Former President Bill Clinton is making the rounds again. He never technically stopped, but he made an appearance at the annual NAACP conference to offer up a few apologies for bad policy administered during his time in the White House.
During his speech, Clinton basically said sorry for the 1994 Crime Bill he signed into law. Because of the law, many individuals, specifically black men and women, have spent years in prison for minor offenses.
Photo courtesy of the Orlando Sentinel
Those bastardized sentences have contributed to what we have today: a society plagued with bloated prisons and economy that leans on the extravagance of cheap labor.
Maybe more than that, it shows just how cleanly former presidents are able to lean on history for comfort.
Clinton explained his reasoning for signing the bill. He cited rising crime as to why he did it. He also noted that America saw the biggest drop in crime in history. That’s significant considering the outcome.
While Clinton can say sorry and continue to apologize for a wrong from his past, I’m not so sure the voting public should extend the same kindness towards him or his wife Hillary.
For those individuals who are serving time due to Clinton’s signature, I doubt that many are willing to accept an apology from a man who said sorry by standing from a podium in an air conditioned building.
Again–it is the courtesy of history that Clinton may take comfort in. The farther we travel away from his time in D.C., the better we look upon his presidency. Same may be said for others, and once President Obama exits the White House, he’ll enjoy the same shine.
But Clinton’s mea culpa shouldn’t serve as an entry point for direct forgiveness. He’s acknowledged a wrong, so now he has to try to correct it.
That attempted correction may not, and shouldn’t, come through his wife’s potential presidency. We’ve seen the damage that a Clinton may do to the black community, so are we willing to sit through another term for the sake of a do over?
It should also be noted that progressiveness draped in neoliberalism is just another way of describing conservatives. Well, at least in a way it is.
We’ve seen the impact that prison privatization has had on America’s economy, and society for that matter, so Clinton should get a pass on that as well?
Three strikes and a lifetime spent in prison. A sorry from Bill is ok to fix a broken family? I mean, he was dubbed America’s first black president. Albeit facetiously, we ran with it and never allowed him to put it down until Obama came along.
Anyway, this apology madness has to chill. Instead of apologizing, try correcting the ills of your past presidency.
At this point, sorry’s are just about as good as Bill’s ability to play the saxophone now.
-JH
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