Seriously, she was out of the new for, what, 4 days and she just couldn't take it anymore. So Ms. Me Me Me decided to defend her use of the term "blood libel," hoping that it might get another round of news going. And it did. Particularly since Palin insisted she knew the definition of blood libel, then went ahead and poorly defined it. Then again, English isn't her first language (Palin doesn't really have one). Andy Barr at Politico:
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin insisted Monday that she did know the definition of, and correctly used, the term “blood libel” in recently striking back at her critics.Actually, it's much more than that. It's a historic and defamatory slur on an entire group of people, meant to demean, and even more, dehumanize them. It's not simply being falsely accused of having blood on your hands, otherwise anyone falsely accused of a crime could claim "blood libel," and that's not what it means by any stretch.
“Blood libel obviously means being falsely accused of having blood on your hands,” Palin said in a Fox News interview with Sean Hannity.
But I suppose if you're not that bright, mock education, have never properly mastered the English language, and use phrases that your speechwriter gives you without really knowing what they mean, or having any notion of the history behind them (does anyone seriously believe that Palin knew the history of the phrase - please), then yes, you might be confused about the meaning and usage of "blood libel." And that's why you shouldn't use phrases you don't understand.
(And for added ME ME ME benefit, Palin goes on to criticize the memorial service the President attended, calling it a "pep rally." That's right, continue to mock the dead, Ms. Palin. Great way to bring the country together.)
