General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHonoring Hillary Rodham Clinton on International Women's Day
Happy International Womens DayHere is Meryl Streeps tribute and introduction of Hillary Rodham Clinton at the 2012 Women in the World conference:
Anabella De Leon of Guatemala pointed to Hillary Clinton, who was sitting right in the front row, and said, I met her and my life changed. And all weekend long, women from all over the world said the same thing:
Im alive because she came to my village, put her arm around me, and had a photograph taken together.
Im alive because she went on our local TV and talked about my work, and now theyre afraid to kill me.
Im alive because she came to my country and she talked to our leaders, because I heard her speak, because I read about her.
Im here today because of that, because of those stories.
I didnt know about this. I never knew any of it. And I think everybody should know. This hidden history Hillary has, the story of her parallel agenda, the shadow diplomacy unheralded, uncelebrated careful, constant work on behalf of women and girls that she has always conducted alongside everything else a First Lady, a Senator, and now Secretary of State is obliged to do.
And it deserves to be amplified. This willingness to take it, to lead a revolution and revelation, beginning in Beijing in 1995, when she first raised her voice to say the words youve heard many times throughout this conference: Womens Rights Are Human Rights.
When Hillary Clinton stood up in Beijing to speak that truth, her hosts were not the only ones who didnt necessarily want to hear it. Some of her husbands advisors also were nervous about the speech, fearful of upsetting relations with China. But she faced down the opposition at home and abroad, and her words continue to hearten women around the world and have reverberated down the decades.
Shes just been busy working, doing it, making those words Womens Rights are Human Rights into something every leader in every country now knows is a linchpin of American policy. Its just so much more than a rhetorical triumph. Were talking about what happened in the real world, the institutional change that was a result of that stand she took.
Now we know that the higher the education and the involvement of women in a culture and economy, the more secure the nation. Its a metric we use throughout our foreign policy, and in fact, its at the core of our development policy. It is a big, important shift in thinking. Horrifying practices like female genital cutting were not at the top of the agenda because they were part of the culture and we didnt want to be accused of imposing our own cultural values.
But what Hillary Clinton has said over and over again is, A crime is a crime, and criminal behavior cannot be tolerated. Everywhere she goes, she meets with the head of state and she meets with the women leaders of grassroots organizations in each country. This goes automatically on her schedule. As youve seen, when she went to Burma our first government trip there in 40 years. She met with its dictator and then she met with Aung San Suu Kyi, the woman he kept under detention for 15 years, the leader of Burmas pro-democracy movement.
This isnt just symbolism. Its how you change the world.
When Vera Stremkovskaya, a lawyer and human rights activist from Belarus met Hillary Clinton a few years ago, they took a photograph together. And she said to one of the Secretarys colleagues, I want that picture. And the colleague said, I will get you that picture as soon as possible. And Stremkovskaya said, I need that picture. And the colleague said, I promise you. And Stremkovskaya said, You dont understand. That picture will be my bullet-proof vest.
Never give up. Never, never, never, never, never give up. That is what Hillary Clinton embodies."
~Meryl Streep
Much of Hillary Clintons work is largely ignored and overlooked because it focuses on women, something the media chooses not to report on. Womens equality isnt sensational or important to the mainstream press. Im happy Meryl Streep highlighted Hillarys consistent work on behalf of women, especially her revolutionary work as Secretary of State.
Newsweek:
From calling her a big mouth to making Monica Lewinsky jokes, China consistently reacts furiously when Hillary Clinton speaks about Chinas horrific record on womens rights.
China first reacted this way when Hillary went to Beijing in 1995 and took China to task for their human rights abuses against women. Meryl Streep references this speech in her speech.
A must-watch for those that havent seen it yet:
Hillary declared:
~Hillary Rodham Clinton
The Chinese government took Hillarys speech off their airwaves. The First Ladys speech was censored by the Chinese government.
Hillary has fought for womens equality her entire career:
Im not going to mislead anybody. Politics is really hard. And it is harder for women. Theres a double standard, and you cant complain about it. You just have to accept it, and be smart enough to navigate it. And you have to have a pretty tough skin. To paraphrase a favorite quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: If a woman wants to be in politics, she has to have the skin of a rhinoceros. So occasionally Ill be sitting somewhere and Ill be listening to someone perhaps not saying the kindest things about me. And Ill look down at my hand and Ill sort of pinch my skin to make sure it still has the requisite thickness I know Eleanor Roosevelt expects me to have.
~Hillary Rodham Clinton
|Hillarys Career|
WATERGATE:
Youngest lawyer ever appointed to an impeachment trial. 26-year-old Yale Law graduate Hillary Rodham.
CHILDRENS DEFENSE FUND:
Investigated African American juveniles being placed in South Carolina adult prisons, and posed as a racist housewife to expose segregation throughout schools in the South.
FIRST LADY OF ARKANSAS:
Hillary successfully reformed the entire K-12 Arkansas educational system, expanded healthcare for those in rural Arkansas, worked at the Arkansas Childrens Hospital Legal Services, and co-founded the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. First female partner of the Rose Law Firm.
The joke in Arkansas was that they hired the wrong Clinton.
FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES:
Hillary spearheaded the Adoption and Safe Families Act, the Foster Care Independence Act, Office on Violence Against Women, the Campaign Against Teenage Pregnancy (lowering abortion and teenage pregnancy rates), and the Childrens Health Insurance Program providing 8.9 million low-income children with healthcare access.
In 1994, Hillary proclaimed on the world stage in Beijing, China:
If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are womens rights and womens rights are human rights once and for all.
TWO-TIME NEW YORK SENATOR:
Hillary secured 20 billion in federal funds to rebuild downtown New York City after 9/11. She also secured healthcare for 9/11 First Responders and expanded access to care for the National Guard, Reservists, and their families.
U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE:
Passed the first-ever U.N Resolution on gay rights (proclaiming: human rights are gay rights and gay rights are human rights on the world stage), and made it so trans Americans can legally change their gender on their passport. Hillary also rebuilt relations with every nation after the disastrous Bush Administration, traveling to 112 countries more than any other Secretary of State. Our worldwide favorability rose 20% during Hillarys tenure. Her primary focus was on womens rights and health, bringing up issues such as forced abortion and maternal mortality rates. Hillary re-opened relations with Burma, enacted a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and killed Osama Bin Laden. She also was instrumental in putting together the Paris Climate Agreement, something Trump has since removed us from.
POPULAR VOTE WINNER 3 MILLION MORE VOTES:
First female Presidential nominee of a major political party.
Forever an icon.
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton.
radical noodle
(8,000 posts)It's beautiful and makes me cry for what we lost.
Aristus
(66,328 posts)We could have had one of the most highly-qualified, dedicated, strong, smart people ever to serve as President.
And it would have been a woman.
For the first time.
The Orange Shitstain wanted to 'Make America Great Again'.
His squalid and criminal elevation to the White House is pretty much proof that this may never happen.
triron
(22,001 posts)TreeStarsForever
(392 posts)Surplus
22 million new jobs
4-balanced budgets due to the superb compromising ability of Bill Clinton
7 million fewer Americans living in poverty
Minimum wage up 20%
Assault Weapons Ban
Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act
Campaign Against Teen Pregnancy: all-time low abortion rates
Office on Violence Against Women
Violence Against Women Act
Childrens Health Insurance Program: 8.9 million children insured
Family and Medical Leave Act
Incomes rising at all income levels
BigmanPigman
(51,590 posts)Meanwhile the moron doesn't pay his workers, takes everyone to court over nothing, never gives money to charities, his goal in life is to be a stud, and never, ever did anything as a public service for free, etc. And THAT is what qualifies him for a position as president of the US? NOT MY PRESIDENT EVER!
rufnear
(29 posts)I hope we see her in another leadership position soon. This country improved so much when she was First Lady and in active political roles. Thank you OP for sharing these videos.
TreeStarsForever
(392 posts)calimary
(81,238 posts)So do I. I just wince every time I think of such a magnificent opportunity lost. Stolen, actually.
Cha
(297,196 posts)International Women's Day, TSF!
Mahalo Nui Loa!
calimary
(81,238 posts)I'm STILL with her.
She had me at "I guess I could have stayed home and baked cookies..."
Thank you so much for this wonderful compilation! Gonna make a note of it for future savoring. When I get too disgusted with this so-called "president", it'll be a welcome and encouraging reference. It will remind me that there is brightness be proud of in these very dark times.
pazzyanne
(6,552 posts)Hekate
(90,674 posts)lunamagica
(9,967 posts)We have lost so much by not having this woman in the WH. My signature line says everything...