Deal Me In!

Last night I watched history being made when Hillary Rodham Clinton accepted her party’s nomination for President of the United States.  I was surprised at the emotion I felt, but I was certainly not the only one who was moved by this historic moment.  The cameras caught young girls and women of all ages with huge smiles and tears in their eyes.  Earlier in the week, when the delegates cast their votes, a 102-year-old woman cast the votes for Clinton from the state of Arizona.  Women were not even able to vote when she was born.  This was a moment for us all.  I think it was especially poignant for older women like me.  We can remember the discrimination and the way women and girls were treated like second class citizens.  I can remember as a young teenager looking over test scores and being told that I could do anything I wanted when I grew up but the message behind that still seemed to be—teacher/nurse, teacher/nurse, teacher/nurse. . . My daughters have had many more choices in their lives.  Women are not equal yet but we have come a long ways.  Hillary’s nomination is another barrier that has come crashing down.

For me, it is meaningful that Hillary Clinton is the nominee.  This strong, intelligent woman has been in the public eye for decades.  As President Obama stated last night, Hillary Clinton is the most qualified person who has ever been nominated for President.  However, the lies about her and the vitriol directed at her are incredible.  Why do people have such a negative view of her?  When she first came into the public eye, strong women were not accepted; she was scorned as a 1960s radical feminist.  Women are viewed through a different lens than men.  In a traditional male field we must work twice as hard as men and even then we are not treated the same.  Hillary is a private person and has not shared much about her life.  Last night she said that she knows people don’t understand her so she told some personal stories as a way to humanize herself.

In many ways I get Hillary Clinton.  We were both raised in the Methodist Church and are active United Methodist Women.  I was excited when she used this Methodist quote:

                Do all the good you can,

                By all the means you can,

                In all the ways you can,

                In all the places you can,

                At all the times you can,

                To all the people you can,

                As long as you ever can.

This quote explains how we are to live as followers of Jesus.  It is meaningful to me and clearly it is to Hillary Clinton too.  It is how she lives her life and it is how I try to live mine.  Last night we heard how she has worked for women and children all her life.  (This is a United Methodist Women emphasis.)  Hillary Clinton is a doer and a hard worker.  It’s just how she operates; I understand that.  She is a detail person.  So am I.  Hillary is pragmatic.  She is someone who plans, pays attention to details, works with others, and gets things done.  She is not glamorous or a great speaker but are those things really important for the office of President?  I want a President who is smart, compassionate, and will work for the good of all Americans.  I believe that Hillary Clinton has what it takes to be a great President.  Deal me in!  I’m with her!

Written on 7/29/16