I have had this meme pop up on my Facebook page more than once now. It attacks Hillary Clinton for supporting Barry Goldwater in 1964 -- when she was still in high school. And it infers that she is somehow not a good progressive for that (something that happened 51 years ago).
I don't blame Bernie Sanders for this. He has kept his campaign on a high level, discussing the issues and avoiding personal attacks on Clinton. But some of his supporters don't seem to have the high ethical standards of their candidate.
This meme suggests we should all be judged by mistakes of our past. I was also a Goldwater supporter in 1964, when I was also in high school. I then went to college and did some growing up, becoming a progressive. Hillary Clinton did the same. And both of us have been good progressives for well over 40 years now. Why must we be judged for something that happened 51 years ago. Can't people change? Are we not as good as someone else because we have been progressives for 45 years instead of 51 years?
I have said several times on this blog that I think we have two great Democratic candidates this year, and we progressives (and Democratic moderates) should vote our conscience in the primary. I also believe we should avoid personal attacks, and keep the campaign on the issues (as both Hillary and Bernie are doing).
This image above is a personal attack -- and a very unfair one at that. It's gutter politics, and reminds me of the type of campaigning that Republicans love to do. At least they have a reason for doing it (being on the wrong side of nearly every issue). Democrats don't need to do this, and it's embarrassing to see progressives climbing down into the gutter to support their candidate. I don't like it -- and I doubt that Bernie would like it either.
