Hillary Clinton tells black activists to work towards changing laws instead of merely ‘changing hearts’

Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has told activists from the “Black Lives Matter” movement that they should promote specific policy changes than focusing on “changing hearts.” Clinton’s reaction came at an interaction with the group’s activists, who questioned her role “as first lady, senator and secretary of state” in the war on drugs and policies that led to mass incarceration of many African Americans.

“Look, I don't believe you change hearts. I believe you change laws, you change allocation of resources, you change the way systems operate,” Clinton told the group in New Hampshire. However, Clinton’s advice to champion policies did not enthuse many activists. One activist, Julius Jones, accused Clinton of “victim blaming,” reports The Associated Press.

Policy change

To this, Clinton answered that systemic racism cannot be solved without bringing changes in criminal justice, housing and education policies. “You can keep the movement going, which you have started, and through it you may actually change some hearts. But if that's all that happens we'll be back here in 10 years having the same conversation because we will not have all the changes that you deserve to see happen in your lifetime," she said.

Clinton called up the group to articulate new policies rather than asking white Americans to pay lip service to the movement. “You're going to have to come together as a movement and say, here's what we want done about it, because you can get lip service from as many white people as you can pack in Yankee Stadium,” she said.

Meanwhile, in the Republican camp, the rumblings from presidential aspirant Donald Trump’s advocacy to change the parameters of American citizenship has divided the party, with more and more takers to his call to end birthright-based citizenship.

Trump’s mainstream Republican rivals such as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio have denounced the business mogul’s stance. But many prominent candidates, including Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz have embraced the idea.

Unrelenting Trump

Despite the mounting criticism, Trump is least relenting in his views. The GOP front-runner asserted in an interview with Fox News that children born to undocumented immigrants while on American grounds, do not deserve the U.S. citizenship and argued that his view will prevail in court, reports Politico.

“I don’t think they have American citizenship, and if you speak to some very, very good lawyers — some would disagree. We have to start a process where we take back our country. Our country is going to hell. We have to start a process, where we take back our country,” Trump asserted.

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