The case for Hillary Clinton: A brighter future

To my dearest children,

As you fill in your ballots — two of you for the first time — I urge you to vote for Hillary Clinton. As a child, watching Ronald Reagan campaign against Jimmy Carter, I never even imagined a woman also could run for president. Today, I am proud to make the case to you for electing not just any woman, but the most qualified candidate to ever run for president of the United States.

I provided you with a good education and incredible opportunities. I instilled in you the value of hard work, taking care of others and the desire to make our world a better place. I expected you to treat one another with respect and to not attack with fallacious words. And, yes, I encouraged you to exude love and kindness. Don’t take this personally, but if I actually had a child who consistently exhibited all of these values, that perfect child would be Hillary Clinton.

[OPINION: The case for Donald Trump]

Your grandparents instilled in me the importance of tzedakah; Hillary has spent her life embodying these values of generosity. I am inspired by the countless stories of the people Hillary has helped over her long career. Hillary saved crumpled notes people handed her at community events and followed those individuals throughout their lives to ensure they received the medical care or attention they required. These moments were not captured by photos you see on Instagram, but by her lifelong devotion to giving a voice to the voiceless and following her heart.

I thought that I had accomplished a lot in my life in between driving you to and from school, but Hillary has outdone me! She is a superwoman: a Yale Law School graduate, children’s rights advocate, first lady of Arkansas and the United States, United States senator and secretary of state, all in addition to being a devoted mother, grandmother and wife. 

I am ashamed that during this election we have been abducted into a dreadful reality show where media ratings and hate prevail. Amid the noise, Hillary continues to make her case for supporting the poor, investing in infrastructure, creating jobs for the middle class and taking on big banks. Listening to cruel chants of “lock her up” and endless name-calling, Hillary holds her head high and talks about making education affordable and debt free for young people.

Widespread sexism and double standards have plagued Hillary in this election, but this has strengthened her resilience. President Hillary Clinton will not tolerate sexual predator rhetoric and behavior, and will support your rights to make your own health decisions and to earn equal pay for your equal work.

Over our dinners, we have discussed the outrageous and rampant attacks on race and religion in Donald Trump’s tweets. On the contrary, Hillary has fought for the rights of all minorities against bigotry and injustice, and she will fight for you. She has stood up to the NRA and the gun industry. And I trust her to protect you from gun terror.

Hillary takes America’s security seriously and respects our leadership role in the world. She understands the importance of NATO, and she has identified ways to tackle the Islamic State at home and abroad. How many people can say they brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas? She has assembled an influential bipartisan national security council and is respected by world leaders. Hillary is prepared to lead, just like she was prepared when we sat in the living room and watched her win all three presidential debates hands down.

There are so many issues that affect you in this election. You all have asked me to get solar panels for the house, and Hillary also wants to invest in solar panels. She knows that global warming is not a hoax.

While Earth’s temperature rises, this election is heating up. But the truth is cold and clear: This election is about you and your future; this election decides if we are going to live in hate and fear or in a democracy fueled by fact, knowledge and kindness.

Let’s help Hillary pioneer America’s tomorrow.

Love,
Mom