*HILLARY CLINTON GROUP* Why do so many people (particularly men) hate Hillary?

[Nonhlanhla]

6. It is entirely possible

for feminists to not like Hillary or to disagree on policy issues. But that is not the question.

All of Hillary's progressive detractors should ask themselves: have I really investigated this woman? Do I truly just differ on policy? Or have I basically bought into the public caricature of her that has been built up over 25 years of right wing hatred?

That caricature is deeply rooted in the right wing's rejection of Hillary as a feminist. When she first appeared on the national scene, they were upset because she did not play the traditional wife role, did not bake cookies, was clearly seeing herself as her husband's equal, and even tried to keep her own name. From that day on she was declared Public Enemy #1 by them.

Has she made mistakes over the years? Of course. She is human.

But a lot of what we see about Hillary, including here on DU, echoes the twisting of her record that is rooted in right wing smears. And even progressives, and yes, even feminists, sometimes unwittingly buy into that. That is why you will read on DU that some don't simply say they reject her reasons for the Iraq War, but that she is bloodthirsty and enjoys killing people. (I read that on DU just the other day.) There are many examples of the same thing. And it comes not just from the right wing these days. Indeed, a heck of a lot of it now comes from the Bernie camp. But if we dare to challenge it, then we're accused of playing the gender card. It's a Catch 22.