My Response to History Lesson For a Young Sanders Supporter
I am posting this in response to a "history lesson" from Susan Bordo on Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-bordo-/history-lesson-for-a-youn_b_9168076.html. My response reflects things said in this blog. I guess I'm just fed-up with this drum beat.
I am "over 65" woman. I do not feeling faceless. I don't have to clench my fists when Sanders is praised.
I am not supporting him because he is "authentic". I am supporting him because he is consistent in his values, his policy plans are the ones that I support and he speaks to me about what I think is important for the future of our country. He walks the walk and that makes him "authentic".
He is not the gatekeeper of progressivism. I AM. I stand at the gate of my own decision on who and what is progressive.
I am not voting for Sanders because he is a "charismatic male politico" telling women what issues are and aren't "progressive". I cannot think of a more condescending thing to say about someone. It is as offensive to read that statement to me, a 66 year old woman, as I imagine it would be to a 24 year old.
I don't need to be lectured about women's rights. I was long a member, a protestor, and someone who marched for women's rights, civil rights, LGBT rights. I can't speak to those who boo'ed Hillary but if this person is talking about the boos she received during the debate - they came because of her "artful smears" comment. And that comment struck a chord with people in the audience. What that has to do with feminism I have no idea.
I was born in 1950. Yes the 60s were intoxicating. You know why? Because we felt we had the power to change things. And you know what - many of us did. We marched for an end to the Vietnam War. And we were empowered. Some of us took part in demonstrations after Stonewall riots. And you know what - we made a difference. We marched on Washington and our voices were heard. We converged on Washington to protest the Kent State shootings and President Richard Nixon's incursion into Cambodia and our voices were heard. We marched for Equal Rights for Women and our voices were heard. Perhaps the younger generation want to participate the way we did - and have their voices heard too?
I am not supporting Bernie because I'm charmed by his scruffy white hair. That's an incredibly patronizing thing to say and I imagine it is to a 24 year old as well. Am I charmed by his unmodulated passion? Not charmed. But excited by. Inspired by. I have a feeling 24 year olds might be as well.
I do not mistake Hillary's caution as a sign of "inauthenticity". I take her ever-changing stances on policies as a sign of inauthenticity. I don't label her "strident" and "shrill" as a way to demean her because she is a woman. Is Bernie being called "strident" and "shrill" as a way to demean him as a man?
Please do understand that 66 year old Bernie supporters and 24 year old Bernie supporters can tell the difference between a "clear message" and the complexity of governing. Please don't tell us that we shouldn't vote for Hillary JUST because she is a woman and then write a long discourse pretty much telling me that I should vote for her because she is a woman.
Please do not talk down to me - as a 66 year old woman or a 24 year old woman -- and imply that I can't understand just how complex our political system is. I think I'm fully capable of analyzing the candidates' policy positions, their histories, their personalities and making up my own mind on who and why I will support Bernie Sanders.
And, you know what? I think the 24 year olds can too.
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who doesn't need a lecture, a history lesson or a threat of hell. I'm voting for Bernie because he is the best candidate to come along in decades!
Bra-vo, Nanjeanne. 
Not all of us older women are voting for the .1 percent.
Good post!
Go Bernie!
that was some serious bunch of AWE SOME, GF!!
good on ya!!
and thx.
Thanks for the thread, Nanjeanne.
Perfect response.
she is a woman ("But don't vote for her just because she is a woman"
I read it on that thread and came over here to rec your letter.
Thank you for putting into words so much of what my reaction was to that "history lesson"
I'm 67 and I agree with every word you said.
To 'Bern your Bras' These days....
great post!!!
My hat is off to Allison Glennon.
I applaud her. Thanks Nanjeanne for posting this.
There is a special place in heaven for women like you.
You rock!
deeply appreciates and agrees with the sentiments expressed in the OP.
Very well said..
Seems like i have been trying to warn people what these corporate type fools have been doing for the last ten years or so here at DU. I have learned a lot about it and so many other things hanging around here btw. Well anyway, finally we have this candidate that's been saying corporate rule is bad thing it seems for the last thirty years and people are starting to really get it. It doesn't take any special equipment to get this stuff, just an ear or two and a willingness to listen.
Tribalism or any other types of grouping is not really even needed, just some common sense to look and see what we are really up against.
Bernie says they are now going to throw the kitchen sink at us all. I would say they have gone a lot farther long ago. They exported the kitchen sink factory quite awhile ago and are now throwing the kitchen sinks at us by the boatload. They wished they would have put us all under earlier with all those hurls, but, alas, it didn't work. The battle has just been ratcheted up and it is US that is putting the heat them now. They don't appear to fairing as well as would as have been expected. Keep pushing, because everybody is counting on everybody else to push too
