Hillary’s “Smart Power:” What difference does it make?

What Difference Does it Make, Mrs. Clinton?

At a recent poorly attended talk by Hillary Clinton at Georgetown University, the likely presidential candidate shared her profound thoughts on advancing the causes of peace and security. Mrs. Clinton, with far more worldly experience than Miss America candidates who consider these subjects (albeit before a much larger audience), imparted her unparalleled presidential-ish expertise as follows.

“This is what we call smart power,” the former Secretary of State disclosed. “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.”

So let’s be clear: Mrs. Clinton admonishes members of her rapt university audience to “empathize” with the perspectives and points of view “even [of] one’s enemies”.

With all due respect, I should like to pose a few questions to Mrs. Clinton, only a few, as I know she’s very busy thinking deep thoughts.

Is Mrs. Clinton willing to divvy her pearls of pansophy to protesters across the country, many of whom consider police officers their enemies? Should protesters empathize with the perspectives and points of view of police officers who risk their own lives daily? Should the families of Michael Brown and Eric Garner be urged to “empathze with the perspective and point of view” of police officers Darren Wilson and Daniel Pantaleo?

Does Mrs. Clinton suggest that the wives, children, parents and siblings of James Foley, Steven Sotloff, David Haines, Alan Henning, and Peter Kassig, all beheaded by Isis, should work together to “empathize with the perspective and point of view” of the Isis beheader?

Too, I wonder if Mrs. Clinton has shown any empathy for Nakoula Bassley Nakoula, writer and producer of the “hateful video” Innocence of Muslims, which, according to Mrs. Clinton, sparked the attacks on Benghazi, September 11, 2012, leading to the deaths of Chris Stephens, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty, and Tyrone Woods.

When will Mrs. Clinton bequeath her good tidings to Timea (15), Aiden and Adam (11), the children of American kindergarten teacher Ibolya Ryan, stabbed to death in Abu Dhabi by Dalal al Hashemi, because Ms.Ryan was an “American teacher”?

Good tidings, joy, and “smart power” in December from the Democratic front-runner to children of the slaughtered. Can’t fault Mrs.Clinton’s timing.

My last question to Mrs. Clinton is akin to one she so astutely raised herself: What difference at this point does it make to you, Mrs. Clinton, when none of the victims –the beheaded, the Benghazi murdered, the film director still on probation, vilified police officers across the nation, the children still under 18 by 2016–can or will vote for you? What difference does it make?

 “If one feels compassion for the victims of a concentration camp, one cannot feel it for the torturers. If one does feel compassion for the torturers, it is an act of moral treason toward the victims.”
Playboy Interview: Ayn Rand
Playboy, March, 1964