Bernie Sanders on Civil Rights and racism -- personal history and voting record

[magical thyme]

The Radical Education of Bernie Sanders

...as a college student he organized sit-ins against segregation, worked for a union, protested police brutality and attended the 1963 March on Washington. Throughout that time, the central theme of his life has never wavered.

...By his 23rd birthday, Sanders had worked for a meatpackers union, marched for civil rights in Washington D.C., joined the university socialists and been arrested at a civil rights demonstration.

...The civil rights movement also became a home for him. He became leaders of an NAACP ally called the Congress of Racial Equality at a time when most civil rights activists were black. He was arrested while demonstrating for desegregated public schools in Chicago.

...On a frigid Tuesday afternoon in January, 1962 the 20-year-old from Brooklyn stood on the steps of University of Chicago administration building and railed in the wind against the college’s housing segregation policy. “We feel it is an intolerable situation, when Negro and white students of the university cannot live together in university owned apartments,” the young bespectacled student told the few-dozen classmates gathered there. Then he led them into the building in protest, and camped the night outside the president’s office. It was Chicago’s first civil rights sit-in.
http://time.com/3896500/bernie-sanders-vermont-campaign-radical/#3896500/bernie-sanders-vermont-campaign-radical/

Civil Rights Record
http://www.ontheissues.org/Domestic/Bernie_Sanders_Civil_Rights.htm
Bush’s tracking citizens’ phone call patterns is illegal
Voted YES on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act.
Voted NO on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman
Voted NO on making the PATRIOT Act permanent
Voted NO on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage
Voted NO on banning gay adoptions in DC
Voted NO on ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions
Constitutional Amendment for equal rights by gender -- co-sponsored
Rated 93% by the ACLU, indicating a pro-civil rights voting record.
Rated 100% by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance
Rated 97% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance
Recognize Juneteenth as historical end of slavery -- co-sponsored
ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays.
Prohibit sexual-identity discrimination at schools
Endorsed as "preferred" by The Feminist Majority indicating pro-women's rights.
Enforce against wage discrimination based on gender -- co-sponsored Paycheck Fairness Act
Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools -- co-sponsored
Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment

[Omaha Steve]

1. K&R!

[BrotherIvan]

2. And to be honest

even if his record was fairly neutral, the assertions that are being made would still be disgusting lies. You know who doesn't care about minorities? Republicans. People who actively vote against a public education, jobs, discrimination, affirmative action, ending the war on drugs, social programs, community development--those people can be said to not care about civil rights. This kind of mud slinging is only intended to muddy the waters of any real discussion. Now we're arguing about optics and tone. Good fucking grief.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

5. Democrats don't care about minorities, either! Proof right here on DU!

And some white liberals are just as bad if not worse than conservatives. Why?

Because many think racism only means using the N-word or other *explicit* forms of racism/discrimination.

Democrats demonstrate a more subtle, more subconscious form of racism and that to me and many of my black, brown, yellow and red brothers and sisters, is more insidious.

They tend to talk down on people of color and tell them what is and is not racism.

They tend to tell people of color to shut up and stop being so emotional and "sensitive" about race.

Racism is not just a hallmark of Republican politics. Democrats are the problem, too!

[NCTraveler]

3. +1 nt.

[Doctor_J]

4. but he didn't bus any blacks or hispanics to Burlington for this week's photo-op!

So all this means nothing! Except...racist!

rec

[merrily]

6. K & R

[Rosa Luxemburg]

7. People don't know this!