Head on the other side of the mirror, whistling in the clouds

For far too long I have delayed this:

Go Hillary.

I have followed the primary season in the USA for many months now. I have watched as countless posts and threads degenerated in misogynistic comments. I have witnessed many of the liberal blogs dismissing Hillary Clinton´s campaign, over and over, when they were not outright declaring it the downfall of the Democratic party. I have seen many well-respected political journalists who were considered either relatively fair or openly liberal launch venomous attack after venomous attack upon Senator Clinton. And still I wrote nothing.

Go Hillary.

I have seen virulent misogynistic views expressed with pride, and defended with rage every time somebody pointed out that such opinions were untolerable. I have heard misogyny called a thing from the past, and described as mere unjustified whining from feminists. Especially when it was a woman who was questioning its pervasiveness in the liberal sphere (fauxgressives...). I have seen every discussion concerning the Democratic primary turn into a forum where people vent about Hillary´s wrongdoings, many times in a vicious tone. Even when the post wasn´t about Hillary. Even when it was specifically asked to employ feminist frames for every argument. And still I wrote nothing.

Go Hillary.

I have discovered that many political pundits find it justifiable to call a Presidential candidate a ''cunt'' or a ''whore''. I have found out that on a major network, someone can call a Presidential candidate´s daughter a ''whore'', and her mother a ''pimp'', and that it was not a broad consensus that this was unacceptable. I have had to cope with the fact that denouncing misogyny makes you ridicule and highly problematic according to a very liberal news anchor. And still I wrote nothing.

Go Hillary.


I believe the electoral system is completely broken, and that considering it the staple of democracy is an integral, essential part of the subjugation of people. I don´t trust any candidate to solve the problems that ordinary people face. Especially if left to their own device, of course, no matter how competent they are. I expect every candidate to protect the interests of massive corporations, and thus perpetuate some of the grave injustices that are ripping this world apart.

I believe nothing is more dangerous than handing somebody, anybody, an enormous amount of power and trust that they will do well without being scrutinized and held accountable every step of the way. Without constant social pressure, governments will act in detriment of the public. What really matters for progressives is not the identity of the person at the helm, but the continued involvement of everyone else to push their reivindications on the table. In fact, I believe true change will be having power be exerted by the people. As zapatistas say, what is needed is that the people command, and government obeys.

I am quite certain Hillary Clinton won´t fix the economy of the USA. Simply because it can´t be fixed, because it´s systemic, and we are approaching the end of the free-market system and it will happen through a series of crisis. What is happening right now is just the beginning, and whatever measures governments may undertake, they won´t prevent the total collapse of economy as we know it.


I do not arbour any hope that Hillary Clinton will be a just President for the rest of the world. I sincerely believe she too will order and cover up war crimes or crimes against humanity punishable by international justice, as all the presidents of the USA have.

And the USA will still export war, poverty and destruction if Hillary Clinton is the next president.


But I still root for Hillary Clinton to become the next resident of the White House, since it is clear these elections will take place and someone will be sitting in the Oval room next year. And right now, in the circumstances we are in, some positive things can actually come off it. I am actually excited (not ecstatic and certainly not uncritical) to imagine Senator Clinton as the next president.

Here are a few reasons why:

I respect her. She has had to deal with crap of a horrifying magnitude, and she has come out stronger because of it. Seriously, I am not sure there is another human being who has had to face such shitstorms and insults from the media and the authorities over her private life. That, to me, speaks of a tremendous internal strength, and it truly is something admirable.

She is utterly competent and unbelievably brilliant. And that is something I am impressed by approximately every millenium, so it is a big deal in my eyes. She really is smart, far away from the teleprompters, independently from the rousing speeches. She knows the facts, she analyzes them, she builds her arguments herself and crafts revisions and improvements of her thoughts as reality and conversations dictate, and just by using her brains. In short, she truly thinks, and that is something invaluable. I mean it. Nothing has hurt political perspectives in the USA more than the deification of stupidity. How are people supposed to solve problems if they can´t understand them and come up with sensible solutions?

As a human being, I think she is empathetic and principled. I recognize this is higly subjective, but it is not an aside for me. In fact, if I didn´t feel that way, everything else would mean a peanut´s ass to me.
-I have the feeling she genuinely loves people, genuinely enjoys teaching and being taught about being an example, and that far away from the cameras and the polls, she genuinely enjoys sharing the many experiences of life.
-I have a feeling she sees LGBTs as real, normal, quirky people, whom you can love without reserve, because you could imagine yourself as one without feeling demeaned. That is something really, really important to me. Not once have I gotten the feeling that she would treat anyone differently in person because of their sexual orientation or gender expression (I am less sure of that one, to be honest, but just because I have no concrete data about it). Hell, I can easily imagine her flirting good-naturedly with a woman!
-She has never wavered about abortion, and in her declarations consistently emphasizes the necessity for women´s autonomy upon their bodies, which makes me feel she gets what it really is about. It´s one thing to blather bleakly about keeping abortion legal, it´s another to make women the center of the discussion.

Some of her principles I loathe, especially the ones concerning national security issues and the imperialist essence of the USA. But I get the feeling she doesn´t flip-flop about her beliefs, and that she really guides herself according to her set of principles. I don´t see her as a panderer (still someone who would compromise over some essential issues in the name of political efficiency, as her posture about gay marriage shows, so she doesn´t get a free pass at all, but there is a difference).

And finally, because she is a woman. Seriously. Imagine what it would mean, symbolically, for a woman to become President of the USA. An unapologetically feminist one. An incredibly strong one. The most reviled of political women, because she has never apologized for being so smart and ambitious. One who has had to earn everything twice over. It is a big deal to have a woman as president in the USA. Because it´s a country that prides itself on being the absolute boss, and because that notion still is completely linked with masculinity in the unconscious mind. Because some movements in the USA lead the way in fundamentalist thinking, and they have managed to leave some deep imprints on the entire population. Because even if Hillary is quite hawkish, it is a staggering blow to militaristic patriarchy to have a woman as Commander-in-chief. It might not seem like much at first, but it is, because it blows to pieces the gender-essentialist view that permeates EVERYTHING. Not just in the USA, in the entire world. It would have a ripple effect throughout many parts of the globe, I am convinced of it.

Really. Close your eyes, and imagine Hillary Clinton addressing the nation and popping up in every TV across the USA and talking about what´s going on and what should be done. Imagine TV-news across the world showing her talking and discussing policies at every table, at every forum. Imagine how matter-of-fact it would become after a while for many people who aren´t self-assumed sexist to think of women as capable, visible, and apt to deal with every kind of situation.

Hillary Clinton has bested the old boys´s at their game, a game that is rigged so that women always lose. She had to compromise and endure being constantly derided for a long time, but even while she played by their rules, she never gave up on she was, who she wanted to be, and what she thought was the right answer. She follows her own will ! Every woman, every person who is seen as a minority first, knows how remarkable that is. Because the unequality in power always means that as the abnormal one, you should shut up and fit in with the purposes of those who exert power. You may gain recognition and the right not to be mocked, but you need to act meekly and follow the lead of the structure around you.

Hillary has managed to determine her path. That´s no small feat. As a feminist, I need to recognize that, recognize the costs. And since I do, I rejoice, because if Hillary tears down the obstacles in her way, it will open up the door for many other women who currently don´t stand a chance to become president BECAUSE they are women, other women who may have even more merits than Hillary. In fact, I would argue that it really is necessary that Hillary Clinton becomes the Democratic candidate and the President of the USA this time around, because if she doesn´t, I think the door for women could close for quite some time. What woman stands more of a chance both in the primaries and the general election, on the Democratic side?



So yes, I find motives for excitement in the candidacy of Senator Hillary Clinton. And now, I find myself oddly invigorated, and quite hopeful, seeing how that candidacy is going.



Senator Hillary Clinton won the Democratic primary in Pennsylvania yesterday, by a 10 point margin. She overcame the fact that a lot of people, visible, preeminent, supposedly progressive people sensed and announced her impending doom. Again. She had already done it, when both Texas and Ohio were called must-win states for her and she came through with two wins.

Hillary Clinton didn´t give up, not even when high-ranked representatives of her party insisted she had to drop out of the race because she had already lost. She never gave up: not when it was crystal-clear the entire media was against her, not when it was clear she and her family would be subjected to an abject treatment, not when it was clear many people would resort to every dirty tactic to defeat her, not when it was clear many supposedly progressive people would not defend her dignity as a human being, as a woman.

The elections were unfavourable to her; the electoral results put her against the wall, and she didn´t crack under the pressure.

She is still standing, she is still strong. It is time I wrote this:

Go Hillary.

And if you manage to win, I can promise this: I will be examining every single decision you make, and organize to fight for your policies when they are a step in the right direction, or against them when they´re wrong.