African American
Related: About this forumAnybody got this and/or willing to sign?
Dear ----,
We just started a petition titled "Democracy Requires Real (And More) Debate: Demand A #BlackLivesMatter Presidential Debate"
Here's why this is important:
It is not enough to poll the Presidential candidates on whether or not they think "Black Lives Matter" or "All Lives Matter" -- we deserve substantive responses and policy recommendations. We deserve substance and not rhetoric. In fact, we demand it.
Limiting the number of debates unfairly privileges some candidates over others, and cheats voters out of the opportunity to fully engage candidates on issues we care about. Black voters, in particular, constitute a significant proportion of the potential voting bloc. Those of us who (reluctantly) give our votes to the Democratic Party deserve more robust forums on issues of particular concern to our communities, at home and abroad.
According to the Center for American Progress (CAP), in 2012, Black women voted at a higher rate than any other group, across ethnicity, gender and race. In fact, more than 70% of registered Black women voted in the 2012 Presidential election, and overwhelmingly voted Democrat. More than 61% of registered Black men voted in the 2012 Presidential election--less than 1% shy of voting turnout for white men.
This last year alone has demonstrated clearly that Black lives are under attack--from police violence to the murders of black trans women to economic disenfranchisement and neoliberal polices. It's time to extend the public conversation beyond the status quo. We want to hear candidates debate and offer tangible solutions to the myriad issues impacting Black people. Lifting the unfair restriction on the number of debates and supporting a Black Lives Matter Presidential debate is a step in the right direction.
Join us to demand a #BlackLivesMatter debate!
Thank you,
Elle Hearns, Robbie Clark, Anita Moore and the rest of the BLM team
http://iam.colorofchange.org/petitions/democracy-requires-real-and-more-debate-demand-dnc-offer-a-blacklivesmatter-presidential-debate/?akid=4972.235967.3-VQka&bucket=COC&rd=1&source=mailing2&t=4
Half-Century Man
(5,279 posts)Kind of Blue
(8,709 posts)marym625
(17,997 posts)Kind of Blue
(8,709 posts)I guess better late than never.
marym625
(17,997 posts)randys1
(16,286 posts)Kind of Blue
(8,709 posts)Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)Kind of Blue
(8,709 posts)Thank You
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)I should probably go back and check.
ETA - Well, they've got some sort of twitter button on the page, but all it does for me is open up a small blank popup window.
Kind of Blue
(8,709 posts)Twitter is something I never got the hang of. I guess my daughter and nieces are right, FB is for old people because I just can't do twitter
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)Kind of Blue
(8,709 posts)Good! Where there's a will there's a way. Spread it, man!
MuseRider
(34,120 posts)Thank you for posting. I think this is a very important idea. We should demand this until it happens.
Kind of Blue
(8,709 posts)pushing. I'd feared they'd given up. But always take it to the people before giving up. They're being smart.
stage left
(2,966 posts)Signed and tweeted.
Kind of Blue
(8,709 posts)Rebkeh
(2,450 posts)Kind of Blue
(8,709 posts)JustAnotherGen
(31,906 posts)I would like to see it as an all candidate approach.
I mean - the Carnival barker, the Rapture guy, the woman that killed HP -
Ought to be standing next to the THREE smart people trying to explain themselves.
rbrnmw
(7,160 posts)We need answers from both sides.
Kind of Blue
(8,709 posts)Maybe it'll happen once they can get their own debates together
JustAnotherGen
(31,906 posts)But notice how I put it?
Three smart people. I may not be enamored with HRC or Feeling the Bern -
But I don't doubt their intelligence, ability to reason, and having paid their dues to be on stage with O'Malley.
The other three -
Not so sure?
I've been pretty dismissive of Sanders and patient with Clinton but let's face it - Trump isn't fit to drink either one's dirty bath water.
Rebkeh
(2,450 posts)Last edited Tue Nov 3, 2015, 04:10 PM - Edit history (1)
Let them keep digging.
Edit: Let the Trumpet keep blasting. Any of the three will do, in this case.