Can we really continue on here..

[disillusioned73]

like the campaign to derail Bernie(or any progressive really) in 2020 isn't underway.. like it hasn't been underway since 2016?? Are we really going to ignore that fact, I don't care if this post gets taken down. It needs to be said - especially HERE in the "Bernie Sanders (Group)"..

I am resigned to the fact that certain sites have become echo chambers to the acceptable tenets of certain factions of the parties.. 2019/2020 is going to suck, that is all...

Bernie Sanders Clarifies Comments About Racism Hurting Black Candidates
[link:https://www.npr.org/2018/11/08/665809570/bernie-sanders-clarifies-comments-about-racism-hurting-black-candidates|

[femmedem]

1. I'm glad Bernie addressed it.

It was clear to me even from the Daily Beast article that he was talking about the effectiveness of ugly, race-baiting ads, which he decried.

I do think he could have chosen his words more carefully--if a person can be swayed by racist ads, they are on some level racist. But I also think that not only did the Daily Beast minimize the work Sanders has done to support black candidates, but it also pounced on that one sentence, separated it from its context by isolating it in a paragraph, and then gleefully made it the focus of their article.

[Autumn]

3. Bernie is not allowed to discuss race. Only others are.

Ignore the bullshit, trash the threads about him.

[KPN]

9. Sound advice.

[Autumn]

10. Why give them the attention that they want? You see a lie, want to refute a crap statement

do it here in the Sanders group. Let them enjoy their game. Don't add to it.

[KPN]

12. We need to work within the party to change it. We need to be the change ourselves.

[disillusioned73]

14. Are we "within" it here though??

Marginalization has taken it's toll.. you can see by the # of attacks and the mass bannings what the intent has been & what the result has cultivated..

[KPN]

15. Yes we are. We need to support the Democratic Party and vote Democratic because it is

the only viable option for reclaim our democracy. We aren't going to change the party from outside it. We don't have to -- we are many, we are too strong, the rest of the party will come along as we continue to lead, just like we did in 2016 and 2018. We are trending back to the left and just need to keep the pedal to the metal.

By the way, some strategies I use are: donate only to candidates, not the party itself; serve as a PCP, but work for specific candidates, not the local party (I think this is annoying some of the local leadership, but they can't and won't do anything about it -- they need my/our votes).

The point is, let's don't get sucked into the "establishment's" game here at DU. And rtemember, this isn't so much about Bernie but about what he stands for. It's on the latter that we are actually winning within the party and here.

[disillusioned73]

16. Good points...

and I agree

[Autumn]

19. Yes. It's not Bernie. It's what he stands for and what he has brought to the table.

America is much more liberal than their elected officials in both parties. So we take them where we want to go. Even if it's kicking and screaming all the way.

[Autumn]

18. This place isn't the party. This is simply a message board, and

you can get information and breaking news faster on Twitter and in FB feeds.

[disillusioned73]

22. I've realized that there are controlled echo chambers..

all over the internet.. & yes, twitter has become my go to lately..

[Autumn]

24. I friended Pitt on FB and his posts there get a lot of great discussion and information.

[disillusioned73]

25. FB barely makes a dent into

my political sphere anymore - had a few contentious "discussions" around the 2016 election.. I will check him out though - I seem to remember that name..

Funny thing about the 2016 tensions... the main antagonist (aka Trumpster) is locked up now facing a death penalty charge.. go figure

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

31. I'm with you... we need to be the catalyst for change.

[Nanjeanne]

27. My life has been so much calmer since I've done that!

[Autumn]

28. It's sad that so much hate can be shown to a person who is

an ally.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

32. Beyond sad... the root cause is obvious.

[disillusioned73]

4. Completely agree...

Sanders isn't perfect.. and yes, that quote taken out of context was gold for the haters waiting to pounce. You can almost here it in his voice as he is saying it that he knew it wasn't quite coming out as he may have wanted.. but, the implication that he is a racist, it's offensive - especially to me a minority.. because it trivializes real racists like Trump.. real racists like Sessions, a bigot that their now outraged that he got fired because they can use it as a weapon on Trump.. it's opposite land sometimes..

[Autumn]

11. That is a perfect OP for the group. Leave them out of it and we have something worthwhile

to discuss.

[Donkees]

20. If you recall the rally speeches, a theme mentioned several times was ''become comfortable, being

uncomfortable'' It's about leaving personal comfort zones in order to transform and expand boundaries, not to constrict out of fear, but keep pushing forward.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

33. Nailed it perfectly.

[Autumn]

2. Ignore the bullshit, trash the threads. People will take things out of context,

add sentences to articles that aren't there, edit clips of his interviews to suit their narrative because they hate him and blame him for everything, and yes some are antisemitic . We all know who they are so don't feed the hate. Ignore the bullshit, trash the threads. You aren't going to change their mind so why bother reading that nonsense?

[disillusioned73]

5. I did that for a while..

especially after getting targeted with alerts.. but I am so over all this bullcrap - my silence is acceptance at this point, I have a hearty block list and I still see a ton of it..

[Autumn]

6. If you see it or read it you don't have to respond. Refute it here

if you feel you are being silenced. You don't have to link to anything. Just make an OP of what you would respond with and post it here in the group. That's what our group is for, it's better than arguing with people who have no intention or desire to discuss Bernie.

[disillusioned73]

7. Thanks..

I will try that occasionally

[Autumn]

8. You should, this is your group too. If you are on FB there are FB groups for Bernie

and our Democratic allies, find one. That's where a lot of people have gone.

[disillusioned73]

13. Here's what sticks in my crawl...

I remember once upon a time, when I was completely politically naive.. I didn't even realize how naive I was.. I was looking for information and like minded folks online and initially before finding this place I would frequent Huffpost & Politico.. now, back in those days before Obama got into office (2005/2006) the anti-Bush sentiment was prevalent - you'd get push back occasionally on both of those sites.. you would not get that here, this was such a great place and it influenced and informed me on a lot..

Now, I worry about new minds looking to get their political beaks wet (like myself many moons ago) and they come here & see all the Bernie bashing and gaslighting that leaning left is not the way to win, moderation is the path forward.. that is the prevailing message that goes uncontested if not pushed back upon..

Maybe I am worried about a non-issue, most younger folks these days are on twitter anyway...

[Autumn]

17. It is a non issue. Here's the thing, some people don't like him and they have

free rein to trash him whenever and however they want, who cares it's their loss and their bullshit is crystal clear to see through. Ignore their sour grapes. Bernie isn't going anywhere. He doesn't need the Democratic or Republican party. He proved back in 2016 that he can raise money and people will support him and he is a well known name now, that is something that other Independents, Greens etc that run every year have never had , other than Nader and the Republican party helped him. Bernies ideas have taken root in America, both red and blue America and they are only going to spread, those seeds have been blown everywhere . Even our Speaker Pelosi is on board with Medicare for All and has said it's going to be on the agenda. His ideas are popular and so is he. They can say moderation is the way forward and it is, if they want to lose. Even red states want what he talks about. If he runs again and I think we will see soon if he does depending on what direction the party takes he will be a force to be reckoned with. I think our leadership sees that.

[disillusioned73]

21. I hadn't heard that...

"Even our Speaker Pelosi is on board with Medicare for All and has said it's going to be on the agenda."

[Autumn]

23. She said it's on the table if Dems take back the house in an interview before

the election, two years ago she wasn't for it. A lot of Americans and most of the 2020 Democratic presidential contenders are for it.

[JonLP24]

26. I don't know where to post anymore

Rebeldems closed down JPR doesn't buy the Russia investigation and criticize Bernie Sanders for saying firing Mueller is an impeachable offense (oh my god I never seen a scandal with so much obvious evidence. Even if it doesn't trace to Trump there are plenty in the Trump campaign that were Russian spies Carter Page, Manafort, Don Jr & Roger Stone meeting and contacting Russian spies).

[disillusioned73]

30. I feel your pain..

[realmirage]

29. You need thick skin to push for change

Progressivism is about change. Humans fear change. They will resist even beneficial change out of instinctive fear of the unknown and the new. Why do you think it took so long for women to get the right to vote?

Once you understand that resistance to change is built in to the human psyche, the reactions of people no longer seem like personal attacks. I don’t take them personally. I see it as an expected and natural resistance to change. So you just keep repeating and pushing until more people start to listen. This is how all movements succeed.

If your core message is good and you don’t let people derail you from the initial point, it’s a pretty simple process.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

34. Interesting point... thanks!