Letter to Bernie on reparations.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

Not sure where this was originally from, I spotted it on Twitter.



The letter does not diminish my support for Bernie, because it is a constructive criticism. Bernie is human, and like any of us, is not perfect. He has room to grow, and one of the areas he specifically has room to grow is in looking at wealth inequality in a longer term, more expansive way, rather than focusing specifically on the present. Embracing the historical context of wealth inequality, and its use of racism as a tool to maintain itself.

Likewise, he could stand to listen more to Native Americans. There's a post up elsewhere about how a co-founder of AIM was cut off for time constraints at a conference Bernie that was attending and where he was answering questions, and I posted this link in a comment there as well.

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2016/02/12/few-notes-native-people-about-presidential-elections-neither-democrat-deserves-our-vote

I do not post these to attack Sanders, but to point out ways in which he can become a better candidate. I hope someone out there in his campaign is listening to these voices, and can share them with him. Those that society marginalizes need their voices heard by those who will be able to help them.

[orpupilofnature57]

1. K&R !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From a Staunch Bernie supporter !!!!!!

[bravenak]

2. This is what I mean

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

3. I've never had a problem with pointing out places candidates need to improve.

But, since I am a partisan for Bernie, I've disapproved of the use of such as political wedges against him, when I think that he actually is both our best chance to win the GE, and to actually do things I feel will make the country better. And not just for white people like myself. but for the marginalized people I care about, who are struggling even more than I am, lacking the intragenerational support that I have and benefit from.

I do think that he seriously underestimated just how much support he would draw when he ran, and that he actually never expected to have even a chance at winning, but felt he still had to try because he sees fatal flaws within the political system that need addressed even more than in our economic or justice system. Fixing (or even just improving) our political system won't fix our economics, won't fix the badly broken ''justice' system, won't fix racism, sexism, homophobia. But it gives us a stronger base on which to stand to continue to work on those other problems. Our 'house' has gotten in such bad shape, has so many things wrong with it that need immediate repair. But unless we shore up the foundations, all the other repairs we might do first might well be destroyed again when the foundations crumble.

[thesquanderer]

4. The problem is that no candidate who endorses reparations can win in 2016.

So while it might make for a powerful statement, it would also give the nomination or presidency to an "even less" desirable candidate (less desirable in terms of economic justice, at least).

As difficult as things are for Bernie (still the underdog), one thing he has on his side is that his other "controversial" positions (single payer, $15 minimum wage, tuition free public college, etc.) are actually already largely supported by the population at large.

A call to "Be more bold!" is counter-productive if it costs him the election. As some article posted a while back indicated, Bernie's strategy always positions himself at the left edge of what is currently politically acceptable. It's a good place to be. He knows where the boundaries are, beyond which he will be marginalized, where his ability to succeed starts to diminish rather than increase.

[uponit7771]

11. The same could be said about single payer though, I don't understand why not reparations and

... not single payer.

It doesn't even start to make sense

[thesquanderer]

13. Simple. More than 50% of the population already has a favorable view of single payer.

So as hard as it would be, it faces much less of an uphill battle than would something that most of the population does not already favor.

[TTUBatfan2008]

5. Are you asking the same questions...

...of Hillary? She is against reparations too and I see very little discussion of this fact. I think they are both wrong, but I also don't think Bernie should be singled out.

[uponit7771]

12. Hillary doesn't want a revolution against her own party, revolution with an asterisks besides it

... isn't a revolution

[TTUBatfan2008]

17. Here is where I will agree...

Coates made very valid points about Bernie's idealism for things like universal healthcare and getting rid of corporate money in politics. There is nothing wrong with applying similar hope for reparations. Sanders was wrong to outright dismiss it as unrealistic.

But I think revolutions ultimately have to come from the people. Call out the politicians over and over, every last one of them. BLM does a great job of this.

[TCJ70]

6. So...what's their solution?

What does reparations look like if it were to happen tomorrow?

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

7. Well, like I said, I don't actually even know where the letter came from originally.

So I don't know their ideas specifically. But you start taking the idea seriously, then moving on to discussing ways to actually implement it.

[TCJ70]

8. I think that's the best response to a question about reparations...

..."What does that look like to you?" It's OK with me for a politician to admit they hadn't thought about it before. It's a difficult subject.

[loyalsister]

16. According to this Divest- invest strategy.....

it looks exactly like what Bernie is proposing with targeted community investments.

[jeff47]

9. I'll take this subject much more seriously when they lobby for other candidates

to also support reparations.

It's not just a subject for one candidate. Nor only presidential candidates.

[AgingAmerican]

10. This comes from the Hillary campaign

Hence her not being asked the same thing.

[Matariki]

14. Very good post. Profoundly good letter.

[Matariki]

15. I would like to hear what reparations means to the people who wrote this

What it would entail. Specifically.

[Live and Learn]

18. I missed it, when did Hillary offer reparations? nt

[MrMickeysMom]

19. K&R ...

Thanks, Erich! I think it's constructive criticism, as well. As I was saying yesterday, I believe Bernie Sanders takes these criticisms and critically thinks about them. It's all good as the process within an honest candidacy.