2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumWe have to unite ourselves around Black Lives Matter.
Because they do. And because just because many of us and Bernie are white does not mean that we don't understand that fact.
We who are white may not fully understand the suffering that Black people experience in their lives. That is especially true of those of us who are older (me) and who may not have had, as our children do, close relationships, even family relationships with people of color when we were children.
But we can read the news. We do hear and say the names. We do care. We do have compassion. And Black people need to distinguish between friend and foe. Because right now, when it comes to police oppression, Black people need friends. And so do white people, but we just don't realize that fact yet.
Black people are the ready scapegoat. But once the police state mentality finishes subjugating people in Black and Hispanic and Asian communities, it will move on to minority groups within the white community. Because that is what the police state mentality does.
Black Lives Matter. But that issue is too important for its advocates to pick fights with their friends. Their imperfect friends, but their friends.
Hey, to have a friend like Bernie Sanders who speaks eloquently and forthrightly about race issues and who backs up his speech with stubborn advocacy for what he believes in is really worth a lot. I hope that the BLM recognizes what Bernie is about and what a strong friend he is and will be and get on board with his campaign.
The Black Lives Matter movement would do well to take advantage of Bernie's long and steady support of the cause of people of color and his moral integrity which is unmatched by any other candidate for the presidency.
Thanks to Cornel West for speaking out.
We can deal both with the economic issues and the Black Lives Matter issues. In fact we must. But we must be united to do it.
apnu
(8,759 posts)For too long have African Americans been taken for granted in liberal circles. Its time to stop that. Its time to take on their issues as our issues.
Along with that, its time for women also. Equality is equality after all.
Latinos.
Native Americans.
Asian Americans.
GLBT.
The poor.
Everybody.
We have a structural racist, sexist, classist, problem in America and its time to tear it down.
Its time to be real and upfront about this and champion it all. Its what we should be doing right now.
champion it all
that speaks for me.
mmonk
(52,589 posts)I don't with certain people who can't quit giving me the finger and say I'm not me, only who they say I am. I didn't earn that finger.
m-lekktor
(3,675 posts)I give them benefit of the doubt and support for now despite taking issue with the candidate I prefer, but if the organized leaders of that group end up being an extension of the Hillary Clinton campaign I won't support that group in their promotion of Hillary if that's what they engage in, but I will support their goal of Black lives mattering, just not via working to get Hillary elected because I am personally certain she is NOT the solution!
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)Not supporting the candidate who may have the best chance at championing that cause. President Trump sure won't advance their cause. I guess black lives matter only when its your preferred candidate.
Humanist_Activist
(7,670 posts)we are supposed to support the candidates we want in the primary, then throw support at the winner of said primary in the general. I didn't know that support for BLM can only come from Hillary supporters.
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)I support the cause no matter who the movement endorses or champions and will support it equally no matter who our candidate is.
Humanist_Activist
(7,670 posts)I edited it together from subject line to body of your post:
So you will support their cause while not supporting the candidate who may have the best chance at championing that cause. You then gave a scare tactic about President Trump immediately afterwards.
It appears to me the implication is that any supporter of anyone but Hillary can't truly support causes such as BLM because their candidates aren't destined to win the election against candidate toupee.
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)Humanist_Activist
(7,670 posts)LWolf
(46,179 posts)RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)For too long we've swept bad situations under the rug - so to speak - and now the dirt is suffocating.
One thing that deeply appeals to me about this campaign is the idea that we clean house.
Cleaning house is going to be deeply irritating to many. Already there are loud voices saying we can't do this.
There is an old saying that goes like this: In the end, The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.
The people who are held down and oppressed will have to rise up and overcome. The establishment must be occupied. This campaign offers hope that shall come to pass.
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)They made that point very clear.
Humanist_Activist
(7,670 posts)most BLM activists know that everyone is valuable to the cause.
MineralMan
(146,336 posts)Way past time.
It is time for the police to stop killing black people for being black. If it does not stop, soon there will be consequences for it, I guarantee.
Every Democratic candidate needs to get on board with BLM. It's the right thing to do. It should have been the right thing to do for a very long time.
Humanist_Activist
(7,670 posts)HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)BLM seems to have organizational problems.
No one doubts that Black Lives Matters.
When BLM activists figure out what they want, and that may be different in different localities/regions, I am sure there will be plenty of volunteers.