Why People Hating On Hillary For Going To Trump's Inauguration Are Wrong

On Tuesday, it was reported Bill and Hillary Clinton will attend Donald Trump's inauguration.

This will certainly be interesting, and likely extremely awkward.

Some have been quite critical of Clinton in their reaction to this news. But they seem to miss the point of why the former secretary of state is attending the inauguration — and the reasons are important.

A lot of people, especially Clinton's supporters, aren't too happy about this.

In some ways, it's understandable why some are upset.

The recent US presidential campaign was one of the most divisive in recent memory.

Along the way, Donald Trump said things both to and about Hillary Clinton that are arguably unforgivable.

Politics are no excuse for the lack of respect and utter misogyny Trump frequently exhibited toward Clinton (among other women).

At the end of the day, however, Clinton is doing the right thing.

This isn't a sign of weakness. It's a sign of strength and grit.

Clinton is a class act.

Clinton is choosing country over self by attending Trump's inauguration.

There are certainly many legitimate concerns surrounding this election and Trump's ultimate victory, especially in relation to Russian interference.

But, at this moment, there is no evidence the election itself (the actual result) was hacked.

Clinton is respecting the outcome, and observing the tradition of the peaceful transfer of power.

Regardless of how you feel about Trump, this is a vital process for the health of America's democracy.

Not to mention, she's showing respect to President Obama by attending.

This inauguration is not just about ushering in Trump's presidency, it's also a time to say goodbye and show respect to the departing president and his administration, which Clinton served in.

Not attending Trump's inaugurations would also give Clinton's critics more ammunition. They'd be able to further the narrative she and other Democrats are sore losers.

Instead, she will be there, head held high, showing respect for her country and President Obama.

Avoiding the inauguration would do very little to hurt Trump, his image or message. The real work begins after he's sworn in.

Clinton isn't normalizing hatred by attending Trump's inauguration. She's walking up to it and staring it straight in the face.

You don't defeat bullies by hiding from them.

Citations: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/us/politics/hacking-russia-election-fears-barack-obama-donald-trump.html (NY Times)