I've always liked and respected Bernie Sanders but many of his supporters are doing him a disservice

I have no doubt that the vast majority of Sanders supporters are rational, committed, fair and knowledgeable - most of the ones that I know personally certainly are. But, unfortunately, the rational supporters are being drowned out by some of the most obnoxious, ignorant, hateful and childish voices I have seen in my many years in politics, voices that I am used to hearing in other camps, not in ours.

Bernie Sanders is a good man but he is not perfect and he is certainly not the first or second coming of the Savior. Hillary Clinton is not perfect but she is a good woman and she is certainly not the Anti-Christ. But no one would know either of these basic facts by reading the over-the-top postings that proliferate here these days.

I consistently argue that people should not blame entire groups for the bad behavior of a few, and apply that here, as well; I recognize that the most prolific and hateful words and attitudes expressed by some Sanders supporters here do not represent Sanders himself or the majority of his supporters. But I do wish that the more reasonable Sanders supporters would speak up and, if not go so far to chastise their fellow supporters, at least engage in civil discussions with supporters of other candidates more often. This would go a long way to improve the civility and value of this forum - which right now has little more than an embarrassing display of mud-slinging, attacks, whining and taunting with little to useful information provided. I understand that that isn't easy given the vitriol that would likely be thrown their way from some of their fellow supporters if they dare to do this, but I hope that they will in order to help change the tone of this debate.

I am quite sure that I will be viciously attacked for saying all of this and will be bombarded with plenty of "both sides do it!"/"Hillary supporters say this that and the other" but that is a false equivalency. Both sides DON'T do it in equal measure, regardless how much anyone claims otherwise. The ugly, negative, personal attacks on Hillary Clinton by so-called Democrats in this forum are completely beyond the pale and are exponentially beyond anything being directed at Sen. Sanders. But far from building support for their candidate or lessening support for his opponents, those who are engaging in this behavior are preventing your fellow supporters who actually have something meaningful to say from being heard.

And instead of constantly complaining that Sanders is being marginalized, consider the possibility that this in large part because the rest of us, try as we might, are having trouble hearing what he and many of his supporters have to say over the noise and chaos that YOU are creating.

So, to the Sanders supporters who are behaving this way, I say, calm down, grow up, take a breath and let someone else talk for awhile. You might be surprised at the results.