Hillary Clinton says that “religious beliefs. . .have to be changed” when they interfere with “reproductive health care” (that is, abortion). And pro-abortion laws “have to be backed up with resources and political will.”
Notice that she doesn’t say “religious beliefs have to change.” That would arguably be bad enough, but it allows for religions to change themselves, from within, perhaps over time. Instead, she said religious beliefs have to “be changed.” The passive construction here means that religious beliefs have to be acted upon from the outside. Nor did she say, “religious beliefs should change,” expressing a moral opinion. No, they “have to” be changed, an imperative, as in giving an order. Then when she throws in that line about “political will,” the language is clearly that of government suppression.
From Kerry Pickett, Hillary Says ‘Religious Beliefs’ Must Change For Sake Of Abortion Rights | The Daily Caller:
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton took a feminist tone on Thursday. She told attendees at the sixth annual Women in The World Summit that “deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed” for the sake of giving women access to “reproductive health care and safe childbirth.”
“Far too many women are denied access to reproductive health care and safe childbirth, and laws don’t count for much if they’re not enforced. Rights have to exist in practice — not just on paper,” Clinton said.
“Laws have to be backed up with resources and political will,” she explained. “And deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed. As I have said and as I believe, the advancement of the full participation of women and girls in every aspect of their societies is the great unfinished business of the 21st century and not just for women but for everyone — and not just in far away countries but right here in the United States.”
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