Column | Hillary in the attack

Finally a venomous attack on President Trump’s policy by an icon of the Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton. The NRC-Readers were able to enter a Dutch translation of her article in their newspaper of 3 April The New York Times Read under the headline: ‘Being strong instead of smart. How stupid do you want it? « 

« How much dumber will this get?« Hillary wrote. She uses the word ‘Dumb’ a few more times and replace it in the initial sentence ‘Stupidity’, Which comes down to the same.

That frequent use by Hillary of ‘Dom’ for the right, Trumpian policy reminded me strongly of the concept of ‘Domrechts’, in the Netherlands by the journalist Peter Breedveld and spread by columnist Sander Schimmelpenninck van van de Volkskrant. Schimmelpenninck is always attacked by right -wing opponents who blame him for looking down on ‘ordinary people’. No, Schimmelpenninck responds, it is not about unintelligent or low-educated people, but « about people with political (and social) media power who love the stupid, stupidity, or deliberately keeping themselves ignorant ».

He means, if I can translate it freely, especially the people who determine and influence policy, not so much the people who have to undergo that policy. I do not doubt his good intentions, and he has to continue with his sharp criticism of radical-right and extreme right, but with both Hillary and Schimmelpenninck you can see that the addition of the word ‘stupid’ helps their opponents to ammunition. That is why I am surprised that Hillary will continue to do so in her article; Quite a few readers punish that in their response.

Hillary later determined that her use of the term ‘Deplorables’ (Sad Types) Half of Trumps supporters contributed to her election defeat in 2016 against Trump. At the time, she tried to limit the damage with the excuse that she should not have said ‘half’; After all, she had pointed out that many people rightly did not feel heard. It didn’t help, Trump could speak ‘Deplorables ‘Lights from his context and continue to use against her.

I understand that it is tempting to use the word ‘stupid’ for Trump and his policy. If you do not pass it on to him and his supporters, I would like to confess that Trump also makes a stupid impression on me with his incoherent, poorly expressed and half -completed claims, but it doesn’t seem wise to put the « stupid » public emphasis there.

What should we call it? ‘Unloaded’ and ‘unwise’ are good alternatives, although I realize that « How much dumber will this get?« Much tastier than »How much more unwise will this get? »

Would Hillary not have realized all this when she wrote her article? Probably, but I suspect that her very tangible sigh for retribution prevailed, while she was once again forced to think about her death enemy. How could she take ‘those half -cooked’ best to graze? Just by calling him as she always called him: dumb.

« Shall I do it? « Will she have asked Bill. » I wouldn’t do it, « he sighed, » but do what you can’t help.  »

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