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“Women’s Progress Is Human Progress”

By Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy on March 14, 2010 at 10:00 AM in Current Affairs, Forced Prostitution, Foreign Affairs, Gender Bias, Human Rights, Misogyny, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Sexism, United Nations, Women and Children

(March 11, 2010 – Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images North America)

I had planned on doing something else today, but when I was alerted that this video (and text) of Secretary of State Clinton was available, I postponed my other piece. It should be no surprise to anyone that anything like this from Hillary Clinton usurps other plans, right? Right. It is Women’s History Month after all, y’all.

Anyway, Secretary Hillary Clinton was speaking to the U.N. on the Fifteenth Anniversary of the U.N. Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. As you may recall (because I mention it about every other day), Hillary Clinton gave a historic speech at that conference in Beijing, one of the Top 100 Speeches of the Twentieth Century.

Without further ado, here is Secretary Clinton:

I think this may just make Top 100 Speeches of the Twenty-first Century, too. What an amazing woman she is, what a tireless advocate on behalf of women and children. Even though we are over half of the population in the world, our equality is far from achieved even still. As Secretary Clinton pointed out, in too many places, we are seen as “lesser creatures,” still less educated, still receive less treat medical treatment, still on the receiving end of violence from those who are supposed to love them, or at the hands of those using violence as a means of war.

I imagine that while the need is still there, while women are still treated disparately compared to men, and as long as she is able, Secretary Clinton will be there fighting for us. Thank heavens for that, thank heavens for her. She is a priceless treasure to our country, and to the world. She is truly an inspiration.

I can’t resist – whenever I listen to her speak, see her passion, her compassion, her strength, her intelligence, her warmth, and her advocacy, I am reminded of this video:

Damn right.

If you don’t have time to watch the entire video, MAKE time! Ahem. I’m sorry. I meant to say, here’s a LINK to the text of her speech. Read it at your leisure.

Secretary Clinton, thank you. Thank you for your continued advocacy on behalf of women and children. Thank you for continuing to bring this critical issue to the fore. It is the twenty-first century, far too long for over half of the population to be treated as equals, as fully human. But with your leadership, hopefully, prayerfully, we will be successful at long, long last…

  • Ladydawnelle

    I voted for her
    I loved her
    but I’m just not feeling it for her any longer!
    Sorry, but I can’t force myself to agree with a lot of her moves lately.  I’d still vote for her over any OTHER DONKEY out there at this moment.  But sadly that’s not saying much as I have little regard left for any on the left.  I still feel like they stabbed their OWN in the back and laughed about it (while ROME still burns)
    mofo’s growl

  • Yttik

    Hillary is the one thing in this administration that is actually working.

  • imustprotest

    Thank you Rev Amy!  What a pleasant surprise to see Hillary’s picture when this website opened up on my computer!!

  • helenk

    I am reading her speech with tears in my eyes.Thanks to the useless pos that lead the new democratic party we are stuck with backtrack. We are going to be stuck with a bill that sells the country to the insurance corporations and has less care for women then we have now.
    Jobs are not being created so that families will prosper.
    May every one who screwed this country by the cheating and lying and bribery that stuck us with him  rot in hell.

    WOMEN WITH INTELLIGENCE AND EXPERIENCE,MEN WHO SUPPORT THEM AND COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS

    PUMAS,BUBBAS,EQUALSITS AND THOSE PEOPLE RULE

  • Ladydawnelle

    perhaps the ONLY thing YTTiK!!
    which could be why it’s all falling apart!
    ONE beam can NOT support a whole building
    (unless it’s a really WELL supported BIRD HOUSE)
    LMAO!

  • Ladydawnelle

    (and that would be a LOTTTTTT of people)

    and I,  2nd that CURSE!!
    (because, imho,  I’ve NEVER been a very good Christian, even though I try)
    ;)

  • sowsear

    Why don’t we raise some money, put up some billboards, and tell them so. They can’t seem to hear us, maybe they can still read-if the print is big enough.

  • Recovering Demoholic

    I agree.  I contributed to her campaign and even to retire her debt so she would have a shot at the nomination in the convention.  I continue to support and defend her ‘on the street.’  She lost me around either the Locherbie Pardon or Zelaya Presidency.  William Jefferson isn’t helping me either, especially his renewed alliance with skin head.  After almost a half-century as a registered Democrat, pfffft!

  • prime obot

    “Jobs are not being created.” 

    How exactly do you expect the White House to “create jobs,” if not through the stimulus package and middle class and business tax cuts that you have all also rejected as useless, since they came from Obama?

    Seriously. What do you expect the man to do other than what he has already been doing? 

    BTW, so many economic indicators are now pointing north, you can expect the jobs to start to return very soon now. 

  • Outlawales

    it still makes me so sad,

    we could’ve had hillary,
    we should’ve had hillary

  • helenk

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN7Ss2MRpzg&feature=related

    Seriously. What do you expect the man to do other than what he has already been doing?

    Other then the date nights, overseas trips dissing America, fund raising for some of the dems who will not stand up to him,selling out America to the corporations with backroom deals, not doing the job of president that he was selected for?
    I do not expect anything from backtrack, his history shows he does as little as possible. I saw through him during the primaries and have seen nothing since to change my mind.

    WOMEN WITH INTELLIGENCE AND EXPERIENCE,MEN WHO SUPPORT THEM AND COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS

    PUMAS,BUBBAS,EQUALISTS AND THOSE PEOPLE RULE

  • carol haka

    Hillary/Sarah 2012 :*

    True BiPartisanship

    :-D

  • Captain Jack Sparrow

    Can’t blame Clinton she is only carrying water for Obama and doing the best she can.

  • sowsear

    We cudda had a V-8 instead of vinegar,

  • sowsear

    It couldn’t happen but it might be a good thing.

  • Diana L. C.

    RRRA,

    You didn’t have to order me to take time to listen to the speech.  I take every opportunity to hear her speak.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting it. 

    (I did notice that she made what I think was a slight nod to the sexism she faced when she mentioned that we in the U.S. should know we’re not equal yet. Did anyone else take it that way?) 

    How is it that I can listen to her from beginning to end without getting annoyed or upset or bored out of my mind? (Well, except when she gives her obligatory mentions of the “Obama administration,” of course.  But I’m not annoyed with her, only with the idiotic fools who put him there.)

    I had tears in my eyes throughout her speech, and then you just HAD to go an throw in the Sophie Hawkins video.  That released the floodgates.

    Yes, I wish she were our President.   :’(   I’ll just go and pout for the rest of the day now.

  • karen for Clinton

    We will never forget.    I knew the betrayal and awakining went  so deep in me.  Yes, there are STILL tears.  I lost the party I had identified with for decades and worked for and believed in.  She always blooms where planted.

  • Rabble Rouser Rev. Amy

    I know, right?  I admit, when I logged onto NQ just now and her photo came up, it made me smile!

  • Rabble Rouser Rev. Amy

    Amen to that, Ourlawales.  How different would things be in this country if the DNC had not picked Obama from the get-go and allowed US to pick our nominee?  No doubt, Hillary would have won, and unlike Obama, she is not afraid to work across the aisle to get good legislation passed.

    And she would have rolled up her sleeves and gotten to work on the unemployment crisis tout de suite, none of this trying to ram a horrible bill down our throats solely for her own ego.  Yep, it would be a whole different country with her in charge.

  • Rabble Rouser Rev. Amy

    Hey, Diana – YES, I did catch that comment she made.  I was glad she said it, too.  We are FAR from being a country that treats women not as “lesser creatures,” and as equals.  Good for her.

    Right there with you, too, abt her speech.  Listening to it, I couldn’t believe that it was over half an hour.  I can barely listen to Obama for more than thirty SECONDS, much less thirty minutes!  But Hillary?  I could listen to her all day long because she actually talks abt substantive issues with intelligence, passion, and a framework for action.  Obama cannot even come close.

    She made me cry, too, just so you know!

    Karen, I completely understand, and can relate totally…

  • AnnieCarmel

    Hey Lady, not many of us came in expecting to become a Saint.

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  • helenk

    OT
    What happened to the post and comments on tom hanks?
    I wanted to tell some of the late coming obots to go to Philadelphia and see
    first      the Liberty Bell
    2nd      Congress Hall
    3rd       the Chapel of the Four Chaplins
    seeing these three places helps to understand the history and greatness of this country.

    WOMEN WITH INTELLIGENCE AND EXPEREINCE,MEN WHO SUPPORT THEM AND COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS

    PUMAS,BUBBAS,EQUALISTS AND THOSE PEOPLE RULE

  • confused American

    OT —- I was just wondering that myself…What the hell Happened did our pirate friend take them over.

  • prime obot

    Again: such silliness. You are seriously saying you think Hillary could have worked effectively with these Republicans in a way Obama has not, by his own choice? And you’re saying that there are significant actions that could be taken to combat unemployment that Obama has not taken? Care to name them? 

    As for this “horrible bill,” here’s a detailed summary: 

    http://grayson.house.gov/UploadedFiles/summary-presidents-proposal.pdf

    Please do let me know which provisions you take such issue with, since if HRC had been elected, she would almost certainly be advocating for a very similar bill. 

  • Doc99

    There have been women SOS’s in the last three administrations. It’d be nice if one of them would stand up for the Rights of the Iranian Women… or All Women suffering in the name of Religion.

    http://www.payvand.com/news/10/mar/1128.html

  • Ani

    If you are going to pretend that Hillary would govern in the same manner as Obama, then that is the funniest thing I have heard in a long time.  She would not sit down with Republicans the day after her inauguration and arrogantly say, “Well, I won.”  She has built a reputation for working across the aisle.  No way would she have handled herself the way he has.

  • Sandy

    And don’t forget the great American pasttime,baseball at Citizens Bank Park.

  • Cindy

    Rev Amy–Thank you for posting this, and for continuing the celebration of Women’s History Month.
    My wish for Hillary, as I’ve said before, is that she be appointed to the Supreme Court…… A lifetime appointment where she’ll be respected and revered for the rest of her life.
     I want her out of the Democratic Party, like, last year I want her out. The Democrats will never nominate a woman for President. It’s obvious they now are going to select male nominees from the varying colors represented in the Democratic party.  But they do not want a woman, as they have profoundly illustrated to us.
    Thanks again for the speech!

  • bayareavoter

    RRRAmy–I will always be a big fan of Hillary. I really believe that domestic policy would be in a far better place had she been allowed to lead us. And I will never forgive the Dems for the way they engineered her loss.

  • WestVirginia304

    Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments

    We The People reaffirm that all men and all women are created equal.

    We reaffirm; that we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

    We reaffirm; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it, and to insist upon the institution of a new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.

    We reaffirm; that the history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her.

    In light of this history, and in the understanding that men and women must be banded together in common cause to change the course of this history, we affirm that:

    Women’s rights are human rights, and human rights are women’s rights.

    We are obligated to stand up and protect the rights of all people, regardless of gender, skin color, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, or creed, to live in a society that upholds equality, freedom, and justice.

    All people have a right to receive equal pay for equal work, have the freedom to share their lives with the partners of their choice, and have access to the same opportunities for employment.

    Every citizen of the United States of America is entitled to equal protection under the Constitution of the United States.

    No political body operating under the Constitution of the United States possesses the power or authority to violate the rights of citizens protected by that Constitution.

    Every vote cast by an eligible voter must be counted, and every vote cast and counted must be reflected fairly.

    Every citizen of the world must be recognized as being in possession of the same inalienable human rights; to live free from emotional, economic, religious, sexual, political, and physical oppression.

  • Cindy

    West va—thank you!

  • Elinor

    Does anyone else think that the photo of Hillary by Mario Tama at the top of the article is just fantastic?  What a wonderful image!

  • WestVirginia304

    There are words.  There is philosophy.  But there was only one photo.

  • ~~JustMe~~

    Love this woman! What an absolute waste we could have had her in the White House!!
     
    ~~Rise Hillary Rise~~

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  • Rabble Rouser Rev. Amy

    My pleasure, Cindy – you know I am always willing to talk abt Hillary!  And like I said, I could listen to her talk all day – that was a FAST half hour!!

    I suspect you are right abt the Dem. Party.  I was talking to an old friend who lives in NYC, and we both suspet the Republicans are going to get a woman elected president before the “Women’s Party” does. 

    I feel like I have been sold a bill of goods for YEARS that the Dems were the party that truly cared abt women. What they truly cared abt were our VOTES, not us.

    And now we are stuck with their hand picked, sexist, inexperienced, unqualified poseur instead of the woman above who would surely be doing a better job leading our country.  Not only for all the other reasons I have mentioned, but because she LOVES this country.

    What a concept, huh?

  • Rabble Rouser Rev. Amy

    Amen to that, WVA!  Thanks for this, and the Seneca Falls Declaration!

  • Linda C

    Look there is no working with many republicans.  Their main contention is to get re-elected by any means possible.  Thus I do not think Clinton could have done much better in the “bi-partisan” relationship. 

    However, I think Clinton would have managed the health care bill differently taking a leadership position from the beginning.  I also believe that we would have had a more substantial return  to regulations and accountability within the financial markets.

    Any positive effect of federal stimulus has been hampered by drastic cuts in state spending. Thus they effectively cancel each other out.  Banks are still failing and “real umeployment” is still at 20 percent.  Business are showing a “profit”.  However this is not always caused by increase in sales, but a cut ins their spending.  Anheiser-Bush posted a profit exceeding market expectation, but they actually sold less beer.  In my little neck of the woods, GM is adding 1200 jobs at one plant, but Chrysler is closing its plant for a loss of 1200 jobs.

  • Rabble Rouser Rev. Amy

    I think Hillary would have handled the healthcare issue differently, too, because she actually had a plan that would WORK, and was not filled with backroom deals to benefit corporations, beginning with Big Pharma. 

    I disagre abt the Republicans, though.  Hillary DID work across the aisle regularly while a US Senator, and I have no doubt, she would have continued to do so as president.  That’s yet another reason why she would have been the better choice, because she is capable ot working TOGETHER, not dictating what she wants.

    And honestly, after seeing the way the Democrats have acted with their super majority, they most definitely cannot claim the higher road.  Their behavior has been despicable.

  • Steve1

    Go Hillary….what a mistake the DNC committed??????  Hillary had the popular vote, now we are stood with that phony, at least o 2012!  Dump, dump, dump the tele reader….The myth proppes up by the corporate controlled MSM…Where are his Columbia transcripts???Why have those legall documents been sealed???? What is being hidden???  Who paid for his time in Coulumbia???  Federally funded financial aid????  During the primaries, the corrupt MSM hounded Bill Clinton to release his Foundation financial records-why do they ignore the blackout on Obama’s personal history????  But upcourse, they are all to ready to label the questions regarding Barry Soetoro as rumors and false!  It’s time to dump the tele reader, Clinton, 2012!

  • Mary cusack

    I blame hillary for the mess we are in.  She caved and we lost. If she fought we might have had her than the dictator.  I blame Hillary….COWARD

  • timmy

    THANK  YOU. I having saying the same thing for the last year… to some Obama Koolaid drinkers in my house…. Now they are waking up and could not believe their eyes…. 

  • mary2

    THANKS Rabble Rouser Amy!

    This is a great vid of Hillary at the Conference and I will treasure it. Yes, 15 years later, and our Hillary still has the SPARK, the PASSION and commitment to the girls and women who need real help from the developed world.

    We are, indeed the World is, very lucky to have Hillary decide that she’d best serve her country as Secretary of State! Better even than being president with the Republican neanderthals being unwilling to compromise on ANY issue of importance! Republican Hillary-haters would have done everything in their power to bring her down.

    Of course, she wouldn’t be like Obummer and let the ball drop for 4 months in summer to be picked up by the tea bagging “lost” crowd. She would have been out there informing, guiding, promoting and truly caring. Obama doesn”t give a damn about Healthcare!

    Well, either way, we should be very grateful Hillary is using her high popularity (70% and higher than the Obama-failure) to promote those issues that will ultimately help women with Domestic violence and maybe even stop rape of girls and women as Weapon of Mass Destruction. If anyone has lifted some of the misery and misfortune from the backs of girls and women in the world—it’s HIllary!

    So, thanks Amy and keep reminding us of this pioneering woman’s climb on top of hte world. She is doing it for US! And God bless her!

  • Ferd Berfle

     I blame Hillary….
    =======================
    That’s funny, I thought the electorate was to blame for putting the shyster in office. Silly me, HRC must have forced them to do it.

    False cause, Mary.

  • Rabble Rouser Rev. Amy

    My pleasure, Mary2, and will do!

  • prime obot

    You speak as though it is up to the president how the Republicans react. It isn’t. The Republicans have sought to thwart every Obama initiative and kill all Obama legislation since the day he entered the White House. They would have done the exact same to Hillary. To think otherwise is painfully innocent. 

  • AC

    Hey prime obot,
    The difference is that Hillary would have kicked butt instead of Obamas’ kissing butt.

  • Ferd Berfle

    They would have done the exact same to Hillary.
    ==================================
    Wow, more fallacies of unknown fact, non-sequiturs, and misdirection from the clarivoyant squatbot. Really, not-ready-for-prime-time obot, HRC worked across the aisle unlike your false idol who couldn’t find the time to have any subcommittee meetings on Afghanistan. She worked while in the Senate while your shiftless slacker of an “idle” yapped a great deal and campaigned. So we’re now suffering because of the abyssmal stupidity of voters like you who bought into the mere appearance of competence but failed to look beyond its overly-embellished surface. Like That One, you, too, have nothing of substance to offer but empty platitudes in lieu of sound argument.

  • Gary Sartori

    I knew why I voted for Hillary in 08. The lady is a gem!!!

  • abbie

    I repeat from the above post–The Clinton Party!  You know, she is still working hard for America every day.  I am as heartbroken as you she is not President but it is not like her to just go away.  She has revitalized the State Department and is a force in the sphere she is operating in.  You will never find a politician who is perfect and who makes every decision that is in perfect agreement with yours, but with the Clintons I feel, despite any personal shortcomings, their hearts and their love for the USA are there.  We are all flawed human beings, but they never give up and keep giving of themselves to make our country a better place.  The truly sad thing is that there are not more like them.

  • abbie

    I have read a lot about what is happening in the economy, and this “jobless recovery” is a mirage.  The adminstration is not focused on the things that truly will create more jobs–infrastructure and green energy.  And this health care bill just throws more money at private insurers and does nothing to address the bizarre complexity of dealing with them, whether you are a patient or a physician or with a hospital.  (Are their profits truly commensurate with the service they are providing–seems way out of whack to me.) And the no strings attached funds to Wall Street will not change their behavior–just lavishly “bought” us some time until their next financial engineering fiasco.  No, the fundamental things that will truly bring us out of this mess are MIA.  We need a President who thinks hard about policy and how to structuer it properly, not a constant campaigner who spent more time choosing what dog to get.  Will the voters never learn?