So I’m opening my mail at work yesterday when I find in one envelope some disgustingly crude collages of Hillary Clinton purporting to show her engaged in certain sex acts.
After tossing the envelope out, I got to thinking again about the phenomenon of the Hillary haters.
What’s it about exactly?
It’s a question that was raised in New Hampshire, as well, by the guys who stood up with the “Iron My Shirt” signs.
Let’s face it: Much of the hatred of Clinton is sexism of the most blatant and egregious sort.
And some of it is sexism of a less conscious sort, as when guys view her as overbearing because she’s a strong woman.
Some of the dislike of Clinton is certainly legitimate, but it shouldn’t rise to the level of hatred.
Just as other politicians, she has treated people as tools: For instance, she and Bill gutted their friend Lani Guinier and tossed her overboard.
And just as other politicians, including her husband, she can be a chameleon.
And like John Kerry and Al Gore before her, a bit haughty.
And yes, she’s ambitious. Which politician isn’t, pray tell?
The most legitimate criticism of Hillary must be not about her personality but about her politics: Voting for the Iraq War, voting for the Iran resolution declaring that it is waging a proxy war against the United States, supporting welfare reform and NAFTA, adopting the whole pro-corporate DLC triangulation strategy, voting for the Patriot Act, and this week coming out for compulsory recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in schools.
If you want to criticize her, criticize her for those things.
Don’t be a hater, though.
That only fuels the really dangerous and reactionary currents that still swirl around any woman who dares to stand up.