First off H/T to geebeebee for the initial shout out on this important event
Here is some the follow-up reporting of that forum on Criminal Justice Reform. Serious presidential Candidates 'find time' for the stuff that matters ...
Bernie Sanders decries ‘shocking’ statistics at BET’s racial justice forum
International Business Times; rawstory.com -- November 22, 2015
[...]
"I’m going to start with an issue that is on everyone’s mind, the continuing struggle for racial justice in America," Sanders said, reported Fusion. Sanders then listed off a number of statistics, such as black people being imprisoned at six times the rate of white people and one out of 15 African-American men being incarcerated.
"These are shocking statistics to say the least," Sanders said. "But before we even address those, we have to deal with the most urgent and obvious issue that needs to be addressed head on. And that is the killing of African-Americans by police or deaths while in custody."
[...]
“[People] must do more than just echo the phrase Black Lives Matter,” Sanders said. “We must put actions behind those words. Actions that will bring about the fundamental reform that is needed in the face of this crisis. Criminal justice reform must be the civil rights issue of the 21st century and the most first piece has to be police reform. The killings of African-Americans has got to stop.”
[...]
Here are some notable Tweets about Bernie at the BET sponsored event:
Here are some snippets from the Fusion report (mentioned previously) on that Criminal Justice forum:
Bernie Sanders says free college is part of his plan to end mass incarceration
by Katie McDonough, fusion.net -- November 21, 2015
[...]
“What we’ve got to do as a nation is understand that we have got to create millions of jobs to put people back to work, to make sure kids are in schools, not in jails,” Sanders said on CNN at the time.
This lack of focus on racial justice, particularly at a moment when Baltimore, Ferguson, and the names of the young black people killed by police were on the nation’s lips, moved activists with Black Lives Matter to disrupt a number of Sanders’ campaign events over the summer.
It was a direct result of those protests that Sanders’ campaign released a racial justice platform, and, in the ensuing months, developed an explicit vocabulary to discuss issues of police violence, the school to prison pipeline, and glaring racial disparities in the criminal justice system.
All of which was front and center in Sanders’ remarks on Saturday [at at BET’s Presidential Justice Forum, a bipartisan event focused on criminal justice reform].
Bernie Sanders at the BET 2015 Presidential Justice Forum (11/21/15)
link
Partial Transcript, Bernie Sanders speaking:
Let me from the start suggest ‘I am not Frank Underwood’ -- No way!
(Laughter) [...]
Together we are going to bring about MAJOR reforms to a broken criminal justice system. [...]
Let's start with the Facts. These are not pleasant facts -- but these are Facts we have to discuss:
If current trends continue, approx. 1 in 4 Black males born today, can expect to spend time in Prison during his lifetime. This is an unspeakable tragedy.
Blacks are imprisoned at 6 times the rate of Whites.
People of Color are incarcerated, policed, and sentenced to Death at significantly higher rates, than their White counterparts.
1 in every 15 African American men is incarcerated, compared to 1 in every 106 White men.
A report by the DOJ found that Blacks were 3 times more likely to be searched during a Traffic Stop, compared to White motorists.
African Americans are twice as likely to be arrested, and almost 4 TIMES as likely to experience the USE of Force, during encounters with the Police.
African Americans make up 2/5 of confined Youth today.
African American women are 3 times more likely than White women to be incarcerated.
Once convicted, Black offenders receive longer sentences -- 10% longer -- than White offenders for the same EXACT crimes.
13% of African American men have LOST the Right to Vote, due to Felony convictions. And this by the way, is an issue we don't talk about very much, but it is of HUGE Political consequence.
These are shocking statistics to say the least. But before we even address them, we have to deal with the most urgent and obvious Issue that needs to be addressed -- Head On.
And that is the Killing of African Americans by Police; or Deaths while in custody.
The seemingly endless list of tragedies we hear about -- screams out for Justice.
The Black Lives Matters movement which has arisen in response, has done a needed and commendable job, in raising public consciousness on this issue.
The proliferation of cell-phone video, has brought the Reality of these Deaths into the Living-room and onto the computer screens of millions and millions of people throughout our country.
I know you've heard these names before, but they bear repeating, so that we do not lose sight of the real human price being paid ...
Micheal Brown;
Eric Gardner;
Walter Scott;
Freddie Grey;
Sandra Bland;
Tamir Rice;
Samuel DuBois;
Rekia Boyd;
and many, many others.
But People must do more than just echo the phrase Black Lives Matter.
We must put Actions behind those words.
Actions that will bring about the Fundamental Reform that is needed, in the face of this crisis.
Criminal Justice Reform must be the 'Civil Rights' issue of the 21st century -- and the first piece that we must address is Police Reform.
The Killings of unarmed African Americans has GOT to STOP.
[Time Mark: 7:30]
Bernie Sanders Q&A at the 2015 Presidential Justice Forum (11/21/15)
Here is a brief recap of Bernie Sanders comprehensive plan for Racial Justice Reform:
• Our Justice Department must aggressively investigate and prosecute police officers who break the law and hold them accountable for their actions.
• We need new rules on the allowable use of force. Police officers need to be trained to de-escalate confrontations
• We need to federally fund and require body cameras for law enforcement officers to make it easier to hold them accountable.
• We must demilitarize our police forces so they don’t look and act like invading armies.
• States and localities that make progress in this area should get more federal justice grant money. Those that do not should get their funding slashed.
• We need to make sure the federal resources are there to crack down on the illegal activities of hate groups.
At least one candidate is giving these very important twin-issues of Racial Justice and Police Reform -- the serious respect, and the gravity that they deserve.
It’s as if he really believes "Black Lives Matter." If only more people would follow his public-service, civil lead ...