“I don’t believe you change hearts”

[FrodosPet]

I supported Sec Clinton until I read...

Hillary Clinton's Blunt View of Social Progress

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/08/hillary-clintons-blunt-view-of-social-progress/402020/

RUSSELL BERMAN AUG 22, 2015

~ snip ~

Hillary Clinton answered this question in the course of her quasi-private meeting with activists from the Black Lives Matter movement, and she came down firmly on the side of the latter. “I don’t believe you change hearts,” Clinton told Julius Jones in an candid moment backstage after a campaign event. “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 can do a whole lot to change some hearts, and change some systems, and create more opportunities for people who deserve to have them.”

~ snip ~

That is when I realized she has no passion for change. No fire, no inspiration, she just wanted to tinker and tweak the existing system.

[highprincipleswork]

1. Good point.

[Kalidurga]

3. She could have been right.

You can't legislate a change of heart. I do believe though that the law can in someways change hearts. The law becomes part of culture eventually and that does cause some people to have a change of heart. When interracial marriage became legal in all states more people started to accept it and as a result I don't have to worry about my SO and I getting assaulted for being together.

OTOH a lot of Hillary supporters have blasted Bernie for saying the same thing. I am not quite sure how it's bad when Bernie explains it this way, but it's double plus good when Hillary says it after telling the leaders there that she will only talk to white people then. That is bizarre.

[merrily]

5. Agree greatly. Many things affect a change of heart and laws are one of those things, but not the

complete solution.

As far as Hillary or Bernie, I agree the double standards range from amusing to nauseating.

As President, either would be unable to wave a magic wand. What a President can do is press hard for any necessary or desirable changes in federal and state laws, see to enforcement, and also attack what Bernie refers to as institutional racism. They can't, even at gunpoint, force a racist to change his or her feelings.

In the end, it comes down to that I trust Bernie to do the right thing--and to make a priority of doing the right thing--more than I trust Hillary to do that. Why? Well for one thing, I don't think Bernie would have led a state in celebrating Confederate Flag Day, which, for ninety years, has been three celebrations in one: m(1) Arkansas Confederate History and Heritage Month, (2) Confederate Memorial Day and (3) Confederate Flag Day. Bill and Hillary did. I don't think Bernie would have stood by without public protest while his spouse signed Robert E. Lee Day into law, even if she were also signing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day into law at the same time. AFAIK, Hillary did not make any public objection when her spouse did that.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/22/bill-clinton-arkansas-confederate_n_7638542.html
http://thecabin.net/news/2015-04-01/confederate-heritage-day-planned-state-capitol#.VYgh1BNVhBc

Granted, some of the above is speculation, but the speculation is based on the actions of the two individuals, from college forward. Bernie was earlier and more public, on certain issues than the population in general, at physical and/or political risk to himself; Hillary was later, and careful not to put herself at political risk. That, anyway, is how I see them.

[Garrett78]

4. As someone involved with racial justice organizations...

...I wish changing "hearts" (really, we're talking about changing minds/perspectives) seemed a lot more doable than it is. Judging by the latter portion of the quote in which Clinton talks about changing some hearts, it doesn't seem like "I don't believe you change hearts" means she is saying "hearts can't change" or be influenced to change. I think she's saying that justice advocates can't rely on changing other people. When you change laws, people come to accept the new reality. For instance, with gay marriage, eventually most will come to accept that marriage equality is just a fact of life whether they like it or not. And the generations that grow up with marriage equality, not knowing anything different, won't think twice about it.

There's nothing wrong, of course, with attempting to influence others to change their perspective. But victims of discrimination can't wait on that, nor should they have to. They depend on elected officials writing new laws.

So, I can't really disagree with what Clinton was saying.

[Kalidurga]

6. Then you must have applauded it when Bernie has been saying the same thing since forever.

[loyalsister]

7. "Opportunities for those who deserve them"

That is one of the most disgusting RW sentiments. When someone buys into that ideology, you get policies like no food or housing for felons because they don't "deserve" our help.

[PowerToThePeople]

8. I don't know any bigot babies.

We are socialized into our beliefs. You change the narative, you change society.

Tptb keep the current naratives because they serve their self interests.

[Jitter65]

9. And she is right. You don't change hearts. Just look at Trump support.

You don't change hearts but you can change behavior through rewards and punishment, mutual interests and benefits.

[Major Hogwash]

10. In this election, Hillary is the status quo candidate.

Make no mistake about that.
Under her administration, there would be no change.

Racism is partially a result of class struggle, which is borne out of income inequality, which does not allow for equality of opportunity.

Like Chris Rock said at the Oscar awards last month, black actors just want the opportunity to act in movies.
They don't want to be ignored by directors and producers just because they are black.
Many characters in many movies are not "race specific" parts.
There's no reason to assume that every damn character in a movie has to be played by a white actor.

[renie408]

11. See, I don't get that. Pragmatism is not such a bad thing.

I feel she is saying that while EVERY American may not agree, you can still change the systems and effectively change the course of the country.

I get out of that statement that it is impractical to try to get EVERYBODY on board, just enough people to effect change.