In 1993, there were almost 25,000 murders in the United States. In 1994, The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act was signed into law. And though Joe Biden wrote it, Bernie Sanders voted for it, and half the Congressional Black Caucus and black mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers across the country supported it, only Hillary Clinton has ever had to take the fall for it.

No, she didn’t have a vote. But she had a voice. And she spoke out in support of it. Here is exactly what she said.

“But we also have to have an organized effort against gangs. Just as in a previous generation we had an organized effort against the mob. We need to take these people on. They are often connected to big drug cartels. They are not just gangs of kids anymore. They are often the kinds of kids that are called super-predators. No conscience, no empathy. We can talk about why they ended up that way, but first, we have to bring them to heel and the President has asked the FBI to launch a very concerted effort against gangs everywhere.”

Oh…kay. An organized effort against gangs? Yeah, that sounds good. The gangs had turned into different kinds of gangs that weren’t just kids anymore…that sounds about right, too. Ah…but then, we get to the super-predators part of the statement. And that’s where the outrage begins and ends. “She called all African American men super-predators!” Or sometimes folks say, “She called all African American boys super-predators!” And, I’ve even heard, “She called all African Americans super-predators!”

That’s not how I read it probably because not only did I not hear or see African American in her words, but I lived in LA in the 90s and I remember being filled with paralyzing fear every time my husband or daughter or niece left the house. It was a time that was out of control and I was calling for anything, everything. I wanted help!

But no one remembers what it was like during those horrible years. No one remembers the 25,000 murders (compared to only 14,000 in 2014). No one remembers the car jackings and the home invasions and the random shootings and the drugs…the drugs where dealers were turning out everyone from kids to grandmothers. No one remembers.

All that’s remembered is — Hillary Clinton called African American boys/men/people super-predators. And because of that she is unworthy. Unworthy and just about the worst person on earth.

But hold up. Did you know….

In 1972, Hillary (working with Marion Wright Endelman) went undercover to expose racial discrimination (against black students) in schools in Alabama? Hillary and Mrs. Endelman wanted to prove that the Nixon administration was not upholding the legal bans against discrimination in education.

But she called all African American boys super-predators!

While she was First Lady of Arkansas, Hillary brought a program to that state called Home Instruction for Parents for Preschool Youngsters, or HIPPY, which trains parents of at-risk children in early education methods because she believed that if parents were given the support and tools necessary, kids would find themselves with opportunities outside of gangs.

But she called all African American boys super-predators!

She founded Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families which among other things fought to improve the juvenile justice system. With Hillary’s efforts, along with others, the Arkansas Supreme Court declared the juvenile court system unconstitutional. This created the impetus for a separate juvenile court system to deal with delinquency in Arkansas which had a disproportionate amount of minority boys and girls in the system.

But she called all African American boys super-predators!

Talk about Black Lives Matter: While the Clinton Foundation works all across the world, Bill and Hillary have made a major impact in Africa. In 2002 before the Clinton Foundation began, only 200,000 people were receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS in low and middle income countries. Now, more than eight million people are receiving treatment. And that’s just one of the Clinton Foundation programs. They are working with farmers, helping them to build a livelihood and even providing jobs for others. There are so many other ways that they’re trying to make a difference on that continent.

But she called all African American boys super-predators!

She served President Obama admirably, playing a major role in capturing Osama Bin Laden, traveling more miles than any Secretary of State, and restoring America’s reputation under President Obama that had been destroyed under President Bush. She believes in President Obama and his legacy. She will preserve what President Obama has built in his eight years in office.

But she called all African American boys super-predators!

And while she has several programs that would benefit African Americans in her platform for president, there is one that is the dearest to my heart: Hillary Clinton has rolled out a plan to make college more accessible and affordable to black parents and children attending historically black colleges that is part of a $25 billion fund. HBCUs will not be left out of any program that makes college more affordable to all Americans.

But she called all African American boys super-predators!

Sigh…..Should Hillary have used that term? I don’t know. But Hillary believed that she shouldn’t have and she’s apologized several times. I just can’t figure out why this is an issue. She spoke those words one time and others have said much worse (and have done worse things) about African Americans continuously. But back to Hillary — even if you think her words were the worst words ever spoken, no one is as bad as the worst thing they’ve ever done. Think about your own life. Have you ever made a mistake? Have you ever said something that you wished you could take back? Have you ever had better hindsight than foresight?

If you have, I just pray that forgiveness was afforded you. The same forgiveness that so many believe that Hillary Rodham Clinton is not worthy to receive.

VCM