Late 90’s early 2000’s Democrats propelled Mass Incarceration to new heights and sadly enough many blk voting block organizers today really don’t hold them accountable for these receipts. I’d argue this is because of classism within our own movement.
It’s hard to attack individuals you didn’t grow up vilifying as a middle class individual.The entire Clinton political dynasty from Hilary to Al Gore completely criminalized low income blk individuals. Growing up every male in my life besides my mothers husband went to prison.
You know when they came home?
Take a wild guess.
When the Clintons left office.... ding.. ding.. ding!
Take a wild guess.
When the Clintons left office.... ding.. ding.. ding!
The Clinton/ Bush regime worked together effortlessly regarding the criminalizing and destabilizing low income black families. Blk respectability fueled the Clinton regimes angst against poor black people.. “get off food stamps” “send gangbangers to prison for life”
Blk people with middle class aspirations didn’t mind. So while they labeled him the first blk president he was simultaneously launching global attacks from Africa to Lil Rock. A complete widespread attack and today we give the Clinton regime an insanely large pass for this.
People say well that wasn’t Hilary. Ummm the family within itself is an American political dynasty. Her policies shaped her husbands policies. At one point she was his highest ranking advisor. If she wasn’t a politician her hands would be clean but they aren’t unfortunately.
Personally I just can not forgive this specific regime for this. It’s difficult for me to support them on any capacity. My mother had to hide my father in a f*cking closet since she was on Section 8 and the Clinton regime directly signed off on home inspections. It’s dehumanizing
But due to a piss poor class analysis these types of things are truly seldom discussed and amends are seldom actually made for poor blks to even feel included in the dialogue. It’s basically shut up and vote. Stop bitching.
We seldom slow down and actually discuss/embrace the emotional harm the liberal agenda has caused so many of us. I’m not my parents. I’m not in their position but that’s solely because we collectively survived those situations.
Republicans definitely poured gasoline on the flames of Mass Incarceration. They definitely lead the charge in many ways. But we have completely rewritten history in many regards pertaining to the Clinton political dynasty. In Many cases nuanced conversations would correct this.
One of my homeboys went to jail for life at the age of 16 years old. One of the first children treated like an adult by the judicial system in Missouri. I walk away from that conversation and pardon those sins even if I wanted to. I’ve actually tried. I just can’t do it.
If we really believed blk lives matter this is one of most intersectional and unifying issues to rally behind. From blk children to trans women. Mass Incarceration is the slavery of our modern day. Clinton’s were some of the greatest slavers the profession has ever witnessed.
this truly is an issue of education/classism. If you didn’t grow up watching your father dart out the back door when the inspectors showed up you’ll be more prone to understanding the necessity of why voting for the aforementioned ppl was a priority during last election.
I do believe in voting strategically mainly because that’s really the only option we usually have at the polls. So I get it. But it’s getting increasingly more difficult for me to participate. If I feel this way and I’m typically the token imagine how poor ppl in general feel.
I take this issue personal. We organize with people in the slums and they don’t see an immediate exit for their families via the typical voting options. I can’t blow smoke up their ass and morph the reality of their position pertaining to their political position in America.
It’s not that people don’t want to vote. The sophistication around convincing people to vote for candidates that have personally contributed to the destabilization of their family units is lacking. Til this changes poor blk folks ain’t voting in mass amount.
Strategic voting .. the lesser of two evils, the eradication of the liberal agendas connection to Mass Incarceration, is a middle class political caveat. The middle class is evaporating. I’d consider myself lower middle class now. My voting interests reflect that honestly.
I’m honest enough with myself to internally have this conversation without finger pointing at ppl that aren’t voting or can’t vote for specific candidates because it pains them. This dialogue is often over looked and not discussed. Classism shapes our position towards voting.
Lets talk about Al Gore's record of support pertaining to Mass Incarceration. Lets also talk about Bill Clinton flying home to witness Ricky Ray Rector get executed and the way he used this man's execution for political gain-- while knowing Ricky was mentally ill.
propagating any form of Mass Incarceration to any capacity -- makes you a modern day slaver in my mind. Clinton/Gore ticket was billed the New Democratic Party. They believed in the same criminalization mythologies as the Bush regime. This is a fact we lightheartedly dismiss.
the most we got from Hilary on the subject was an acknowledgement of her role pertaining to Mass Incarceration being wrong. This statement didn't happen until last year ironically enough.
I woke up one morning and watched every single house in my neighborhood get kicked in because Dellwood guys were selling weed to ppl in Alton Illinois. So this made them eligible for drug trafficking charges. These cats were like 15,16, 17 yrs old some were in early 20's.
I basically had it planted in my brain we were walking a tight rope and these people wanted us all locked up. Now I'm supposed to be hit with the men in black neuralizer **poof** ..... **poof*** you made it out and never happened!!
I don't know man... Obama wasn't the greatest on this issue but you gotta give some credit where credit is due..even if its political theatre he freed a few mofo's on his way out the door.
