How a politician can win respect of #blackLivesMatter activists

[Cheese Sandwich]

Black people being wrongfully killed and jailed by the system is an emergency.

That's the core issue that sparked the movement. Black people are ground up in the criminal justice system like their lives don't matter.

Movement activists want politicians to recognize this and treat it like an emergency. Say a plan to make it stop.

Also they want politicians to spend a larger amount of time on the subject. That's not really a demand for policy, it's a demand for rhetoric. Maybe it sounds weird but that's something they want.

Also politicians should say the names of the victims. This shows the victims are human beings, not statistics or abstract ideas. Real people killed.

That's it. Pretty simple really. It's too easy to over complicate it.

These are just my ideas on the subject. Is this right?

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. If you tune in to MSNBC right now, a BLM member is explaining to Chris Hayes right now

what the protest was about, and how BLM activists feel about what happened.

And quite specifically, in re the two candidates, the words 'and both of them failed.' were just used.

And now she's telling Chris what they want from the candidates.

[moondust]

2. I interrupted her immediately

with the mute button, but she continues moving her lips.

Isn't that how it works?

[Joe the Revelator]

3. So what is wanted from the candidates?

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

5. I didn't tape it or get a transcript,

but at least part of it was that they simply wanted the candidates to have at least as well-thought-out positions on racial issues like blacks being killed by police as they do on anything else.


As a bonus, here's a tweet that just popped in my stream from @deray (deray mckesson)

deray mckesson ?@deray 3m3 minutes ago

There will be a president after Obama. Fact. And it is important that we critically analyze all candidates now and that we make demands now.

[Vattel]

14. Seems reasonable. I don't think any of the candidates are thinking hard enough about racial issues.

If they are, I haven't seen it yet. Sanders has by far the best record on some of those issues though. One of many reasons I support him.

[jwirr]

8. Specific answers to each problem - the killings, mass incarceration, minimum wage, jobs.

As I listened I thought that was a good answer to start with but I really doubt there are a lot of people who know how to handle these problems. Even our politicians. It is not as simple as some think.

[Cheese Sandwich]

6. Maybe I can catch it later on the internet.

Thanks for the tip. I don't understand some of attitude from some fellow Bernie supporters. The very defensive reaction is making things much worse in my opinion.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

7. It's making things much worse. Save that attitude for attacks from rightwingers.

Anything you view as an 'attack' that comes from someone who might conceivably vote for your candidate should be examined in terms of how to satisfy a need, not by attacking back, which alienates and makes winning that vote far far tougher. Some Bernie supporters have done a lot to harm his chances over the last couple of days.

[Cheese Sandwich]

9. I completely agree

With everything you just said there.

For me the bottom line is black people are targeted, harassed, killed, jailed, stripped of their rights, and just generally oppressed by the criminal justice system.

Honestly a lot of other people of color and poorer whites are swept up in similar problems. The bottom line is it needs to be a top priority.

The disruptive tactics seem to be a turnoff for a lot of people. A lot of liberals had a similar defensive or dismissive attitude when Occupy Wall Street protesters were raising their issues with disruptive tactics.

But hey desperate times call for desperate measures.

[seveneyes]

4. politicians should say the names of the victims?

All of them? There are enough victims of wrongful injury in the USA every day to make it the only task a candidate has time to perform.

All innocent victims matter to someone. That is one of the simplest fucking emotions that exists.

[Cheese Sandwich]

11. A system of government sponsored terror against an oppressed ethnic group...

That's how I see it. More than just wrongful injury. A system of violence and oppression.

That's much worse than just hurt feelings.

[seveneyes]

12. Thankfully the USA government is not a sponsor of terror

Let's keep it that way. Demands are not laws. All you need is a crack...that's how the light gets in.

[Cheese Sandwich]

15. Some Americans are feeling terrorized by the cops, courts and prisons right here at home

So you can see how they would be upset.

[seveneyes]

16. I'm one of them

Been there, done that, threw away the T-shirt. The future is where it's at.

[Capt. Obvious]

10. For Democrats

A white candidate can't win without the support of the AA community as well as a substantial support of the white community (for now). I can't envision a white candidate picking up the mantle for fear of losing the white vote. Clinton actually has a chance to pick up the mantle because she's so far ahead in the polls and money that she may feel she can eschew that white support. I don't expect her to though.

I've said previously that Obama won so many categories across the board because he gave people a reason to vote for him as opposed to against the Republican opponent.

[Cheese Sandwich]

13. This could well be.

No politician necessarily wants to be to associated with the disruptive activist groups because it comes with political costs. Still everyone will want support of the activist groups I think.