Enthusiasm for Hillary
In the media discussions of that ever amorphous concept of “enthusiasm for Hillary”, there seems to be a glaring reporting error that I think it’s time to call out. There is actually, a LOT of enthusiasm for Hillary. I know this because as a long-time Hillary supporter, I have inadvertently stumbled into the role of a safe person to express that enthusiasm towards. The word safe is important here.
To the pundits citing a lack of enthusiasm for Hillary, let me tell you what I hear that you don’t.
I hear that both women and men see her being attacked by Trump supporters in a deeply misogynistic and offensive way. I hear that many have gradually come to an understanding of how decades of Hillary bashing have really been about a well organized effort to discredit her, driven by an utter inability to concede that a woman would make a good president. I hear how impressed they are with her 30 years of public service. I hear frustration that she’s being dragged back into the mud over things her husband did decades ago, and respect for her decision to stay and work through the problems in her marriage. I hear respect for her years as an advocate of women and children, for her years representing this country as Secretary of State, for her advocacy of the LBGT community, and for her ability to remain calm and professional while she remains under attack. Interestingly, I am now even hearing this from people I don’t know. My willingness to be public about my support for her has led to people reaching out to me from not just my own community, but from across the country. These are people I will likely never meet face to face, and they are looking for safe places to express their enthusiasm.
Within that support however, is a very disturbing and common trend, and I have come to understand that there is one very good reason why I am hearing the enthusiasm, and others are not; a lot of Hillary supporters are literally afraid to express their view. From what I have seen and heard, that fear is well earned. It is bolstered via online attacks through social media whenever supporters dare to express their enthusiasm. Attacks like the one on my sister (who lives in right smack dab in the middle of the Bible Belt) received when she was told she should enjoy her opinions, “while the Muslims are raping you” (exact quote). It’s there in bullying comments from coworkers or members of their church communities, who quickly move to marginalize their views. It’s expressing itself amongst many of the 1 in 5 women who are survivors of sexual assault, and who can’t bring themselves to watch a debate that they know will be steeped in abusive tactics long before the online discussion of physically intimidating posture ever started. It’s present in the stories women are telling of how they are being literally run off the road by Trump supporters when they dare to place a pro-Hillary bumper sticker on their car. It’s retold by those who find their lawn signs uprooted and their pets attacked. It’s told with embarrassment by women whose husbands are voting Trump, and insist they do the same (they won’t), and even refuse to allow pollsters who call their homes to speak to them. It’s landing along with family member’s directives to, “check yourself” if your enthusiasm gets too visible to the rest of them. If you find it hard to believe that’s going on in this country in this day and age, I ask you to just take a look at who the Trump supporters are. Look at their rhetoric. Look at video of their rallies. Those people behave the same way at home, and they are freshly emboldened by Trump and his Alt-right movement.
Enthusiastic Hillary fans have good reason to fear all those things, or at least to feel uncomfortable enough about them to not want to engage, but in no way is it diminishing their support. For those supporters, the enthusiasm has instead been pushed underground. Women especially, will often deal with the attacks and the misogyny by using methods they have long been accustomed to; mainly quietly going about their business and trying to not upset the established order of things. They know they have their vote, and that will have to suffice as an expression of their enthusiasm.
Maybe the media is not reporting all of this because they can’t measure it, and I suppose that’s fair. There is no way to measure it accurately, because there is no viable mechanism for reporting it. Make no mistake however, the enthusiasm is out there and come November 8, it’s voting.
