I don’t like how some writers try to speak for all millennials. In general, I’m not a big fan of such broad claims, but a particular trend has hit a nerve with me lately in various commentary around the Democratic Presidential race. I won’t claim to speak for all millennials here, or all women, or whomever, but as a millennial woman, I unequivocally support Hillary Rodham Clinton for next President of the United States.
Why, you ask? She’s the former First Lady and former Secretary of State, clearly part of “establishment” politics and nepotism. Or she’s “untrustworthy” for a whole laundry list of reasons… too close to banks, too careless with her email, too close with Planned Parenthood (damn those good ol’ boys!). Or she just doesn’t seem to shout enough when she talks, and dammit, I need to see some passion!
As a freshman at Boston University in 2008, I remember spending one of my first days in the city at an Obama rally on the Boston Common. This young, energetic Senator who looked different than the rest of them and inspired the crowd with eloquent rhetoric captured my imagination. How could I doubt Obama would bring “Change We Can Believe In” when he himself represented the potential for a seismic shift in the way the leader of our country has looked for the past 200 years? Of course, he also had the platform. He was smart, well-spoken and well-liked, which has undoubtedly served Obama well in all he has accomplished in the past eight years.
Many scoffed at the fact that African Americans would vote for Obama only because he was black. Some thought that voting for Obama just because of his race would even be counterproductive. Obama endured mountains of criticism and negativity simply because of who he was and how he was born. Hillary is dealing with similar barriers in 2016; in fact, she’s been dealing with discrimination her entire life.
Diverse candidates are important because if the same people continue to lead our country, only those people will benefit. A woman has not yet even secured the nomintation of a major party. South Korea, Pakistan, Indonesia, Brazil, Argentina, and so many other nations that we might think are “less free” than the United States have elected women as heads of state. Until the leadership of our country looks like the makeup of its people, politics will not resonate with all, or even most, Americans.
Hillary is the best choice for millennials not only because her policies are progressive — she has decades of proven experience fighting for equality — but because she represents an entire half of the population that has never before had such a voice. Furthermore, she can bring progress through strategic, incremental change, a more realistic approach than idealistic rhetoric without detailed policy behind it. As a woman, Hillary is forced to listen to others and build allies to chip away at established oppression. She has a history of working toward bipartisan solutions, something our Congress desperately needs as it remains mired in increasingly extremist bickering. Hillary’s campaign may not sound like Obama’s did, but that’s not because she doesn’t have the passion or the ideas (she was fighting for women and kids before it was cool). Secretary Clinton doesn’t sound like Obama or Bernie because as a woman, she is not afforded the privilege of sounding angry or sad, or else she will be dubbed “emotional.” As a result, now people think she’s robotic.
Real and peaceful change is not sweeping; our Constitution was engineered that way for a reason. Our Constitution was also not perfect upon first draft; the 19th Amendment highlights one of its intital shortcomings. Angry yells from either side of the political spectrum, however, will only encourage a screaming match. The true test of change is whether America has the courage to elect a competent woman to the highest political and military office of the free world — now that’s real change this millennial can believe in.
