Two Cheers for Bill Clinton: Standing Up for Free Speech (Sort Of)

April 9th, 2016 3:05 PM

Former President Bill Clinton has done something exactly right. And he deserves to be applauded for doing so - even at the peril of ruining his reputation because this conservative is going to praise him. (And I’m not alone in this, either.)

Uh-oh. Wait. No sooner did he do something right…than, alas, he “almost” apologized.

What did Hillary’s hubby do? In the middle of her campaign against Bernie Sanders, a campaign that has seen her lean even further left than she is to try and beat back the hordes supporting the Socialist Vermonter, the ex-President found himself confronted by the far-left bullies of Black Lives Matters. These are the charming folks who have vowed this as reported over in The Washington Examiner:

Black Lives Matter co-founder threatens to shut down GOP convention

That report, one of many, says this:

“While appearing on MSNBC Saturday, Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors told hosts filling in for Melissa Harris-Perry that her group would shut down the GOP convention if the opportunity arises.”

This is the same group, recall, as reported here by MSNBC, that went after Bernie Sanders last year, with this headline from the far-left cable news outlet:

Bernie Sanders event shut down by Black Lives Matter activists

This story began:

“Activists with Black Lives Matter protests halted a political rally in Seattle where Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was scheduled to speak on Saturday afternoon.

“We’re shutting this event down — now,” said an activist who suddenly leapt on stage. She approached the microphone where Sanders had just begun speaking, thanking attendees for welcoming him to “one of most progressive cities in the United States of America.” An event organizer attempted to stop the activist, and a heated exchange ensued as the crowd booed.”

Then, but of course, there was the targeting of Donald Trump. As seen in this clarion call as reported here  at Gateway Pundit:

Black Lives Matter Plans Major Disruptions at Trump STL Rally

Gateway links to a group allied with Black Lives Matters and finds this call on Facebook:

“The fascist Donald Trump is coming to our city this Friday. It is our job and our duty to unite to #ShutItDown.”

And it wasn’t just St. Louis either, as the group has made a practice of dogging Trump rallies across the country.

So. After targeting the Republican National Convention, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, this go round this band of roving far-left thugs targeted…Bill Clinton.  What launched this assault on the former president?

It seems that back there in the 1990’s, Hillary Clinton committed the mortal leftist sin of talking about kids who were “super predators”and the need to “bring them to heel.” Over at Breitbart, Lee Stranahan -- praising Bill Clinton -- describes the controversy thusly:

If you don’t follow Democratic politics or Black Lives Matter closely, you’re probably not aware of the “super – predator” conflict that preceded Bill Clinton’s epic blowup. It’s from a video that’s been starting to go viral since November of last year, a speech that Hillary Clinton made in 1996 in which she referred to the problem of what she termed “super–predators” or the problem of sociopathic young black criminals. This short video created a firestorm...

Indeed, the Hillary video -- seen here -- has done exactly that. Thus it was that as Bill Clinton campaigned for Hillary the other day, the ex-president suddenly found himself staring into an audience of the same thugs that have threatened the GOP, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. Clinton, to his immense credit, would have none of it, as seen here.

As the thugs shrieked Clinton responded bluntly:

"I don't know how you would characterize the gang leaders who got 13-year-old kids hopped on crack and sent them out on the street to murder other African-American children. Maybe you thought they were good citizens. [Hillary] didn't. You are defending the people who kill the lives you say matter. Tell the truth."

Hooray! A former President of the United States looks the bullies straight in the eye and stands up for simple human decency even as they try and shout him down.

And then…and then. Twenty-four hours passes and ole Bill has, well, second thoughts. Or kinda, sorta, almost second thoughts. Now in Erie, Pennsylvania, Hillary’s hubby wobbles, as reported by Mediaite:

Bill Clinton Expresses Regret for Black Lives Matter Spat: ‘We Gotta Listen to Each Other’

The day after getting in a heated confrontation with Black Lives Matter activists at a campaign rally, Bill Clinton expressed some regret for the argument and said he should have done a better job listening to the protesters.

“I did something yesterday in Philadelphia. I almost want to apologize for it, but I want to use it as an example of the danger threatening our country,” he told students in Erie, Pennsylvania.

“I rather vigorously defended my wife, as I am want to do, and I realized finally I was talking past her the way she was talking past me,” he said. “We gotta stop that in this country. We gotta listen to each other.”

Oh geez. And he was so good the first time!

Let’s be plain. Black Lives Matters isn’t about black lives. This is a group that is about leftist thuggery. When they race around the country making it crystal clear they will shut down free speech whether that speech is coming from the duly elected delegates of the Republican National Convention, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump or now Bill Clinton - it is abundantly clear what they are really about. It’s the old leftist “my way or the highway” thuggery. And over the decades it certainly hasn’t been limited to Black Lives Matter. This was a staple of the 1960’s Students for a Democratic Society, the Weather Underground, the anti-Vietnam war movement and right on up the line to today’s Occupy Wall Street and, but of course, Black Lives Matter. They aren’t about making their case, they are about “shutting down” anybody and everybody with whom they disagree.

What troubles is that there are far too many people out there who refuse to stand up against the thugs. Bernie Sanders famously stood there and simply let them take over his rally. Martin O’Malley sat on a stage and immediately wimped when he was challenged for saying “all lives matter.” Now comes Bill Clinton, who seems to be doing the newest version of his once  upon a time “third way” politics -- third way as in neither left nor right. He’s going to stand up against the thugs -- and then “almost” apologize.

With all due respect, Mr. President? You have nothing to apologize for. But at least two cheers for fighting back -- sort of.