Americans only have more than a year to think who to vote as their next leader. To help you decide who to vote for, we look into some of the potential candidates. In this particular article, we will look into how former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, hailed by Washington Post as the "biggest front-runner for a Democratic presidential nomination ever," looked into several issues like abortion, contraception, Islam, and gay marriage.
On Abortion and Contraception
Clinton has stressed that abortion should be "safe, legal, and rare." What does "rare" mean? Dr. Tracy Weitz of the University of California, San Francisco said "rare suggests that abortion is happening more than it should, and that there are some conditions for which abortions should and should not occur," The Guardian reported citing her own research. Weitz went on to say that the idea of abortion being rare gives the belief that it is "wrong" and it differs from other health care.
In a hearing last 2009, Clinton shared that she has seen the suffering of many women around the world (in Brazil, and in African and Asian countries). She stressed that family planning is a vital part of women's health and contraception should be part of their health care plan.
On Gay Marriage
Clinton was earlier involved in (as Huffington Post puts it) an "awkward" conversation with NPR's Terry Gross about the gay marriage issue. When Gross tried to clarify whether she indeed supports gay marriage, Clinton replied, "You know, I really - I have to say, I think you are being very persistent, but you are playing with my words...No, I don't think you are trying to clarify. I think you are trying to say that I used to be opposed, and now I am in favor, and I did it for political reasons. And that's just flat wrong. So let me just state what I feel like you are implying and repudiate it. I have a strong record. I have a great commitment to this issue and I am proud of what I've done and the progress we're making."
Listen to the entire conversation here:
So in a separate interview with CNN's Christian Amapour, Clinton said she has "evolved" as her views on the issue have changed over time and that she now fully supports it. "[L]ike most Americans I know, my views have changed over time. I think evolved is the word that a lot of people have used. It fits me as well as it fits others. In large measure, based on the experiences that I had with so many people who I knew and cared about, and it really became very clear to me that if we're going to support marriage in our country, it should be available to everyone regardless of who they love and that this marriage equality issue is a great human rights issue. So, yes, I evolved over time and I'm very, very proud to state that I'm a full supporter of marriage equality right now," Clinton said.
On Islam
Clinton, the wife of former President Bill Clinton, is also notable for her statement last year encouraging people to empathize with the enemies. "This is what we call smart power. Using every possible tool and partner to advance peace and security. Leaving no one on the sidelines. Showing respect even for one's enemies. Trying to understand, in so far as psychologically possible, empathize with their perspective and point of view. Helping to define the problems, determine the solutions. That is what we believe in the 21st century will change -- change the prospects for peace," Clinton said in Georgetown University.
According to Freedom Outpost, Clinton's aide Huma Abedin has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood which had earlier been declared as a terrorist group by several countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and UAE.
What do you think of Hillary Clinton's views? Do you agree with her? Should she be the next president? Share your thoughts by hitting the comments section below.
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