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I'm not very likely to vote for Hillary Clinton. Politically, I differ from her standpoint on many issues, and though I lean slightly liberal, I won't vote for her *just* because she's a Democrat or a woman. However, I've seen some anti-Hillary messages posted on Facebook pages and elsewhere, and I compelled to say something that's on my mind.

I've seen messages such as:
"Even Bill wants SomeBOOTY else"
"Even Bill Doesn't Want Hillary"
"Sorry Hillary, No Cigar"
"Even Bill doesn't Do Hillary"
"Hillary Sucks More than Monica"

Maybe some think that this is funny, but I'd like to present another perspective.

I'm horrified that anyone would stoop so low as to blame her for her husband's infidelity, much less make her desirability to her (jackass of a) husband a factor in determining her worthiness for Presidency. And notice how the message is that EVEN "said jackass" doesn't want her - he's low, but she's lower than he! I doubt that, were the candidate a man whose high-profile wife had cheated on him, that this type of attack would even see the light of day - because that would just be TOO LOW to go.

What would you say if you saw person in a T-shirt proclaiming "Avoid Becky; even her husband didn't want her!" I'd like to think that, if you know me at all, your first reaction would be that the statement is ridiculous under any circumstances.

Yet, even as a reasonably self-confident woman, I can testify first-hand to the personal anguish caused by infidelity (and the self-recrimination that comes along with it). I still sometimes feel paralyzed in public places by the still-very-fresh pain and humiliation. My inner dialogue, in my worst moments, goes something like, "everyone knew but you," "you couldn't keep your man faithful/satisfied," "he must have had a reason to..." I don't think you can imagine how destructive this is *even to the strongest of people* unless you have been in those shoes. It's horrible not just because of the misdirected self-loathing, but because it absolves the cheater of responsibility for his own actions - "I must have done something to deserve this..."

And I didn't have anyone putting ads on their Myspace pages, or bumper stickers on their cars, proclaiming this - my own brain alone created enough of those messages to have an incredibly damaging effect on my self-esteem, my boundaries and my ability to have healthy relationships.

The idea that Hillary's pain should be mocked in a way that degrades her sexually, and that someone would think it's OK to publicly and unabashedly claim that she's "so awful that even her husband doesn't want to have sex with her," and think that this has ANYTHING to do with her fitness to be elected, MAKES ME SICK.

Does anyone actually think that displaying something like this on a Facebook page would make any slightly-more-aware-than-comatose person perk up and say "oh! I see how important of an issue this is, and I definitely won't vote for her now! thanks for setting me straight before I made a huge mistake!" Or if they're merely trying to show solidarity with other anti-Hillaryites, is this really the issue they agree is the basis of their dislike?

When this is all said and done, I hope that she isn't President, but I know for sure that she WILL be a hero to me, for shouldering with dignity the nasty baggage that people heap upon her.

To those of you who know me and have this offensive crap on your t-shirts, coffee mugs, Facebooks, Myspaces and the bumpers of your cars - think about what you're really saying, ok?