I still believe that BLM activists should engage all of the candidates…

[MrScorpio]

Pressure WORKS!

No one, especially ANYONE running as a Democrat, should be immune. Give it to the Republicans as well.

Either you engage, or fade away. American politics tends to put you on the back burner whenever you stop engaging.

Engagement is a tacit expectation of performance. Not engaging you means that you're being ignored.

Our candidates should be glad that BLM activists are still making demands upon them.

They wouldn't want to know the reason why if those activists ever stop.

[JaneyVee]

1. K AND R!

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

2. And I still believe all the candidates should engage with BLM.

Not shout them down, shut them up, and herd them off while saying you support them.

The masks are off. Neither candidate has dealt as well as could be hoped with BLM supporters, but one is STILL not dealing well with them. I still maintain the candidates need to address how they'll specifically address Campaign Zero tenets at a debate, and it's too damn bad DWS is shielding her preferred candidate from going through a debate hosted by BLM.

[joshcryer]

5. You don't "deal" with direct action protests.

You manage them as best you can with all the available information. The incident you speak of was an extremely difficult situation to deal with. 1) it was not the event hosted by the speaker 2) the speaker had to go to another event with 15,000 people not even a few hours later 3) it was a short speech and the interruption had already taken up the time, so utilizing the police, who offered to intervene, was an extremely difficult prospect.

The world isn't just stupid shit about stupid incidents that were over within minutes. Decisions are much more complex than that.

[joshcryer]

3. But should the speaker throw them out or give them the podium?

Should the protesters go quiet when asked or should they keep chanting until they shut down an event or are thrown out? Should they wear Sarah Palin buttons as a high schooler? Is George Soros funding them? Why did they take so long to protest Clinton and why aren't they protesting Republicans, anyway?

These are important questions, you know. It doesn't really matter that they're busting their ass trying to be heard and are doing so successfully. There's clearly something more to it, right?

[Vattel]

4. Well, it has worked well so far.

They got all of the Democratic candidates to focus more on BLM issues. The collateral damage has been all of the political nonsense about who "handled" it better. But I think their efforts have, on the whole, had a very positive effect.

[joshcryer]

6. It just goes to prove that what candidate "supporters" think about BLM...

...is completely irrelevant. I've seen the "death of BLM" called time and time again here. That their strategy wasn't working. That nothing was getting done. Next thing we'll hear when they protest a Republican that they're giving the Republicans fodder and energizing the Republican base since Democrats are listening.

[Fumesucker]

16. To my knowledge three current HRC supporters have been found making negative comments about her

All three of them are prominent and forceful advocates for Hillary on DU and yet had extremely negative opinions of her personally not just her behavior in 2008.

It boggles some of our minds how we could strongly agree with someone, not change our minds in the meantime and yet be attacked by the same person for having the same opinion seven years later.

It feels more like talking to religious converts than a rational political discussion that has anything whatever to do with policy.

[Downwinder]

7. Either engage all candidates or endorse one.

[redwitch]

8. My first reaction to BLM at Bernie's event was WHY?

And why not protest at Republican events? But it makes sense that they would go to the Dem candidates who might actually give a damn and work for change. So I think it is good they they protested at Bernie and Hillary's speeches. BLM has my attention and the movement is absolutely necessary. I wish them good positive move-us-the-hell-forward change. Long overdue.

[Baitball Blogger]

11. +1

[Rafale]

9. Well one thing that the Occupy Movement taught us....

Normal protest methods don't work anymore because the police now regularly deny everyone their Constitutional rights to freedom of expression and assembly. BLM has a new method and I hope it works. Perhaps there is something for all of us to learn or at least to make us think of new ways in general to change the country for the better rather than supporting the same old policies of "greed and capitalism" (two redundant words perhaps).

[Jester Messiah]

10. Pretty sure BLM would get shot at or at least beat up at any Republican event.

Would make good headlines, but those would have to be some very committed volunteers.

[Bluenorthwest]

12. And of course all activists have the same rights to engage instead of being relegated to the back

burner. Not just straight people. All activists have the right to select their targets and engage them in pursuit of political objectives.

I strongly encourage the OP and others to go join such an action so that later in life you can be proud that you did.

[NonMetro]

14. Should Candidates Offer The Microphone To Everyone Who Wants To Speak At Their Rally?

In Seattle, Sanders himself was not allowed to speak at his own rally, and that deprived those present of the opportunity to hear him speak. Should he have just told the protesters they could have the microphone for the next hour, and then whatever group wanted to speak next could have it for the next hour, etc.? Then Bernie would get to speak after everyone else was done speaking?

How fair is the protest tactic of "we have a point to make, and we don't care whether the rest of you are here to hear it, or not!"

[PosterChild]

17. +10 !! (NT)

[harris8]

13. "engage" as is in "shove the candidate away from the podium"?

[SoapBox]

18. I'm not sure how to put this...

Using that tactic (and this one of "disruption&quot is going no where.

The Mayor of Los Angeles was having a meeting just a few weeks ago, which BLM disrupted...the meeting was simply shutdown. There was another meeting scheduled to talk about race issues (for my lack of other verbiage) to be held at an AA church...that information was leaked out, BLM said they would disrupt that meeting, so the pastor at the church canceled that...he was very disgusted that other people are not even being allowed to start talking and get discussion moving.

And that is what I see BLM doing...just shutting off conversation amongst those that can get change going, by their tactics.

Nothing is going to improve until they stop this.

[Fumesucker]

15. It may surprise you to know that I agree

Do you think activists for other causes should take a back seat to BLM?

Or should all causes, including economic and sexual choice justice, have the same rights of protest?

[ismnotwasm]

19. Yes indeed

I hope they do

[mountain grammy]

20. Whenever large numbers of a particular group of people are dying in an unjust and uncaring system

it's time to act. When voices are silenced, the worst of the worst takes over. We've seen this throughout our history. Silence is death in America. ACT UP! ACT OUT! BLACKLIVESMATTER!

Like you said: Either you engage or fade away. Not engaging you means that you're being ignored.