A Non-All Caps Explosion of Feelings Regarding Hillary Clinton:
“I’m a progressive… But I’m a progressive that gets things done!” Hillary Clinton Oct. 13, 2015.
Hillary Clinton is a progressive like Flo from Progressive Insurance is progressive.
Every god damn State and Presidential election, Democrats and their supporters sell a familiar slogan to people of color; “At least we’re better than those other guys”, and many buy into it because we have been made to feel that we don’t have a safer choice. So now that there is a candidate who has a long track record of equality, and looking out for our interests, why is it misguided to support them?
I have one question for white liberals and Hillary Clinton. “Where were you when we needed you?”
Where were you when we were being pulled from social safety nets and placed in short term, low paying jobs, incarcerated, beaten, openly called super predators, welfare queens, and crack babies?
But that was so long ago! It was a different time.
If that’s the case, then why are we still suffering the repercussions from those policies that you supported and profited from? How are you any different than Republicans?
We couldn’t get elected if we supported certain issues.
Oh, I’m sorry if our existence and protection is a political inconvenience. We’ll wait. It’s only been 240 years. What’s another 8?
Well, what do you want from us?
I want you to answer this. To put it as Janet Jackson once sang, “What have you done for me lately?”
Democrats gave you the voting rights act!
They’ve also given us NAFTA, welfare reform, taken money from private prisons that incarcerate us, and deported our families at an astonishing rate.
“What have you done for me lately?”
It’s no secret that for decades, Democrats have been the lesser of two evils. The era of safe politics is over. It doesn’t mean anything if the lesser gets elected and nothing changes. If Black and Latino people keep getting murdered without justice, who cares who is President if nothing is being done about it? It’s too late for piecemeal legislation. We’re done waiting. Black Lives Matter is proof we’re done doing it your way. When Black Lives Matter interrupted St. Bernie in Seattle, White Liberals were quick to tell us; “but he’s on your side!” However, the very next week, he released a platform for racial justice causing you to pause in reflective shame.
Do you want a Republican in the White House then?
It is a quintessential neoliberal position that says “Settle or stop complaining.” I only have one thing to say to that: NO.
Nothing would honestly make me happier than seeing Cruz or Trump take the White House. When white liberals dread for their own political standing, then perhaps maybe you’ll understand our necessity for radical, immediate change. I will NEVER support anyone who’s built their career on the incarcerated bodies of Black and Chicano people, and then tries to call themselves my “Abuela” when they need my support. No. A thousand times, no.
Despite the protestations of Bernie Bros, there are acts of blatant sexism against Hillary Clinton. They need to be dealt with and addressed if we’re to move forward from male hegemonic control of the White House. However, it’s equally important that White People acknowledge that she’s been nothing short of a detriment to People of Color for decades in search of political power and maybe that’s why we don’t like her. To quote the ever brilliant Ijeoma Oluo:
“Black people don’t give a fuck about whether Hillary is likeable. Black people don’t give a fuck about how her hair looks. And black people don’t give a fuck about whether or not Hillary is a woman.
I’d love a female president too, but a boot on your neck is a boot on your neck, even when that boot is actually a high heel. It’s all white supremacy to me.”
This isn’t an endorsement for Bernie, it’s simply a response to the many articles claiming its either sexist not to support her, or that she should be given a pass because “Yay! First Woman President!”Hillary Clinton is not owed our support, nor is she owed the oval office; ignoring political accountability because she would make history reeks of White Feminism and entitlement.
Our leaders need to be questioned for their actions, and there are plenty of Hillary’s to choose from;
D.O.M.A., D.A.D.T, NAFTA, Welfare Reform, The Death Penalty, Private Prison Donors, Wall St. Donors, The TPP, The Patriot Act, The Iraq and Afghanistan War…. The Clinton legacy is not a legacy of equality or progressive values.
“You know, I get accused of being kind of moderate and center… I plead guilty.” — Hillary Clinton Sept. 10, 2015.
You can respect our righteous anger or get the hell out of the way, but do NOT tell us to settle and do NOT tell us who is on our side. Leaders who want to be President need to step up. We don’t care to watch you whip or nay nay, if you don’t have a plan in place that keeps us alive. You need to start earning this vote and you need to stop putting us on the idealistic back burner. We’re not fooled by your smiles and your pandering attempts. We are well aware of who is looking out for us, and it is not Hillary Rodham Clinton.