I watched US President Donald Trump’s inauguration up to the wee hours, Manila time. One of the most poignant moments in the entire event was the presence and demeanor of Hillary Clinton, who lost her presidential candidacy to Barack Obama in the Democratic primaries of 2008 and to Donald Trump in the presidential poll of 2016. Many observers say that one of the reasons she lost to both candidates is that she was unable to communicate directly to the people and feel their pain.
Yet, in the midst of the profound pain she feels today, and perhaps will feel for a long time to come, she rose above herself and participated directly and genuinely in the historic transfer of political power from Obama to Trump—a democratic tradition that has cut across two centuries and almost three decades of American governance, from the first president, George Washington, in 1789, to the 45th American president, Donald Trump, in 2017. It was extremely important for her to be actively part of this historic transition and she did it with profound grace.
I salute her. She makes us proud not solely as women, but more broadly as human beings.
Michelle Obama, another beautiful woman of singular strength and compassion, ignored protocols and went straight to Hillary to let her know how much she valued Hillary’s presence in the inauguration. The young children of President Trump—Ivana and Tiffany—reflect the potential energies of women in their youth who will perhaps play an active role in advancing the interests of their sector.
These were historic moments that the world shall remember, and in behalf of those of us who watched intently Trump’s inauguration, I wish to congratulate the American people for their women of courage whose leadership inspires and shines brightly, transcending Trump territory, to touch the hearts of citizens in fragile democracies, who, like them, are committed to fight for democracy and put an end to inequality—a cause that ties us universally despite geography, race, religion, gender, sex preferences and political belief.
ETTA P. ROSALES, former chair, Commission on Human Rights