How was the 94 Crime Bill viewed by black Americans during that time period

[Standing on business]

I don’t want the hindsight opinion or viewpoint, plenty of people say they regret it now. I’m speaking strictly about 1994. How did the majority of African Americans view bill when it first passed?

 

[Luke Cage]

I'm too young to remember specifics about bills. But i do know black folks seemed to love Bill Clinton back then. everybody was calling him the "first black" president after he came out playing the saxophone and shyt on Arsenio Hall's show.

 

[Hacksaw Jim Thuggin]

I don’t want the hindsight opinion or viewpoint, plenty of people say they regret it now. I’m speaking strictly about 1994. How did the majority of African Americans view bill when it first passed?

the same way things are today....most people dont pay attention

you also have to remember that there wasnt social media.....

so any info was coming strictly from the news and newspapers[/QUOTE]

 

[get these nets]

Crime spiked when the crack era began........violent crime and murder rates probably peaked when the bill was passed. I ask this question whenever the topic comes up. Outside of innocent people getting railroaded on fake charges, what problem do people have with tough on crime measures? Streets were killing fields at one point in different cities across the country. Was the govt. just supposed to allow the violence to continue?

 

[KENNY DA COOKER]

We were not politically aware at that time...

I know this for a fact cause I had just turned 21 in 1994

All we knew was that Bill or No Bill it wasn't going to make a difference

All of our Black azzes.. Male or female was destined for INCARCERATION no matter what we we did

 

[Dr. Acula]

Most black politicians and "leaders" supported it as a solution to rising drug and gang related crime that plagued black communities. In retrospect it did a lot of harm.

There are a few older heads on here who have commented on this topic before and stated crime was a big issue during this time.

 

[The G.O.D II]

Black people wanted it even though it was completely unnecessary since crime was falling. Everyone from the community to the CBC was in favor of it

 

[Standing on business]

Crime spiked when the crack era began........violent crime and murder rates probably peaked when the bill was passed. I ask this question whenever the topic comes up. Outside of innocent people getting railroaded on fake charges, what problem do people have with tough on crime measures? Streets were killing fields at one point in different cities across the country. Was the govt. just supposed to allow the violence to continue?

And when you ask this question what type of responses are you met with?

 

[KENNY DA COOKER]

to be honest i was more tormented by the 1996 TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT signed by BILL CLINTON

Because at the time i was working as an intern in radio for a black owned AM radio station in the south during the summers

and it changed EVERYTHING LITERALY OVER NIGHT...

corporations like Clear Channel came in and bought up everything especially indys like the one i worked for

and before you know it the landscape of black music changed forever....especially with independent local acts

its like you couldn't get on the radio at all if you didn't have a major distributor ....nobody was taking changes with breaking records by new acts

like Mr. Magic of WBLS and Greg Mack of KDAY were doing

it became super corporate and basically gentrified urban music and the community as well...

we use to have Farrakhan speeches broadcasted on the air late at night.......there was black talk shows all over the urban dial at the time..

all that died ...thanks to the so called first black president "bill clinton" :mjsad:

 

[GzUp]

Saved my life most likely

 

[theworldismine13]

most people had no clue about the details in the crime bill, there was no independent black analysis done

 

[cjlaw93]

most people had no clue about the details in the crime bill, there was no independent black analysis done

U sure about this ?

 

[Piff Perkins]

The bill was supported by many black people. The biggest issue with this debate is that it's being driven by people who have no frame of reference for the 90s. I was a kid living in Detroit at the time. My mom was a member of a block club, and they were constantly protesting violence, calling the police on loiterers, etc. The crime stats of that era are crazy. Something needed to be done, and black people were demanding it. If you want to argue the crime bill went too far and had negative consequences, fine. Do that. But this idea that it was some plan concocted by evil white people and hurled on top of helpless black people is laughable. Communities wanted more cops on the streets and in neighborhoods. A major complaint in the late 80s and early 90s was that the lack of police presence allowed violence and gangs to take over. The bill was aimed at addressing that.

 

[dj-method-x]

Around that time in the 90’s, I remember a lot black ppl were calling for more police in the streets. I think that sums it up the difference between now and then perfectly. Imagine that during the post Micheal Brown era.

 

[Actually6Foot3]

Probably just as ignorant to that as most folks.

Old folks likely just voted party lines and Young folks didn't vote at all. So the Young folks who would be most affected probably didn't even know shyt about it because Young folks generally don't care andold folks just love Dems