Yes...I'm With Her

From time to time, I've posted Facebook exchanges here.  Sometimes I get carried away and go on for a really long time with my response to a post that gets my brain cells churning.  So here's one from this morning. 

Question (Well, actually, a thinly veiled example of Clinton-Bashing...): 

 I have been scouring the internet for weeks and keep coming up empty handed. I guess I just have trouble understanding her position on anything.
So when exactly in her career did you start supporting Hillary? Was it in AR? after her time as sec of state? when she was a goldwater girl? or was it just after hearing the trump tape?
What does she stand for that you agree with? gay marriage? abortion? lying to the state dept? is it her server skills? her husband?
relationships with wall street? ability to collect $ from the big banks she publicly reprimands? universal healthcare success/failure?
her sniper fire/lack thereof experience in Bosnia? defense attorney history?
What positions does she take on anything that you support? I am truly trying to find a reason why so many here are "with her" her for reasons other than the fact that they think Trump is too much like Bill knowing damn well those 2 have always been a package deal. I don't understand. Trump supporters openly admit hes not presidential, but her fans are pardoning decades of corruption in politics and many lives lost... and yet here I am, somewhere in the middle, unable to find a SINGLE reason TO vote for her. What are yall thinking?

My Response: 

You write as if you have at least a couple of brain cells to rub together, my dear. Other women have posted links to positive articles and facts about Hillary Clinton. I would do so, as well, but I have the feeling that anyone who has written things like "What does she stand for that you agree with? gay marriage? abortion? lying to the state dept? is it her server skills? her husband?  relationships with wall street? ability to collect $ from the big banks she publicly reprimands? universal healthcare success/failure?  her sniper fire/lack thereof experience in Bosnia? defense attorney history?" chose a long time ago what she wanted to believe about Hillary Clinton, and nothing we say or do is going to change her mind. The information is out there, dear. Unfortunately, in 21st-century America, lies and truth share the same pages, screens and airwaves; in fact, lies generally outweigh fact by a wide margin.

I don't know how old you are...by your picture, I'll wager you were not old enough to be politically aware when Hillary Clinton came on the national scene 25 years ago. You probably don't remember how the Clintons were hounded during the campaign and subsequently by a partisan Congress during the entire 8 years Bill Clinton was in office. You don't remember career special prosecutors combing through the Clinton's lives and business dealings practically from the time Bill Clinton declared his candidacy for his first term. Under endless investigation, Bill Clinton was finally caught in a lie about his personal sex life, which led to the impeachment vote by a Republican House of Representatives. Everyone knew that the President of the United States was not going to be removed from office because he couldn't keep it in his pants, but the country came to a halt while the drama played to its legal end. What a colossal waste of time and government resources! This sort of thing has been the tactic/priority of the GOP every time the American people have chosen NOT to elect a Republican into a position of power. Look what they've done to President Obama!

So when you're tempted to believe all the crap cited in your original "question," you might keep in mind that Hillary Clinton has been under investigation for one thing or another for practically a quarter of a century, and has never been found guilty of anything. These investigations have been instigated by her political enemies solely for the purpose of ruining her reputation and career. I could accuse you of murder, and you could be investigated or even put on trial for that crime...but that doesn't make you a murderer.

Why do I admire Hillary Clinton? Why am I "with her?" Because she has put up with all this crap for all these years, and she STILL believes she has something to offer this country that has done nothing but put her through the wringer for 25 years. Through it all, she has worked steadily to gain experience and build a resume that would qualify her for the Oval Office. She STILL believes she can make a difference, and she is willing to go through whatever it takes to get the opportunity to do so. THAT is strength. That is fortitude. That is presidential. If you believe Donald Trump has more to offer than Mrs. Clinton (and evidently, you're leaning that way) then by all means, throw your vote down that sewer. 

Her reply (she scolded me...and she was right to do so):

I will def give this more attention after I'm done working for the day but for now, my common sense is telling me that you're far from commanding my respect or attention when you start a sentence like that on my wall, my dear.

My turn:

I honestly am sorry. That was uncalled for. This circus surrounding this election has worn me to frazzle, and I'm not a very nice person to begin with. Cynthia can attest to that. It's just that I'm not surprised when people who are obviously nearly illiterate believe and regurgitate all the horrible things that Hillary Clinton has been accused of over the years, but I have a really hard time when someone like yourself, who obviously is not stupid or uneducated, appears to believe all that stuff as well. I despair that young people of your age have nothing but an internet full of lies, attacks and political divisiveness to turn to for information. At least those of us who are older and have witnessed all this from the beginning can view the "information" that is all over the internet through the lens of our own experience and judgment. I would advise you to take your search for information about Mrs. Clinton to somewhere besides the internet, but I really don't have any idea what a viable alternative might be. And that makes me very sad.

Another Commenter:

Your attempt to tear Rachel down seemed to be very well thought out. So it surprises me that your reason for backing Hillary is that she's still kicking after all of these years and thinks she can do it.

I think I can do a lot of things when I am thinking it up. I have a lot of partially completed projects because WHOOPS I had no business thinking I could do the job of a carpenter just because I have been looking at furniture for46 years. I added my age for you there. I was politically aware all those years ago and a registered voter.

Me again:

But I assume you have never been a US Senator or Secretary of State. Not to mention FLOTUS, though that alone would not qualify her for the Oval Office. Which is why she has remained involved in national service all this time, collecting knowledge and information from many sources and positions. Much like an apprentice/journeyman craftsman would do, to use your own analogy. Mrs. Clinton has not just been "looking at furniture" for 25 years. She's been making it.

I never said that everyone who has lived through the last 40 years of US political history would be likely to have come to the same conclusions I have. Political disagreement is a fact of our lives...what has up till recently made this country great is that we could sit down with our divergent viewpoints and hammer out policy that would benefit all. You and I are fortunate that we knew there was a time when our government functioned. I am sad for this young lady and her generation, because they have never seen it work.