Hillary Clinton has revised her notorious 2016 assessment of certain Donald Trump supporters as "deplorables," now claiming the term overly generous.
In a recent opinion piece, Clinton expressed the term falls short of capturing the extent of their ideologies and actions, Fox News reported.
Hillary Clinton, the former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee revisited her past remarks in an op-ed for The Washington Post titled "To err is human, to empathize is superhuman." Clinton's original statement had grouped some Trump aficionados into what she called "a basket of deplorables," highlighting overt racism, sexism, and other discriminatory ideologies present among them.
Originally, Clinton had apologized for her remarks, but she stood by the essence of her observation. In the editorial, she links such ideologies more directly to violent events, such as the Charlottesville riots and the January 6th Capitol riot, which she sees as confirmations of her previous warnings.
Clinton's op-ed not only revisits the severity of the actions by some of Trump's base but also reflects on the broader societal implications. "The masks have come off, and if anything, ‘deplorable’ is too kind a word for the hate and violent extremism we’ve seen from some Trump supporters," she wrote. This evolution in her viewpoint underscores a deepening concern about the normalization of extreme ideological divides.
Clinton's interaction with Shannon Foley, a reformed White supremacist now aiding others to exit hate groups, provided a poignant narrative of redemption and empathy. She explained how Foley’s journey inspired her to consider the transformative power of understanding, even for those she had previously deemed irredeemable.
"What will it take to pull us out of the madness? Is there any way to drain the fever swamps so we can stand together on firmer, higher ground?" she questioned in her piece, suggesting that empathy could be a tool for societal healing. Clinton believes in the potential for redemption, acknowledging though, the complexity of converting deeply entrenched beliefs.
Hillary Clinton reflected on her evolving perspective with significant contemplation: "I marveled at the empathy Shannon managed to summon for even the most, yes, let’s name it, deplorable bigots. Talking about the ‘deplorables’ in 2016, I said, ‘Some of those folks, they are irredeemable.' Part of me would still argue this is objectively true. I'd like to believe there’s goodness in everyone and a chance at redemption, no matter how remote."
In her scathing rebuke of the former president, Clinton castigates Donald Trump for his connections to the alt-right and his perceived endorsement by figures within the white supremacist movement. She condemns the hiring of alt-right leaders within his campaign and his alignment with divisive figures, suggesting these actions augmented the philosophical and ideological divides she highlights.
Clinton admitted regret over her numerical estimation of "half" when discussing the proportion of Trump supporters she considered 'deplorable'.
Yet, she reaffirms the sentiment behind her original statement, underscoring a need to confront the ideologies she describes as a threat to societal values and safety.
As Hillary Clinton revisits her past comments with a mix of regret and reaffirmation, she calls for a path forward that combines realism about the present with hope for redemption. She understands the complexity of the challenges ahead but emphasizes the potential of empathy and understanding to overcome deep societal divides.
Clinton's editorial does more than revisit a past controversy; it seeks to reframe the conversation around what it means to hold one another accountable, philosophically and morally, in an age of extreme polarities and persistent ideological clashes. She ends with a call for continued dialogue and action toward healing the fractures that mark the current political and social landscapes.
