Occupy.com: An Open Letter to Bernie Sanders Supporters

[gollygee]

I know this kind of thing is hard for people to read, but it's good for us to read stuff that challenges us. I decided to post it because it calls out the ridiculous assertion that BLM is funded by Soros, which just makes us look silly.

http://www.occupy.com/article/open-letter-bernie-sanders-supporters

The primary process of a presidential election is a time where acts of disruption should be encouraged, no matter the target. In a healthy democracy, protesters' disruptions of candidates' stump speeches would be celebrated. Almost all of this year's presidential candidates are current or former governors, U.S. senators, or wealthy captains of industry and have the means to be able to have their voices heard at any time they like. But the people dying in the streets and living under the thumb of institutional racism don't have that privilege. And if they have to shut down a campaign event to force candidates and the media to acknowledge their epidemic and propose solutions, they'll do it.

As someone who has said they are the only candidate who can represent the oppressed underclass, and who has run on his record of sitting in to protest Jim Crow laws in the 1960s, Bernie Sanders deserves to be disrupted precisely for this reason. As unfair as it may seem to his supporters, it doesn't matter to young black people losing their friends and family today that a white liberal in the 1960s did what he was expected to do – the only thing that matters is what he's doing right now.

After getting interrupted at Netroots Nation, storming off the stage, and refusing to meet with Black Lives Matter protesters, Bernie Sanders wised up and hired Symone Sanders – a powerful, outspoken, young black woman who volunteers at the Coalition for Juvenile Justice – to be his national press secretary after she convinced him that economic inequality and racial inequality are interconnected. Bernie Sanders used to get called out by conservatives for omitting racial justice from his stump speech. But on Sunday he's since revised his website and stump speech to address about racial injustice issues of mass incarceration, voting rights, police militarization, and how black people are disproportionately targeted. This is proof that disruption works. And we need more of it, not less.

If your issue isn't getting talked about, and if a candidate is coming to your town for a public event, you should absolutely do everything you can to be heard. Last month, Hillary Clinton got heckled for her horrendous record on climate change. Protesters greeted Martin O'Malley at his campaign announcement in Baltimore, saying he "must atone" for propagating racially-biased policing as Baltimore's mayor. In New Hampshire, Scott Walker was the subject of a clever photo-op protest, regarding his campaign donations from the Koch Brothers. Protest is essential to political discourse, and protest only works if you succeed in changing the conversation. Was it rude for OutsideAgitators206 to interrupt Bernie Sanders? Yes. But did they succeed in pushing Black Lives Matter to the front of the conversation? Absolutely.

[Trajan]

1. This Bernie supporter is going to do the right thing

...

[gollygee]

2. What is the right thing, besides voting for Sanders? n/t

[whatchamacallit]

16. You tell us

I'm listening.

[gollygee]

17. I'm asking about your cryptic reply to me

That you were going to "do the right thing." What is it that you're going to do?

[whatchamacallit]

18. That wasn't me

Is voting for a candidate with a strong civil rights record an insufficient course of action?

[gollygee]

21. I'm asking about a specific reply. I'm not asking a general question.

I'm trying to figure out what the other person was talking about. I'm sorry I got confused about who wrote it.

[whatchamacallit]

22. Is cool

[cherokeeprogressive]

47. I think the right thing, if something like that could be identified...

Is to use whatever power you have at your disposal at the moment to oppose racism wherever you encounter it. Most times that's your voice. I speak up whenever and wherever I encounter it. It's basically all I can do, because truth be known; I have no power. But I never fail to speak up when someone makes a derogatory remark.

It's a start.

[HassleCat]

3. I can see the point

If you're going to harangue someone, it might as well be someone who shows a chance of being willing to listen.

[gollygee]

7. Totally agree

It makes sense to me to disrupt where it's likely to make a difference.

[jeff47]

11. And when that difference means they lose?

The "Sanders only supports racists" meme is being used to hurt his chances of being elected. Protesting him contributes to that meme. Meaning you get someone in power who does not do as good a job supporting the cause.

[gollygee]

20. I'm not sure what I think here

It assumes the people at BLM think that Sanders would do a better job "supporting the cause" than Clinton. Or maybe it depends on what "the cause" is. Like is it progressivism in general, or anti-racism specifically? I feel so strongly that Sanders is much, much stronger than Clinton on economic issues that I can't imagine anyone else feeling otherwise. But I don't think he's necessarily that much stronger as far as anti-racism goes. I know the arguments that he is, but I also know the arguments that he isn't. My feeling is that Clinton has a more polished campaign so she's saying the right things, but she's had some serious mis-steps in the past so I don't think that by any means shows her as being stronger on anti-racism. It just means she has more experience campaigning, and a bigger staff with more advisors. Everyone knows that.

Of course they're both much better than any of the Republicans. I'm not sure if they'll protest the Democratic candidate during the general election. That is an interesting thought. I appreciate this reply because it's getting me thinking.

[jeff47]

34. Well, the argument you were just making is that he's better, so he gets protested.

How else would you define "better"?

But I don't think he's necessarily that much stronger as far as anti-racism goes.

Well, there is the history of Clinton's 2008 campaign, her record, and the bits of "whitesplaining" that have come out from her meeting with BLM activists.

[mmonk]

4. But if we disrupt due to the corporate state and its lies in both parties on economic issues,

will we still be racists for doing so?

[gollygee]

5. That doesn't sound racist to me

Though I'm not sure I know exactly what you're talking about. TPP? I'm trying to think what other unfortunate (IMO at least) economic stuff has been going on with Dems.

[Agschmid]

6. Kicked.

The primary process of a presidential election is a time where acts of disruption should be encouraged, no matter the target. In a healthy democracy, protesters' disruptions of candidates' stump speeches would be celebrated. Almost all of this year's presidential candidates are current or former governors, U.S. senators, or wealthy captains of industry and have the means to be able to have their voices heard at any time they like. But the people dying in the streets and living under the thumb of institutional racism don't have that privilege. And if they have to shut down a campaign event to force candidates and the media to acknowledge their epidemic and propose solutions, they'll do it.

[NuclearDem]

8. If any group was going to understand what happened in Seattle, it's Occupy.

K&R.

[aikoaiko]

24. And yet they didn't do it

[HFRN]

9. 'Open letters' are a pompous, passive aggressive tactic nt

[jeff47]

10. Gotta feed the meme!

As someone who has said they are the only candidate who can represent the oppressed underclass, and who has run on his record of sitting in to protest Jim Crow laws in the 1960s, Bernie Sanders deserves to be disrupted precisely for this reason. As unfair as it may seem to his supporters, it doesn't matter to young black people losing their friends and family today that a white liberal in the 1960s did what he was expected to do – the only thing that matters is what he's doing right now.

Because he just sat on his ass since the 1960s.

After getting interrupted at Netroots Nation, storming off the stage

False

and refusing to meet with Black Lives Matter protesters

He met with BLM protesters a few days later. Be sure to leave that out. Would hurt the meme to include it.

Bernie Sanders wised up and hired Symone Sanders – a powerful, outspoken, young black woman who volunteers at the Coalition for Juvenile Justice – to be his national press secretary after she convinced him that economic inequality and racial inequality are interconnected.

Because Sanders made zero speeches or other statements between NRN and hiring Symone Sanders.

Oh wait! He did!! Including ones that made this very point!

Guess what? He also "Said her name". Guess what else? He's the only Democrat that hasn't said "All Lives Matter".

Clearly, he could not possibly understand until he bowed down to someone else.

Bernie Sanders used to get called out by conservatives for omitting racial justice from his stump speech.

Nice slip there.

Also, Sanders was already including "racial justice" in his stump speech before NRN.

If your issue isn't getting talked about, and if a candidate is coming to your town for a public event, you should absolutely do everything you can to be heard.

And when that candidate is talking about it, but you couldn't be bothered to find out?

[GoneFishin]

14. "...After getting interrupted at Netroots Nation, storming off the stage ...". An oft repeated lie.

As soon as I saw a willful lie I tuned it out. I am not interested in anyone's analysis of a fictional event.

[Dont call me Shirley]

30. +1,000!

[retrowire]

37. As much as I support the idea of the Occupy Movement

I applaud this rebuttal to the open letter, wholeheartedly.

[Rockyj]

12. Agreed!

What those two women did @ SSI RALLY in SEATTLE was BS, outrageous and uncalled for! I respect our allies and do not yell in their faces and accuse them and the audience of being WHITE SUPREMIST LIBERALS!

I am Native American & Native American LIVES Matter!

[Autumn]

13. Problem with this OP is Bernie Sanders didn't storm off the stage,

so you may want to challenge yourself to prove that Bernie did storm off stage because a lie like that makes people look silly. That was when I quit reading this drivel. Just a comment and a challenge from a Bernie Sanders supporter.

[TheFarS1de]

19. +1

The OP does realise that there is video of the event ? That clearly shows him NOT storming off stage . Maybe OP needs to think before posting imaginative smears .

[winter is coming]

23. Nor do I recall Bernie claiming he's the only one who can represent the oppressed underclass. n/t

[MisterP]

25. nor the other multifarous underlying lies

[SusanCalvin]

33. Exactly.

One wrong, easily checked fact can sometimes turn off my ears altogether.

[Maedhros]

35. Yep. Same here. [n/t]

[cherokeeprogressive]

49. And even though he was The Headline act, he wasn't the cause of the gathering.

The reason for the get-together was to celebrate the 80th birthday of Social Security and the success of other anti-poverty programs. This would have gone on with or without him on any other Saturday and without him it would have gone on without a hitch.

The reason for the celebration is but a minor detail now. The only thing anyone will remember about it is the protest.

[sadoldgirl]

15. While I agree with the OWS letter

I also think that after the BLM outbursts, they should have
asked Bernie to answer their complaints right then and
there. To just close that event with shouting - no matter
how badly the audience reacted - was a big mistake imo.

If you confront TPTB you also should demand an answer
from them and not just accuse them to the end. I don't
know how Bernie would have answered, but I know he
would have tried.

[JDPriestly]

45. Precisely. We voters in states that vote toward the end of the primaries really want to hear

the CANDIDATES speak. It's our only chance -- hearing them speak on TV or the internet. Bernie appeared in Southeast LA but the other candidates are not even thinking about holding events in our area.

I agree with the urgency of the BLM issues, but they should have arranged to have their say and let the candidates know and they should have worked with Bernie to present their case. Bernie is on their side, and it is simply obstructive for no reason to have interrupted his speech and O'Malley's speech.

Bernie did speak at Netroots Nation.

The OP is false and not in the spirit of Occupy which was unique in the orderly and respectful way that people allowed all to speak in their time. The BLM representatives wanted to obstruct the speech of others. Not Occupy at all. Yet another lie in the OP.

[Number23]

26. K&R The Internet has been pretty scathing of the response from certain people to #BLM

Now Occupy has responded and I have always said that I fully expect for Sanders to step in and say something soon as well.

He needed to do an intervention a long time ago.

[mentalslavery]

27. Bernie supporters are just being emotional

and that is ok. Supporters just really think he is "the shit" so they get emotional when he is disrupted cuz maybe it feels like an unfair attack. But, peeps need to wise up and see that what is happening to POC in both the criminal justice system as well as other area's of life are more important than any candidate. Im a bernie man and I don't want to see him disrespected either and at the same time I need to recognize "what time it is".

[Maedhros]

36. Ahem.

We don't need to "wise up." I am fully aware of the brutality and institutional racism of the police state. My criticism of these disruptors has nothing to do with hurt feelings or fragile emotions - take those bullshit talking points elsewhere.

I see disingenuous crap, I call it disingenuous crap.

[mentalslavery]

42. your criticism of disruptors is irrelevant

compared to the issue, so don't elevate yourself and the presumption that they are disingenuous. Cuz, you don't know that. Also, statements like "you're fully aware" are part of the wising up you need. And, this is about emotion. I am passionate about bernie too. I don't like to see peeps up in his face, but the issue-which these two are keeping relevant (even if you or i don't like their tactics) is not comparable to any "criticisms" we might have. It, the movement, is helpful discourse for the nation and bernie's movement/campaign

[Maedhros]

46. Oh,so YOU get to stand in judgement of US,

but we can't look at the actions of the disruptors and draw our own conclusions?

Fuck that.

I repeat: you don't get to decide who needs "wising up."

/ignore list.

[mentalslavery]

50. thanks for proving my point in this little exchange

and it has been such a privilege to interact with the "fully aware". Its just too bad that you can not enlighten me as to the wisdom of your critic, but it appears u have become quite emotional and put me on ignore. Very mature, it must be a trait that is enhanced once someone has reached full awareness of the horrors of the CJ system

[aikoaiko]

28. Do you know what OWS does when someone speaks out of turn? They shout them down toot sweet.

They never allow people to interrupt; even with those with important messages.

The hypocrisy of OWS is astounding. Of course, I'm sure that because Bernie is a politician they think its completely different matter .

[Demeter]

29. Rudeness is never in season

And I don't like it. Rudeness is what we get from the Anointed Ones, who can't see anyone exists below a banker.

Bernie isn't anointed, by any definition. He's just going to win, because he is the Change we've been hoping for (and been so sorely disappointed every time).

[uhnope]

31. but this is BS as much as the Soros conspiracy theory is

This line

After getting interrupted at Netroots Nation, storming off the stage, and refusing to meet with Black Lives Matter protesters, Bernie Sanders wised up and hired Symone Sanders

A string of BS. The simpleton Occupier thinks B.Sanders suddenly hired Symone only because of the BLM nonsense? As if B.Sanders wasn't vetting this person for a lot longer that a couple days.

Sadly, BLM has discredited and sidelined itself, and only fringe elements even care about this controversy anymore, not since Sanders got tens of thousands of supporters into a stadium the same day as the BLM/"Outside Agitators" temper tantrum and since Sanders outpolled Clinton in New Hampshire. People are talking about something else now

[chknltl]

32. Interesting, A Bernie supporter's OP, pointed out as factually challanged by Bernie supporters....

...now click on the little link that tells us who recommended this OP. I've 8 fellow DUers, (all from the Hillary Group), on ignore till after the primaries. If they are here defending the OP of a Sanders supporter I may be missing it but I find it quite amusing to see soooo many of the outspoken Hillary supporting/Bernie bashers showing their DU recommend love here. Go look for yourself, don't take my word for it!

[jalan48]

38. Thom Hartman ran a piece on Hillary's speech in NH just a few days ago.

It looks like the BLM group who attended notified the Clinton campaign BEFORE they ever arrived that they were coming.
When they arrived they were refused admittance by security to the main event and instead were shuttled off to a back room where they had a private, no media allowed meeting with Hillary after her speech was given. You might take a look at Hartman's report, it looks like more is going on than meets the eye.

[seveneyes]

39. Set our people free

[Ford_Prefect]

40. Bullies are not generally believed on matters of moral truth nor trusted to evaluate justice fairly.

If you cannot speak the truth accurately and without howling abuse in my face why in the world should I listen to your version of the message? It would help if you knew some of the real history of the struggle you so recently took up.

Whether or not you have license to speak for those who cannot, you do not have the right to silence me in favor of your own version of the issues. You are ignorant of my actions and my needs. You want to change the world? Get in line with the rest of us who have been doing it for decades rather than accuse us of initiating and enabling the powers that be.

Or do you now propose that some animals are more equal than others?

[TBF]

41. "Bernie Sanders Supporters" are now being attacked -

painted as irrational, white supramists, etc ...

Who does this benefit?

Instead of blaming the voters (gee, I tend to think I've seen this pattern before) maybe we should stick to what each candidate is likely to do for the majority of the country.

I'm more convinced than ever that this is coming straight out of the Karl Rove playbook to disrupt and turn off leftist voters. The republicans desperately want Hillary to be their candidate because they know she is beatable. They don't know how to deal with Bernie and his stadiums of voters so they are on the attack.

[I hate liars]

43. I appreciate your tone but am calling BS...

on this part:

Bernie Sanders wised up and hired Symone Sanders – a powerful, outspoken, young black woman who volunteers at the Coalition for Juvenile Justice – to be his national press secretary after she convinced him that economic inequality and racial inequality are interconnected.

Symone Sanders is probably a very good choice as Bernie's spokesperson - I don't know enough about her to suggest otherwise.

But to state that she convinced Bernie that economic equality and racial inequality are interconnected? Give me a break.

Personally, I think Bernie's civil rights support in the 60s shouldn't be trivialized because of the time gap or because "a white liberal in the 1960s did what he was expected to do." That comment ignores the courage it took to stand up to an overwhelmingly white, racist culture, even for a white man. As a young white man at the time, I witnessed the intense pressure to conform to racist norms.

But the larger point is that no thinking person today - certainly not Bernie - could fail to link economic [in]equality and racial inequality. Does anyone really believe that Bernie didn't "get it", but thanks to BLM's disruptions, he now sees the light?

That kind of pandering comes at the cost of Bernie's credibility, and sets him up for all manner of GOP ratf*cking. I support BLM's goals, but I believe their tactic of choosing soft target(s), especially Bernie, who eschews the security circus that surrounds all other presidential candidates, is self-defeating.

BLM's message is too important to jeopardize with ill-advised tactics. I encourage the BLM protesters to continue their disruptive actions, but to target politicians who stand in the way of racial equality. That's not just a "two-fer", but also avoids handing political ammunition to the very people they should be seek to remove from the political scene.

[imthevicar]

44. I'm going to give this thread exactly,

The Attention it deserves! Trash and forget!

[Luminous Animal]

51. It is an okay letter but I really wish that everybody who writes about Bernie

WOULD DO A BIT OF FUCKING RESEARCH. While it is true that he organized and march against racial injustice in the 60s, the boneheaded idea that he stopped there and has staked his reputation as an advocate for racial justice is just outright ignorant..

Because, he has, as a Representative and a Senator, has voted against or offered up constructive amendments to egregious bills that would negatively impact minority communities.

Cory Booker with his endorsement of Bernie AS A PERSON who cares deeply and has taken action as a legislator in regards to systematic racism.

If over these past 50 years, if other Reps and Senators had joined him, we might be living in a different world today.

So, no. Bernie is not like your old ex-hippie Uncle or Grandpa who leans back after a good turkey dinner and regales you with "idealistic" stories about how he "used be like you".

He's the guy who hitched up his pants and threw his ideals into electoral politics and (a move that so many exhort citizen activists to do) and made a difference while holding every office that he won.

[TM99]

52. Mission accomplished.

The lies started in May of 2015 about Sanders having a problem with minorities.

This asshat who penned this 'open letter' could not even be bothered to separate the lies and fiction from the truth and reality.

Sanders NEVER stormed off the stage. He was never scheduled to meet with BLM that afternoon (his campaign staff did!) because he had a meeting with local Latino leaders.

http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2015/07/19/netroots-nation-black-lives-matter-protest.cnn/video/playlists/being-moody-sponsored/

Sanders started addressing BLM concerns the fucking next day in Texas.

He continued to do so for several weeks. He did not hire Symone Sanders after she convinced him they were connected. Hell, almost every supporter here and elsewhere has been shouting for 3 months that Sanders has a history of walking the talk on the connection between economic and social justice. Only the fucking Third Way has ever tried to separate them because all of their economic policies are based on neo-liberal philosophical foundations.

Talk about falling for the manufactured narrative!

Chomsky was so right about manufactured consent. It is so hard to not bang my head against the wall and scream about this constant propaganda, lies, distortions, smears, and blatant bullshit.

[Unknown Beatle]

53. I still don't think it's okay

to storm the stage and shove the main speaker aside to take the mike.

Look at the visuals of the display. Did you stop and listen to what she had to say because she caught your attention? Or did you wince in disgust at Bernie being shoved?

It's all a matter of semantics.