Frequent contributor Chip said the following in response to this comment EYE made in response to A Personal Note on Bernie Sanders and BLM
Hi RedEYE, No, I didn't take the writer's slam personally, but I did refute that as a Bernie supporter I am "embedded in a white savior ethos that discount black thought leadership as unintelligent and unworthy."EYE would like to say publicly how much EYE appreciate the tone and tenor of this comment. It has always been my personal mantra tolerant people can agree to disagree without resorting to name calling, personal attacks, and insults. It's political not personal. EYE was afraid we were heading down the Left in Alabama (and others) road , where people who EYE thought were friends, banned me for life because they took a political disagreement personal.
I don't think of Bernie as a "white savior." Generally, I agree with many of his positions, and disagree with a few others, but I don't expect to agree with all of any politician's positions. That's just unrealistic.
Nor do I think that Bernie discounts black thought leadership as unintelligent and unworthy. The writer doesn't provide any evidence of that; she just states it as if it is a fact.
Bernie does emphasize that there is a need to "stand together" against corruption and injustice.
Some supporters of any politician are ill-mannered. No candidate can be held accountable for the actions or inactions of their followers.
It's really very simple. If you don't support Bernie's positions, don't vote for him. No one is, or can, force you to do anything. I expect that some voters will prefer Hillary, some will prefer Bernie, and some will prefer other candidates. That's just politics.
This brings me to the actions of the #Sandernistas, and yes, EYE am holding Bernie Sanders accountable for the actions of his followers.
It was absurd, from the onset, that BLM activists had to take the stage and take the mike AT AN ALLEGED PROGRESSIVE SPACE to even initiate discussion of the genocide against Blacks by a militarized police force. That discussion should have already been ongoing, prominent and robust.In order to solve the problem you have to admit there is a problem.
But having done so, the reaction of White sandernistas has been not solidarity with Black Americans, but a demand that Black Americans sit down, shut up, and demonstrate solidarity with THEM. “Bernie Sanders is your best hope. You need to support him and stop being disruptive.” This is the kind of thing that has been coming out of White Sandernista mouths. It’s not solidarity, it’s the liberal face of White supremacy.
I could be wrong about that, but I don’t blame any person of color for having a lingering bad taste in their mouth from your shenanigans at this point.The Black Lives Matter Movement now has a legislative agenda.
Now, that the Black Lives Matter movement has an agenda, it must effectively push that agenda. It must demand that all local, state and federal governments adopt that agenda. They must pressure Democrats and Republicans to embrace that agenda. Before disrupting campaign rallies and other political gatherings, the Movement should make a diligent effort to meet with the candidates to discuss the agenda.
If the politicians fail to meet with the movement, the disruptions will be justified. By the way, when asked about meeting with Black Lives Matter, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R) called the idea "ridiculous." He has an earned a disruption or two. We must demand that both parties pass legislation to end racial profiling and police brutality.This includes you Bernie Sanders. Sir.
2 comments:
It's been a busy week for me, RedEYE, since you posted this. A couple of exiting things piled up on me rather quickly.
But, of course, that's not all. I was also taking time to ferret out what to say, and how to say it.
I don't think I have a good handle on it. And I suspect, things being what they are, that I probably will never be able to say I had a good handle, that I understood in the way that happens when people simultaneously and mutually drop barriers between them and identify each other as deserving recognition, caring, concern and love as members of the human race.
I read your post, and I am gratified that you say I struck a tone of sincere discourse with you, and that "tolerant people can agree to disagree without resorting to name calling, personal attacks, and insults."
It reminded me of the old days, the days when as Americans, we could agree to disagree, like Voltaire. ♥
It reminded me of the good old days too my friend, the good old days before Rush Limbaugh and all the other Lords of Loud and the politics of personal destruction. It all started with Clinton you know. Got worse with Bush, but the election of President Barack Hussein Obama took it to a different level.
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