The “I’m With Her” slogan sounds creepy and dystopian (6/27/16)

So, this isn’t going to be a huge substantive article, and it’s going to sound like a broken record, but I really hate Hillary’s catch phrase. It is such a vapid meaningless statement that seems to be based on submission to her and the democratic party. By saying “I’m with her”, I feel like I’m being told to give up my own ideas and my own thoughts and buy into this whole “party unity” thing. It’s really about moving to be in sync with the politicians, when we need the politicians in sync of the people. I believe ina concept I learned about in grad school called “servant leadership”, the idea that leaders are not there for their own benefit, they’re there for us. They are there to serve us. They are there to listen to us. Too often, we seem to forget what the point of power is. We tend to adopt the authoritarian model that the leaders are going to do what the leaders are going to do, and the people better submit to them. Forget their concerns, there’s so much at stake, rally behind the leader. I don’t believe power works that way, or at least, SHOULD work that way. I believe power exists for the sake of the people. Leaders are there as servants for the whole, nothing more.

As such, I really hate the phrase, “I’m with her.” It really gets the whole power relationship backward. I shouldn’t have to “submit” to the democratic party. I shouldn’t have to get with her. She should get with me. Or even better, she should get with us. “She’s with us” would actually portray the idea that she’s serving the people she’s trying to win over. Instead, everyone must fall in line behind her. And honestly, that just rubs me the wrong way.