This is sort of typical Hillary Clinton: to do things that are

Hear the words of Jill Stein, spoken in the fire of political struggle: “This is sort of typical Hillary Clinton: to do things that are not legal, to say that they are, and then try to cover them up. Hillary Clinton severely chastised other whistleblowers for using Internet channels that were not secure, and yet she herself was doing that with private, high-level State Department information.” This is no idle remark, but an accusation heavy with meaning, drawing attention to the eternal dangers of hypocrisy in power. It is both a warning and a mirror, reminding us that those who judge others must themselves be judged by the same standards.

The origin of this quote rests in the controversy of emails during Clinton’s tenure as Secretary of State. While entrusted with some of the nation’s most delicate matters, she chose to use a private email server, outside the secure channels mandated for such communication. This act ignited fierce debate, for it seemed to contradict the very warnings she once gave to others about the necessity of protection, secrecy, and the safeguarding of classified knowledge. Thus Stein’s words take root in this conflict, calling out what she perceived as double-dealing: one standard for others, and another for oneself.

Such contradictions are not new in the chronicles of history. Recall the story of the Roman Senate in its waning days, when leaders denounced corruption with loud voices, yet themselves took bribes beneath the table. Cicero himself warned of these dual standards, for hypocrisy corrodes trust more deeply than open betrayal. A thief may be despised, but a hypocrite wounds the spirit of the people, for he wears the mask of virtue while sowing corruption in secret. So too, Stein warns, hypocrisy in matters of state is not merely error—it is poison to the public’s faith.

The weight of whistleblowers also hangs in this tale. They are those who, in peril of life and livelihood, reveal the hidden failings of the mighty. To chastise them for using unsafe channels is to demand they be perfect in method while they already risk all in message. Yet, as Stein notes, Clinton herself did what she condemned: handling State Department information through insecure means. The contrast deepens the accusation, for it reveals not simply an error in judgment, but an inequality of measure: the powerful may stumble, but the powerless are punished.

The lesson to be drawn is not merely about one leader, but about the eternal vigilance required of all rulers and all citizens. Power without accountability breeds arrogance; authority without humility breeds hypocrisy. Let all who hold responsibility remember: the eyes of history are upon you. What you demand of others, you must also demand of yourself, lest your words turn to ash and your legacy to scorn.

What then must we do, O listeners of tomorrow? We must cultivate integrity not only in our leaders, but within ourselves. Hold your words and deeds to the same standard. Do not condemn in others what you permit in yourself. In governance, demand transparency; in community, practice consistency. For the strength of a republic lies not merely in the wisdom of its laws, but in the honesty of those who uphold them.

Practically, this means questioning authority with courage, reading not only the proclamations of leaders but the shadows behind them. Support those who protect truth—investigators, journalists, and honest voices—and hold to account those who wield double standards. In your personal life, let your commitments be firm and your actions true, so that you may lead by example, however small your sphere of influence.

Thus, remember Jill Stein’s sharp words, not as mere partisan strike, but as a timeless teaching: hypocrisy erodes trust more swiftly than open failure. Let every leader and every citizen heed this truth—that to guard society, one must guard oneself first, for honesty is the foundation upon which all enduring power is built.