Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumWe don't need another racist president
Is Michael Bloomberg, the man who saw potential suspects in every Black and brown face, all that different from Donald Trump?
By Renée Graham Globe Columnist,Updated February 18, 2020, 2:43 p.m
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/02/18/opinion/we-dont-need-another-racist-president/?fbclid=IwAR1_N6bBloNjJdqwahIZPSjMrqZJnXc9arLPzV_qvu9JMmc2QrSagcPcCiM
We should also expect excuses, equivocations, and evasions about the racist policies he enforced, as New Yorks mayor, against communities of color.
Bloomberg will probably apologize again for stop-and-frisk, which allowed anyone to be stopped, searched, and questioned by police if there was reasonable suspicion. That suspicion fell disproportionately on young Black and brown men. Bloomberg did not start stop and frisk that dishonor belongs to his predecessor, Rudy Giuliani. Yet he expanded the program, terrorizing communities of color in ways that continue to have devastating repercussions.
Is the man who saw potential suspects in every Black and brown face all that different from the man who called Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals?
But it also speaks to the divide between those willing to accept as appropriate another man who views constitutional rights as negligible. On social media, white liberals are scolding people of color for criticizing Bloombergs candidacy, preferring to see a billionaire businessman as the best way to beat another billionaire businessman. (If Trump wasnt a billionaire when he came into office, his grifting presidency has probably gotten him a lot closer.)
Thats an easy calculation to make for those whove never experienced fear every time you see a police officer, even when you know youve done nothing wrong. (The vast majority of those stopped and frisked were innocent.) And that doesnt even cover the deep psychological impact of knowing that, for someone like Bloomberg, the skin youre in makes you a suspect.
Now you might have heard that Bloomberg is super sorry about all that. After years of defending this policy, even after studies proved it was both racist and ineffective in lowering crime rates, Bloomberg conveniently offered up his first apology just before launching his presidential campaign. And since he said it in a Black church filled with Black people, you know he really, really meant it.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
guillaumeb
(42,649 posts)He said the words.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Autumn
(45,964 posts)Sitting on the sideline isnt an option, but a Bloomberg nomination would prove a harsh test.
With his bottomless resources, Bloomberg is expected to spend $500 million by Super Tuesday next month, when hell have his first opportunity to compete at the polls. Money got him to New York City Hall and hes banking on it carrying him to the White House. Its a devils bargain too many Democrats are seriously considering.
If Bloombergs money can amplify his hollow apologies while submerging his sins including his reportedly sexist treatment of women voters of color in November may find themselves caught between a racist rock and a racist hard place.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
guillaumeb
(42,649 posts)Bloomberg is the clear choice, not because he is perfect, but because he is not Trump.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Autumn
(45,964 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Act_of_Reparation
(9,116 posts)So yeah, we can totes trust this guy.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
guillaumeb
(42,649 posts)So yes, Bloomberg does have that affiliation.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
ancianita
(38,083 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Autumn
(45,964 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
ancianita
(38,083 posts)would be a good repeat in the DPF right about now.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
onetexan
(13,779 posts)Stop the lying.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Act_of_Reparation
(9,116 posts)It's the textbook definition of racism, for fuck's sake.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
onetexan
(13,779 posts)Obama deported people. Are you going to call him racist as well?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Act_of_Reparation
(9,116 posts)So we're not going to have standards then. At all. All you gotta do to be a Democratic candidate is be a Democratic candidate.
What could go wrong.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Autumn
(45,964 posts)You can always refute the article paragraph by paragraph if you can. But I think calling me a liar is easier.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
onetexan
(13,779 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Autumn
(45,964 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)Thankfully, the rational mind realizes both nuance and mistake are not the inherently singular definition of any one man.
Sure, the occasional half-wit and the rare dullard may try to paint Bloomberg and Sanders as racist, but we know better.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
ancianita
(38,083 posts)that he has been a racist leader in word, deed, policy and practice.
Prejudice is individual. Racism is prejudice + power. Bloomberg is the racist both black and white people say he is.
He had better give an Obama style (Pastor Wright) speech if he expects to live his racism down and/or get the black vote.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Squinch
(52,352 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Autumn
(45,964 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Squinch
(52,352 posts)the unwarranted incarcerations of thousands of young black men, then defending the bill in 2019;
Bernie would be out for voting for the crime bill and then justifying that vote;
and Bloomberg would be out for stop and frisk.
Well... that WOULD thin the field quite a bit.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Autumn
(45,964 posts)as is Bernie.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Squinch
(52,352 posts)they thought were higher goals. Just like Bloomberg.
And while I would hate to be stopped and frisked, I'd hate to be unjustly jailed a whole lot more.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Autumn
(45,964 posts)years, and Bernie and Biden are not sexist and misogynistic. Neither would ever even think the things B has openly said.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Squinch
(52,352 posts)never apologized for his vote.
And really? Bernie would not even think sexist things? Like the creepy rape fantasy story or his assertion that too little sex gave women cancer?
And yes, Bloomberg explained his action in great detail. Most recently in a speech and a commercial. He explained that the murder rate of young black men at the time was skyrocketing and no one had been able to stop it. So he tried everything at his disposal. He thought getting guns off the street would help.and stop and frisk was the way to do that. He has said he realizes stop and frisk was wrong. During the last years of his administration, he cut the program way back.
At the same time, though, other Bloomberg policies reduced the murder rate of young black men by 50%. And still other policies reduced the incarceration rate in NYC by 40%. So though he performed this terribly racist act, he separately gave some enormous benefits to the group he wronged.
What has Bernie done for the population he wronged to offset HIS terribly racist act?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Autumn
(45,964 posts)reason or another. That's the problem with racial profiling.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Squinch
(52,352 posts)your suspicion is baseless.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,513 posts)There are not enough billions to cover it... sorry, that's just how I feel.
Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Uncle Joe
(59,959 posts)Thanks for the thread Autumn.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided