Oh Be Careful: Hillary’s Presidential Run

I rarely write about politics because I am a strict believer in the separation of church and state and as I write this, I realize that I am already making some of you (especially my Republican friends) nervous because I have used Hillary Clinton’s name in the title.

As soon as I heard that Hillary had entered the race, I knew I had to blog about it, not because I want to speak in favor or against her political stance, and not because I want to sway a vote during this election. I had to write about her because she is a woman. Remember the last time she ran for office? People attacked her hair, her pantsuit and her low voice and laugh. I have already heard reporters discussing whether she can overcome the stigma of being a typical emotional woman or not.

You may or may not like Hillary’s politics, but I am writing to ask you a favor. You can say all you want to about her political agenda, but please do not attack the fact that she is a woman. Do not say things like she is “ an overemotional woman,” or “too weak because she is a woman.” Please do not make her lack of fashion sense a main topic of conversation. Why? Because little girls are listening and they are learning about the role of women in our world. Every time Hilary is attacked as a woman, a little girl is hearing that there is something fundamentally wrong with being a woman. Every time she hears adults criticizing the way Hillary dresses or have an opinion about her hair style, a little girl is learning that she will be judged on her appearance more than on her character and intelligence.

Remember the song we learned as children at Vacation Bible School?

“Oh be careful little mouth what you say,

Oh be careful little mouth what you say,

For the God up above is looking down with love,

Oh be careful little mouth what you say.

I am asking you to “be careful” during this political election time. Not just about Hillary, but about any candidate. Our children are listening. Their eyes are seeing and their ears are hearing. They are learning lessons. I pray that we remember this little song and choose our words with care instead of attacking and making snide remarks with nasty under tones, especially remarks that imply that being a woman is a bad thing.

As the book of Genesis says:

So God created humankind in his image,

In the image of God, God created them

Male and female God created them….

And God saw everything that God had made and indeed it was very good.

Hilary may not be the first woman President, but there might be a little girl who, if we watch what we say about women, will have the confidence to try and perhaps she will be the first. During this election, I urge you to sing along with me, “Oh be careful little mouths what we say.”