Alicia Garza: Bill Clinton's shameless answer to Black Lives Matter protesters
Shamelessly, in defense of his 1994 crime bill, which both he and Hillary Clinton vigorously campaigned for, Clinton declares, "Maybe you thought they were good citizens ... you are defending the people who kill the lives you say matter. Tell the truth. You are defending the people who cause young people to go out and take guns."
But it is shameful -- shameful because the lives of so many who were ravaged by that bill was the bridge that Clinton attempted to walk over in order to appeal to white voters who may have otherwise favored Donald Trump or Ted Cruz.
It's shameful because it was just a year ago that both Clintons acknowledged the flaws in the 1994 crime bill that helped lead to the crisis over hyper-incarceration and the resulting boom of the private prison industry. The crime bill was part of a national effort that resulted in the reality that black people, who comprise approximately 13% of the nation's population, represent 40% of the people incarcerated in this country.
Speaking in front of the NAACP convention last July, Bill Clinton said he deeply regretted sending minor criminals to prison for far too long. "I signed a bill that made the problem worse, and I want to admit it," he said.
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More:
http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/08/opinions/bill-clinton-black-lives-matter-protesters-opinion-garza/index.html
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