Footage shows Black Lives Matter activists confronting Hillary Clinton

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Footage shows Black Lives Matter activists confronting Hillary Clinton

Democratic candidate says her aim is to change laws, not hearts, in awkward
exchange blaming Clinton and her husband for mass jailing of black Americans

Alan Yuhas in New York
Tuesday 18 August 2015 14.04 BST

Hillary Clinton told Black Lives Matter activists her priority was to change laws, not hearts, after two confronted her at a campaign event with accusations that she was, in part, personally responsible for the mass incarceration of black Americans, footage released on Monday reveals.

The awkward exchange event was captured by a cellphone camera, and activists shared the video with MSNBC. Massachusetts activists had arrived at the New Hampshire event to confront the Democratic presidential frontrunner as other protesters had confronted her Democratic rival, Bernie Sanders, earlier this month.

“I don’t believe you change hearts, you change laws, you change allocation of resources, you change the way systems operate,” Clinton told Julius Jones, a Worcester, Massachusetts, activist.

“You’re not going to change every heart, you’re not,” she continued, stepping closer and pointing with both hands at Jones. “But at the end of the day we can do a whole lot to change some hearts, and change some systems, and create more opportunities for people who deserve to have them.”

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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/18/black-lives-matter-activists-confront-hillary-clinton

[riversedge]

1. And I do believe she will do everything possible to reform the

prison system.

[whatchamacallit]

4. Once she's done taking their money?

What color is the sky on your planet?

[artislife]

10. IKR??

They don't see it...it is rather unnerving if you think deeply about it.

[riversedge]

2. and another --same to topic ...

X-posted:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251526738



Star Member WillyT (65,633 posts)

Black Lives Matter Videos, Clinton Campaign Reveal Details Of Meeting - CNN

By Dan Merica, CNN
Updated 10:18 AM ET, Tue August 18, 2015

<snip>


(CNN)—Hillary Clinton and Black Lives Matter activists had a frank and at times tense discussion last week behind closed doors, and thanks to video released Monday, the American public is now hearing exactly what the two sides said to each other.

Throughout the 15-minute conversation, Clinton disagreed with the three activists from Black Lives Matter who had planned to publicly press the 2016 candidate on issues on mass incarceration at an event earlier this month in Keene, New Hampshire.

The 2016 candidate even gave suggestions to the activists, telling them that without a concrete plan their movement will get nothing but "lip service from as many white people as you can pack into Yankee Stadium and a million more like it."

"Look, I don't believe you change hearts," Clinton said, arguing that the movement can't change deep seated racism. "I believe you change laws, you change allocation of resources, you change the way systems operate. You're not going to change every heart. You're not. But at the end of the day, we could do a whole lot to change some hearts and change some systems and create more opportunities for people who deserve to have them, to live up to their own God-given potential."

Clinton met with the Black Lives Matter members on Aug. 11 after the group of activists were not allowed into the presidential candidate's forum on substance abuse. The protesters showed up shortly before the event started and, according to the Clinton campaign, were not allowed into the main event because the room has been shut down because of capacity requirements set by the Secret Service. A Secret Service agent at the event confirmed this to CNN.

But the Clinton campaign reached out to the would-be protestors and set up time for them to meet Clinton after the event in an overflow room. Media was initially going to be let in, but the activists asked for the event not to be recorded, so Clinton's team never pressed the issue with them, according to a campaign spokesman.

The activists filmed the encounter and released the video in two parts on Monday night.



The Clinton campaign also provided CNN with a transcript of the exchange.

The activists, led by Daunasia Yancey, founder of Black Lives Matter in Boston, pressed Clinton on her family's role in promoting "white supremacist violence against communities of color."

<snip>

Link: http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/18/politics/hillary-clinton-black-lives-matter-meeting/



0

[Avalux]

3. "Look, I don't believe you change hearts," Clinton said....

Why not? So Clinton believes deep-seated racism is changed through laws, through the heavy hand, instead of a change of heart? Sure that can take generations starting with our children but it's possible. I am a little shocked she said that actually.

[sufrommich]

5. She's stating that the federal government has no power

to change hearts.Do you disagree?

[msongs]

6. people believe what they believe. laws are to get people to accept things they cannot change

and stop interfering in the lives of other people. one can be a bigot in one's heart, just don't apply that bigotry against other people. that's what her comment is about IMO

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. What happens to folks civil rights in the 'generations' while these hearts are being changed?

eom

[seabeyond]

11. i thought that was a good point from clinton. i got it. i prefer, like this man, to change hearts.

that was the very lawyer, pragmatic clinton saying, screw the changing hearts, you change laws....

i understand the difference of these two people. i am a changing heart kinda gal. but that part kinda took me back when she said it. was aggressive and blunt and true, but i also totally agree with the man, and want clinton to think about what he is saying.

as i said when it first came out. i do not know that clinton can go there.

[SonderWoman]

13. No, you can legislate racism away. BUT....

She's right in saying you can change laws to legislate institutionalized racism away. I.e. criminal justice reform, funding minority communities, creating more opportunity, etc.

[John Poet]

8. Ut oh. That sounded a little bit like 'the white lady telling them

how to run their movement'....

[SunSeeker]

9. Nope. She was telling them what she would do, responding to them.

She was not telling them "how to run run their movement." Bit of projection on your part, perhaps.

And unlike Bernie, who refused to meet with BLM after their Netroots disruption, she invited them to personally speak with her, after they came too late to get into her event.

[John Poet]

14. She basically told them that they have no plan.

The 2016 candidate even gave suggestions to the activists, telling them that without a concrete plan their movement will get nothing but "lip service from as many white people as you can pack into Yankee Stadium and a million more like it.


Sorry, still sounds like the white lady telling them they haven't been doing it right...

Couldn't have been "projection on my part", as I've never made any suggestions to BLM or BLM protesters about how they should run their movement.

I have, however, noted the innumerable criticisms by Hillary supporters against Bernie supporters who made that 'mistake', acted 'paternalistic' or put their 'liberal white supremacy' on display.

If it was fair criticism for one side, it's fair criticism for the other.

Yes, it was nice that Hillary set up a meeting with them, as Bernie is currently doing. Since she's doing so few public events that could be interrupted, she's had plenty of time to plan her reaction to them without being surprised at the podium...

[SunSeeker]

15. No she didn't. She explicitly said she was "not telling you [BLM]" what to do.

On the contrary. She asked them to "Tell me.."

You are citing another person's [not those BLM activists'] interpretation of what Hillary said.

Those particular BLM protestors were interviewed on MSNBC last night. They did not complain that Hillary told them what to do. And they certainly did not use your language that it sounded "like the white lady telling them they haven't been doing it right."

It is not "fair criticism" if you are criticizing Hillary for saying something she did not say.

[Ino]

17. They complained during their meeting with her...

It sure seemed to THEM that she was telling them what to do.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/275013188/Transcript-Hillary-Clinton-meeting-with-Black-Lives-Matter-activists

QUESTION: The piece that's most important, and I stand here in your space, and I say this as respectfully as I can, but you don't tell Black people what we need to do. And we won't tell you all what you need to do.

HILLARY CLINTON: I'm not telling you -- I'm just telling you to tell me.

QUESTION: What I mean to say is -- this is and has always been a White problem of violence. It's not -- there's not much that we can do to stop the violence against us.

HILLARY CLINTON: Well if that --

QUESTION: And it's a conversation to push back --

HILLARY CLINTON: Okay, okay, I understand what you're saying --

QUESTION: Respectfully, respectfully --

HILLARY CLINTON: Well, respectfully, if that is your position then I will talk only to White people about how we are going to deal with the very real problems --

QUESTION: That's not what I mean. That's not what I mean. But like what I''m saying is what you just said was a form of victim-blaming. Right you were saying that what the Black Lives Matter movement needs to do to change white hearts --

HILLARY CLINTON: Look I don't believe you change hearts...

[Ino]

12. They thought so too...

It got a little testy. Read this part of the interview...
http://www.scribd.com/doc/275013188/Transcript-Hillary-Clinton-meeting-with-Black-Lives-Matter-activists

QUESTION: The piece that's most important, and I stand here in your space, and I say this as respectfully as I can, but you don't tell Black people what we need to do. And we won't tell you all what you need to do.

HILLARY CLINTON: I'm not telling you -- I'm just telling you to tell me.

QUESTION: What I mean to say is -- this is and has always been a White problem of violence. It's not -- there's not much that we can do to stop the violence against us.

HILLARY CLINTON: Well if that --

QUESTION: And it's a conversation to push back --

HILLARY CLINTON: Okay, okay, I understand what you're saying --

QUESTION: Respectfully, respectfully --

HILLARY CLINTON: Well, respectfully, if that is your position then I will talk only to White people about how we are going to deal with the very real problems --

QUESTION: That's not what I mean. That's not what I mean. But like what I''m saying is what you just said was a form of victim-blaming. Right you were saying that what the Black Lives Matter movement needs to do to change white hearts --

HILLARY CLINTON: Look I don't believe you change hearts...

[Juicy_Bellows]

16. Then I will only talk to white people.

She was terrible in that exchange. To those interested watch the video, there is much more information than the transcript provides.