Hillary Clinton recently issued a statement encouraging the United States to open our doors to Syrian refugees saying "We cannot allow terrorists to intimidate us into abandoning our values and humanitarian obligations. Turning away orphans, applying a religious test, discriminating against Muslims, slamming the door on every single Syrian refugee -- that is just not who we are. We are better than that."
If you agree with her 'We are better than that' you need to speak out. Americans will hopefully also speak out if they agree with me the words "we are better than that" apply to the hateful words and policies Republican candidates for President and other current Republican office holders are spewing.
Whether it is Donald Trump ridiculing someone with a disability; or wanting to deport eleven million immigrants or calling for registering American Muslims like Hitler did to the Jews in Germany. Ben Carson making offensive comments such as those attacking Islam and suggesting Syrian refugees are happy staying in camps in Jordan until they can go home. Governor Kasich wanting to set up a federal agency to export Judeo-Christian values displaying a total lack of understanding about one of the basic principles our nation was founded on which is the separation of church and state. Marco Rubio saying the issue of marriage-equality is not settled. Or the Alabama governor who closed driver's license offices in African American communities making it more difficult to get the necessary ID needed to vote. Senator Tom Cotton (R-AK) commenting on limiting the rights of gay Americans with the words "I think it's important we have a sense of perspective in Iran they hang you for the crime of being gay." These are only a few of the examples of the hate of those who unfortunately represent much of the Republican Party today.
Time and again the majority of American voters have shown they are decent and fair people. We certainly have large pockets of intolerance in our nation but though it often takes too long, we usually end up doing the right thing. Unfortunately along the way we are forced to listen to demagogues the likes of Trump, Carson, McCarthy, and Cruz. We even elect some to local office and the United States Senate. But when it comes to electing our President in 2016 I believe people will do the right thing and not give into hate and fear, instead finding the strength within themselves to elect someone who will build on the best values our nation was founded on.
As a Clinton supporter, one who fights back against attacks on her from both the far-right and the far-left every day; one has to remain positive about the innate goodness of the majority of Americans. Reality is Clinton is and has always been a progressive. Her positions on the issues fall within the scope of where most Americans believe we should be at the same time she moves people forward in the right direction toward more equality. As Clinton has said "I am a progressive who likes to get things done."
The reason that is so important is the founders of our nation set up a government requiring compromise. No one gets all they want and yet over the years we have been moving our nation to what was envisioned in the preamble to our constitution "a more perfect union." For many of us that movement has been too slow; but with steadfastness of spirit it is happening.
Our nation keeps changing and we need a leader who will keep moving us forward. A leader who speaks to our "better angels" instead of stirring up hatred by speaking to our fears. A leader who understands hate is learned and not something we are born with. A leader who will use the bully pulpit provided to the American president to promote tolerance and diversity and shares the values they live by proving through action diversity is what makes America great. A leader who stood in Beijing in 1995 and declared women's rights are human rights and a leader who stood in Geneva in 2011 declaring to the world gay rights are also human rights. A leader who will reject hate and speak from their life's experiences as a daughter, mother, and grandmother; something no American President before has ever been able to do.
A leader like Hillary Rodham Clinton who will lead from both her heart and her brain. A leader who by action will demonstrate to the world that contrary to what some running for President would want them to believe about America, "We are better than that."