But it goes without saying that believing in a flawed religion does not make one deserving of attacks, and that nobody should have their church burned because of the political disposition of one of its members. It’s too early to say why this fire was set, but if it was a “liberal” out to say something about Sarah Palin or her church, they’ve utterly failed; the only message this sends is that the person who set this blaze is a reckless criminal, and they deserve a lengthy stay in prison for their actions.
Why do we immediately assume (and let her imply) that we need to talk about the possibility that it was done because of her politics? People commit arson all the time. There is no reason, unless and until there is actual evidence of politically-motivated arson, for liberals to fulfill wingnut fantasies by pre-condemning left wing boogeymen.
It may not be, but frankly, I don’t have a problem pre-condemning idiocy. If this turns out to be apoliical — and it may well be — then fine and dandy, we condemn the apolitical jerk. But if this was Trinity UCC, we’d rightly suspect a tie to Obama, and we’d condemn it immediately. I don’t believe in different standards when it’s our political opponents who are being attacked. At best, Sarah Palin’s church was burned down, and the parishioners there deserve our empathy.
I give this 70/30. I lean towards it being garden-variety vandalism, we’ve had a streak of it in Wasilla over the last couple years, mostly teens. Locally we’re mostly speculating on whose kids are going to be linked to this one.
The odds are that an immature teen, someone with real mental or (this being Wasilla) meth problems committed this.
Any disgruntled liberals in Wasilla are hanging out at Mudflats and trying to figure out how to get Monegan to run against Palin at the earliest opportunity.
Jeff, I find it bizarre and baffling that you would assume the the most likely perpetrator of violence against Sarah Palin’s church would be some quote-unquote liberal. How many liberals do you know who go around setting fire to churches? Isn’t that actually a nutcase-fringe thing? And, frankly, a right-wing nutcase fringe thing?
Whast on earth are you thinking?
I support the sentiment expressed in the original post.
If it would not be acceptable for an army to drop a bomb on it, it is not acceptable to burn it down, either. (It might be a good idea to destroy houses of worship used as bases by terrorist organizations, such as the organization behind the recent massacre in India, but Palin’s church doesn’t come close to being a clear and present danger that must be addressed by violence.)
The possibilities are endless. Frankly, I know a number of Republicans who are more upset with her than any Democrats I can think of. Democrats are mostly delighted that McCain chose someone who proved to be a liability to his campaign. How many percentage points she cost him among moderates is anyone’s guess, but I can’t imagine she helped in the swing voter category.
— Julie.
Jeff, please excuse the overheated tone of my previous post, but I feel as though you slapped me in the face and asked why my so-called liberal friends and I bombed Sarah Palin’s church.
ATF: Accelerant poured around Palin’s church
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An accelerant was poured around the exterior of Gov. Sarah Palin’s church before fire heavily damaged the building, federal investigators said Monday. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said the accelerant was poured at several locations around the church, including entrances.
The blaze was set Friday night at the main entrance of the Wasilla Bible Church while a small group, including two children, were inside. No one was injured.
I thought the automatic thing to suspect in an arson where no one was hurt is that it was done for the insurance money?