I’ll get to former President Bill Clinton’s out-of-touch and quite offensive comments at a Hillary Clinton rally earlier today in Philadelphia but first, I need to make some personal notes first so that everyone can see where I am coming from.
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I am a gay black male born in Detroit, Michigan 12 days prior to the 1967 Riots. I am an early Gen Xer who lived through the 1980’s and 1990’s (my first presidential vote was for Michael Dukakis).
I am also a recovering alcoholic and crack addict who has been clean and sober for over 19 years.
I have been on both sides of the law, I have been in jail, and I even had a 6-day stay at the Cook County Jail on 26th and California here in Chicago back in the early 90’s. I have never committed a violent crime but I have been the victim of violent crimes and I have certainly seen more than my share of violent crimes.
One of the biggest problems that I have had with pretty much any and every discussion of the 1994 Crime Bill here at Daily Kos is that I see both sides of the story.
I’ve lived on both sides of the story.
I was also one of those (quite) petty non-violent criminals that people constantly deemed worth saving (or least trying to save). Maybe I deserved it, maybe I don’t; I do know of others who fell by the wayside to AIDS, crack, and/or both. A few people that I remember from that time are now dead; one, I remember was murdered standing not 2 feet away from me in New York City early in 1986 (and yes, I faintly heard the bullet as it whizzed past me).
I will also say that I voted for Bill Clinton in 1992 but not in 1996. So while I understand pretty well most of the reasons why the Clintons are popular with African Americans, I have never really shared that affection, although I kinda sorta like Bill Clinton and I like Hillary Clinton a little bit more.
But I did not cast a Democratic primary vote for Hillary Clinton March 15th. And Bill’s appearance in Philadelphia today and his comments to a group of Black Lives Matter protestors reminded me exactly why.
In a previous post, I stated one of the reasons that I was hesitant to vote for Hillary Clinton in the primary:
I still get the sense that Hillary Clinton is stuck in the politics of the 1990’s, both in terms of specific policies and in the way that she does politics. I have also greatly enjoyed the relatively scandal-free Obama Administration. I’ve been spoiled enough where I am not ready for round 2 of As the White House Turns.
Times have changed since the 1990’s and I don’t think that Hillary Clinton has changed with the times.
While I didn’t quite agree with Egberto Willes’ commentary about James Carville’s appearance on All-In with Chris Hayes, Carville did strike me as more than a bit clueless and out-of-touch as to why a number of voters are attracted to Senator Bernie Sanders. Instead, Carville seemed to be saying that that we ought to be eternally grateful for the Clintons’ and Obama (it is to be noted that Carville hasn’t always felt that way about Obama) and the Democratic Party as a whole.
And it was that very same quite irritating note that Bill Clinton sung in Philadelphia earlier today.
Now for the most part, President Clinton does a decent job of explaining some of the politics behind the 1994 Crime Bill and even the 1996 Welfare Reform.
But much of what Bill Clinton said was unnecessary and even offensive, including.
“Here’s the thing. I like protestors, but the ones that won’t let you answer are afraid of the truth.”
“Hillary spent her time trying to get healthcare for poor kids—and who were they? Their lives matter.”
“I don’t know how you would characterize the gang leaders who got 13-year-old kids hopped up on crack and sent them out into the street to murder other African American children. Maybe you thought they were good citizens—she didn’t.”
“You are defending the people who killed the lives you say matter. Tell the truth.”
“The reason they know it’s true is [the protestors] won’t hush. When somebody won’t hush and listen to you, that ain’t democracy. They’re afraid of the truth. Don’t you be afraid of the truth.”
“I’ll tell you another story about a place where black lives matter: Africa.”
First of all, what in the hell does Africa have to do with anything that that was being protested?
It is true that many African-American communities wanted something...anything done about the crime and drug problems in African-American communities. And while you mention that the Republicans wanted more stringent sentencing guidelines, much of the funding for community programs, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, and the like (which black leaders were asking for at the time) was either entirely stripped from the bill or were greatly reduced.
So that mass incarceration was pretty much the only option increasingly available.
No, Bill, you know damn well that these BLM protestors aren’t trying to defend murderers in their own communities. They are trying to defend themselves from being unjustly murdered by those that are supposed to “serve and protect.”
You know where you can shove that line, Mr. President.
Sure, there were (and are) a few people that probably do fit the “super-predator” classification. Hell, I even met a couple of them in my travels.
But in a racist society, you know damn well, Mr. President that some black people are going to be guilty until proven innocent in the eyes of the law and law enforcement (which these communities do need to “serve and protect”) will (and do) act accordingly.
Not sure what children’s healthcare (poor or otherwise) has to do with this particular conversation, Mr. President.
But most of all, Mr. President, like Mr. Carville, you seem out of touch.
I understand that you recognize that the more punitive portions of that Crime Bill went too far.
Those consequences are also being felt by a generation of black young adults that had nothing to do with the circumstances behind the 1994 Crime Bill but they are living in the consequences.
Even an old buzzard like me can see that.
Why can’t you, Mr. President?
Sure, Hillary Clinton will be a much better presidential choice than any of the Republicans.
But I’ve never had the sense that Hillary Clinton will engage or even be welcoming of protestors and protest movements.
At least President Obama will engage.
Instead. my feeling (at least as it concerns the black community) has always been pretty much that Hillary Clinton will coddle up to the same tired-ass black insiders and black-churched folks that the Clintons’ did in the 1990’s and hide behind the share of the African-American vote that she has received in this primary.
The 1990’s are over with. I’m simply not very confident that Hillary and Bill Clinton realize it.
Friday, Apr 8, 2016 · 3:23:18 PM +00:00 · Chitown Kev
Thanks for all of the tips and recs and comments.
1) Yes, I do think that there are strong similarities between this incident in Philadelphia and Bill Clinton’s “Sister Souljah” moment.
I don’t know whether that was by design.
2) Even HIllary Clinton, herself, has seemed tone deaf in dealing with Senator Sanders popularity among millennials
Remembr, black millennials are far more likely to favor Senator Sanders than their parents and grandparents, so that DOES apply across the board.
I understand the frustration on both parts.
It’s not as if Clinton is trying to follow-up 3 terms of Republican Administration, though. She’s trying to follow up 2 terms of a Democratic Administration that was elected, in large part, bcause of the youth vote.
That will be a tougher act for Hillary Clinton to follow.
Both the HRC camp and millennial voters need to listen to one another and meet each other halfway.
And I don’t see that happening right now.