Bill Clinton’s Screaming Match With Black Lives Matter Protesters
During a Hillary Clinton campaign appearance today, Bill Clinton was confronted by Black Lives Matter protesters who criticized the former president and Hillary Clinton for their support of a controversial crime bill that imposed harsh minimum sentences on repeat offenders.
The Black Lives Matter protesters took issue with Bill Clinton’s previous assertions that the BLM movement was “defending drug dealers” by criticizing the Clinton crime bill he signed into law back in 1994.
“Here’s the thing, I like protesters, but the ones who won’t let me answer are afraid of the truth,” said Bill Clinton during a Hillary Clinton campaign stop today, addressing a swarm of Black Lives Matter protesters.
Bill Clinton defends wife's 'super predator' comment to protesters https://t.co/3uQ3BkiX2Q
— Johnetta Elzie (@Nettaaaaaaaa) April 7, 2016
Clinton shouted back at the Black Lives Matter protesters till he was red in the face, angrily countering their claims that the Clinton crime bill was an inappropriate measure that disproportionately targeted young black men, reports CBS News.
“Because of that bill we had a 25-year low in crime, a 33-year low in the murder rate and because of that the background check law we had a 46-year low in the deaths of people by gun violence and who do you think those lives were that mattered? Whose lives were saved that mattered,” shouted Bill Clinton, angrily addressing the Black Lives Matter protesters who disrupted the Hillary Clinton rally.
The former president pulled back and commented that Hillary Clinton was the first of the 2016 Democratic candidates to support getting non-violent offenders who were sentenced under the 1994 crime bill out of prison, a move Bill Clinton admits is the right move for today’s day and age. Still, Bill Clinton maintained that the 1994 crime bill was not designed to target young black men, but to target criminals – drug dealers, Clinton says.
“I don’t know how you would characterize the gang leaders who got 13-year-old kids hopped up on crack, sent them out onto the street to murder other African-American children,” said Bill Clinton, angrily confronting Black Lives Matter protesters.
It’s not the first time recently that Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton have been confronted by Black Lives Matter protesters. Hillary was confronted by one such protester at an expensive campaign fundraiser, in which she addressed the protester’s concerns after having the young woman escorted out of the venue, reports Politico. Additionally, reports CBS News, Black Lives Matter protesters have also protested events held by Republican presidential candidates.
#BillClinton spars with protesters who say he destroyed black communities #BlackLivesMatter https://t.co/jjzwUmNLNs via @HuffPostPol
— Brandon Unger ??? ??? (@ungerbn103) April 7, 2016
“Maybe you thought [drug dealers] were good citizens, [Hillary] didn’t. She didn’t. 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,” said Bill Clinton, defending his 1994 crime bill which imposed mandatory sentencing guidelines for repeat offenders.
Bill Clinton’s assertions today during the Hillary Clinton rally, while addressing the Black Lives Matter protesters, are at odds with earlier statements from the Clinton camp, including an appearance at the NAACP convention in Philadelphia last year, reports Politico.
“I signed a bill that made the problem worse, and I want to admit it,” said Bill Clinton last year, admitting fault in signing the controversial 1994 crime bill which included the “three-strikes” provision and mandated life sentences for criminals convicted of violent felonies after being convicted of at least two prior crimes.
But today, Bill Clinton defended his legacy and the 1994 crime bill while confronting the Black Lives Matter protesters during a Hillary Clinton campaign appearance. Clinton countered the Black Lives Matter protesters’ assertions with his own, claiming that his other legislation, his welfare reform bill, lowered the poverty rate among African Americans.
“Then why do we have the largest drop in African-American poverty in history when I was president?” said Bill Clinton today.
[Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images]
