In 1996 then-First Lady Hillary Clinton was giving remarks in support of President Bill Clinton’s “tough on crime” policies—specifically the Violent Crime Control Act of 1994—which imposed harsh punishments on a variety of nonviolent offenses, referred to inner-city, black youth as “super-predators” with “no conscience” and “no empathy.” “We need to bring them to heel,” Clinton explained.
Here’s some video of First Lady Clinton’s remarks.
Earlier this week at a $500 per plate campaign fundraising dinner, protester Ashley Williams demanded Clinton provide an explanation for the remarks she made in 1996, but instead of addressing Williams directly, Clinton simply said, “Back to the issues…” before continuing her remarks. Here’s that video.
And the rest of the story:
It seems Sanders supported it too.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/02/12/1994-crime-bill-haunts-clinton-and-sanders-as-criminal-justice-reform-rises-to-top-in-democratic-contest/
And as did 24 members of the Black Caucus it appears.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anthony-conwright/black-progressives-its-ti_b_9232920.html
I recall returning an inner city young boy who spent several summers with our family in the country as part of a program many years ago. It was an uncomfortable feeling driving through the south side of Chicago and a “sea of black faces” returning him home and climbing up to the fifth story of one of those housing projects. His mother was very friendly towards and protective of me and one of my sons.
Even though I had traveled the “outside” world beyond the south side of Milwaukee during my three years serving our country in the Korean War, it awakened in me a wider view of another world and the plight of another culture and society in America.