Reconsider Hillary
A short look into Hillary’s track record on Black Issues
Last night, Hillary Clinton became the first woman to appear on the presidential ticket of any majority party. It is the first time that we have a shot in electing a woman as the President of the United States. We have yet another chance to break a glass ceiling- letting it known that women can be leaders, too. This is definitely prime timing. She has become the democratic nominee after our first African American President- Barack Obama. Seeing him grow, lead, love, and work gave me a feeling that someday I can make change- and I hope for once that women and girls can feel the same way.
Unfortunately, Hillary has received a lot of backlash by the African American community. This mostly stems from her support of the 1992 Crime Bill that tripled the prison population, majorly effecting minority communities. Additionally, Hillary is criticized for her comments about African Americans, such as “bring them to heel” and her orders to kick out a Black Lives Matter protester from one of her speeches. These are all valid things to consider when contemplating the next President of the United States. However, it is important to not undermine the strides she’s made for minority Americans. For even the Congressional Black Caucus, a caucus with power that enacted true change and not just social media slacktivism, endorsed Hillary Clinton because of her longstanding work with them. Even President Obama endorsed Hillary Clinton because he knows she has what it takes to effectuate the most diverse Democrat platform the country has ever seen.
President Obama witnessed Hillary Clinton tackle foreign policy, economic policy, civil rights, and environmental issues first hand. Sitting with him in the Briefing Room, Hillary Clinton was by his side during some of the most dangerous foreign operations this country has ever witnessed. Obama made her the Secretary of State despite the fire of the 2008 election, noticing something in her that many of us don’t see- or don’t seek. In relation to the black community, Hillary Clinton has changed for the better, asking herself- how can I push for a more equitable society? Let’s examine her track record and evaluate if she’s pandering or if she’s truly for dismantling an unfair and unbalanced system.
Clinton has an exceptional record when it comes to children. Even when pursuing law, Clinton fought to dismantle segregation in southern school districts during the Nixon campaign.
In 1972, Clinton worked for Marian Wright Edelman to gather information about the Nixon Administration’s failure to enforce the legal ban on granting tax-exempt status to the private segregated academies that sprang in the South. She worked with civil rights lawyers in Atlanta to prove the academies were created solely for the purpose of avoiding the constitutional mandate of the Supreme Court decision that desegregated schools. She immediately delivered her findings to Edelman and other advocacy groups that pressured the administration.
In regards to racial profiling by the police, during her Senate debate with Rick Lazio in 2000 Clinton stated, “I disapprove of racial profiling. I want to go to the Senate to make sure that our police have the resources and tools they need to do the very best job, but I also want to go to make sure that our communities feel safe and protected.” (Senate Debate in Manhattan, 2000) This highlights that her recent comments on police brutality are genuine and have been expressed for years before national media coverage of reprehensible policing tactics in the United States.
Even her voting record on black issues encourages applause. In 2006, Hillary Clinton was rated 96% by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, indicating a pro-affirmative action stance. Even The Congressional Black Caucus endorsed Hillary Clinton. Representative Jon Lewis, with over 40 arrests while fighting for Civil Rights alongside Dr. King, says that he met Hillary Clinton and Bill- but has never seen Sanders.
Not only is she favored by these minority-driven groups, Hillary Clinton’s support for equality is also seen during her time as Senator. She has co-sponsored re-introducing the Equal Rights Amendment and re-enforcing the antidiscrimination requirements listed in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Clinton also expressed her support for Obamacare- a health care initiative that insured millions, including many minorities, across the United States.
Let us be excited for Hillary Clinton. She will continue the legacy of Barack Obama and create her own as well. However, we must understand that black empowerment doesn’t rest on Hillary Clinton being the President. Instead, us blacks must look past the candidate and look at the platform that can be effectuated by local and federal democrats. True change will occur once we become more involved in the political process and vote Democrat across the board. The Democrat Platform is definitely something we want, and we must show effort in making sure it comes about. Unlike white Bernie supporters, us minorities have something crucial at stake- our value and worth in the eyes of the law. We are not privileged enough to sit out this election- we must ally with the Democrats and make sure the platform becomes the way of American society. I hope there is some common agreement here- we must not let the Republican platform guide this country, surely not Donald Trump.
In the spirit of change, we must understand that Hillary Clinton is a human being who is prone to make mistakes. However, she is one of the human beings that learns from her mistakes and fights to right the wrongs. We must stop assuming that her words are not genuine due to past ills but, instead, understand that she is a person- and people can change.
