“What causes a group of good and decent citizens to become an angry mob that lynches an innocent man?”
That is the fundamental question philosophers and theologians have been asking for generations regarding the subject of evil, and no one has yet been able to give a definitive answer. The question itself suggests that evil is collective as well as individualistic.
I believe we are seeing the collective expression of evil at work in the presidential campaign, what with the angry mob mentality at work in the way the public is treating Hillary Clinton.
To put it starkly, she is an innocent woman being “lynched” by a nation of decent people who are collectively manifesting the power of evil.
Let me explain.
The biggest criticism you hear about Hillary Clinton is that she is dishonest, deceitful, even a liar. This is what most Americans believe, including a majority of those supporting her.
Yet, the evidence clearly shows just the opposite to be true.
Hillary is by far the most vetted politician to run for president in American history. Republicans in particular have been investigating her for a variety of reasons for more than two years. News reporters from every paper, agency, and network have been trying to make a name for themselves by uncovering the latest scandal about her since she got the nomination.
Harvard Professor Thomas Patterson goes so far as to say after studying press coverage that if Hillary loses we can blame the media for its unjustified obsession with her emails in an effort to prove she “lied” about them.
She didn’t. In point of fact, not one story about her, not one, has provided anything more than innuendo about her doing anything illegal or immoral during all her years as a public servant.
Actually, real evidence proves the opposite, that Hillary Clinton is an honest person being accused of “crimes” she didn’t commit.
Consider what journalist Jill Abramson had to say in this regard:
“I would be “dead rich”, to adapt an infamous Clinton phrase, if I could bill for all the hours I’ve spent covering just about every “scandal” that has enveloped the Clintons. As an editor I’ve launched investigations into her business dealings, her fundraising, her foundation and her marriage. As a reporter my stories stretch back to Whitewater. I’m not a favorite in Hillaryland. That makes what I want to say next surprising…Hillary Clinton is fundamentally honest and trustworthy.”
Decent people who have become an angry mob ready to lynch an innocent person will ignore this statement.
Decent people who have not yet been caught up in the evil power of a mob will take it seriously.
But there’s more. PolitiFact has studied statements by political candidates since 2007 and rated them on the basis of whose statements are true, somewhat true, somewhat false, false, or pants on fire false.
The higher on the list you are, the more untruths you tell.
Guess who is at the very top. DONALD TRUMP.
Guess who is at the very bottom. President Obama. Guess who is right next to him. HILLARY CLINTON.
In between Trump and Hillary are all the other Republican candidates this year and in 2012, as well as Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders.
In other words, as Bill Palmer of Daily News Bin has written: “The trendy knock on Hillary Clinton, even among those who acknowledge that she’s the most capable and knowledgeable of the 2016 candidates for President, is the accusation that she’s just not honest. Her opponents keep insisting that she can’t be trusted, that she’s not telling the truth, and that there is therefore no telling what she might do while in office. But whenever fact checkers look at what Clinton and her opponents are saying during this election cycle, she rates out as the most honest of the bunch.”
Decent people who have become an angry mob ready to lynch an innocent person will ignore this statement.
Decent people who have not yet been caught up in the evil power of a mob will take it seriously.
Based on what is going on in this election, Hillary Clinton is clearly and unequivocally an innocent victim of a public that has an angry mob “lynching” mentality.
What makes this even more difficult to understand is the irrefutable evidence proving what a dishonest and unethical person Donald Trump truly is. Here are two examples.
In a carefully documented Washington Post article, reporter David Fahrenthold exposed the fact that Donald Trump used money given to his Charitable Foundation by other people to pay off his own business debts, to the tune of $258,000.
In the other, according to Newsweek, in sworn testimony in a 2007 court case Trump said that he tried to persuade then Governor Jeb Bush to expand Florida’s gambling industry so he could open a Trump style casino. In a 2015 Republican debate where Bush made reference to what Trump did, Trump declared, “I didn’t…totally false.”
Either Trump lied under oath or he lied in the debate. In either instance, he lied.
If Hillary had done either of these things, or even one of them, she would already be hanging from the gallows.
French philosopher Joseph de Maistre once remarked, “In a democracy people get the leaders they deserve.”
If this mob mentality toward Hillary Clinton persists, I am afraid that is exactly what is going to happen to us as a country.
So we come back to the place where we started. We may not know why good and decent people become an angry mob that lynches an innocent person.
But we do know that it is evil.
linnposts.com 
Insightful ! Thank you for spotlighting this.
Jan, I would admit that I don’t quite find Hilary as free of reckless and sometimes dishonest behavior as it seems you are inclined to do. PolitiFact does not find her truthful all the time. Having said that, I certainly agree that the level of distrust of Hilary is illogical, extreme, and not at all warranted. Your use of the mentality of an angry mob is correct, I believe. Story after story reveals that Donald Trump is far more corrupt and dishonest than Hilary. The recently released endorcement statement of her by The New York Times details the many reasons why she is supremely more qualified. It’s important to me to acknowledge her shortcomings. I only wish Trump supporters would be equally honest about him instead of blinded by irrational hatred for her.
Wilbur, I realize Hillary is a politician, which means she sometimes makes a story say what she wants it to say. But that is not at all being willfully and sinisterly dishonest. Trump is not only dishonest. He outright lies, something I don’t believe Hillary does. Spinning is not the same thing as intentionally lying and simply making up stuff. I don’t worry about acknowledging her shortcomings because I don’t think they are relevant in this situation. She is running against a demagogue and a narcissist. I don’t believe this is a usual election between two flawed candidates. It is an election to decide if we stay on course as a flawed nation or embrace the worst human instincts we have. She must win to avoid affirming the latter and turning our country over to evil intentions and ways.
Well said Jan. I agree. I know I’m kind of splitting hairs but for me it’s important to do that. What’s more important though is the true character of Clinton and Trump. What sums that up best for me is her decades of work for women and children, and his mocking of an individual with a disability. I certainly agree that he’s taking the Republican Party and potentially the country in a very destructive, hateful, ugly place. Win or lose I worry about his influence.
Wilbur, I think his mocking the reporter with a disability says all anyone needs to know about his fundamental lack of good character. Thanks for reminding us of that.
Show me a politician who tells the whole truth 100% of the time and I will show you an un-elected politician. All of our Presidents have been “flawed”(some more than others); just wish we had more/different choices for our next flawed President.
Well-written, Jan.
Naming this as EVIL is the only conclusion I can make too.
Just came home from a wedding where both families of bride and groom were conservative Christians from NC, SC, VA….. I had to engage them in conversation about the elections, hopeful that they were more Christian than conservative …. and then I was so sorry I did… b/c their genuine loathing of Ms Clinton was more than I could absorb. The bride and groom are dear friends and the families were so full of love but from their mouths were complete resolution that anything but “her” would be better for our country….You just can’t explain EVIL….It just is.
I believe Jesus was speaking of the power of evil when he talked about people who have eyes and don’t see and ears and don’t hear. Its power lies in the fact that they don’t “see” it or “hear” it. Sorry about your friends, Dixcy. I know how that hurts you deep.