This is What I Believe.

[BrotherIvan]

24. The article is opinion not backed up by fact

Firstly, Sanders does address issues that effect the black community. In fact, he did last night. Committing to end for profit prisons and diverting the money we spend on the mass incarceration of people of color for education and job training. Scroll down where the actual quote is. That has been an effective an proven strategy in countries around the world.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12809724

So yes, as his campaign develops and he gives more speeches, he is talking about specific issues of concern in social justice. People are freaking out because he didn't cram it all into one speech. As I said in another thread, if he had been refusing to address the issue for six months, there would be a point. But he just announced this week and is starting with addressing economic inequality in a 35 minute speech.

Second, and most important, some people don't seem to understand that though he has a long history of civil rights activism, perhaps he doesn't try to sound like the next coming of MLK because he's NOT. Because white people co-opting the black struggle is OFFENSIVE. And most especially for political gain. He has no standing to act like an expert on people of color and neither does any other white person. But we all forget that Sanders IS part of a minority group.

To quote Bluenorthwest from last night http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6739633

Bernie is a minority member, the three groups most often victim of bias crimes in the US are African Americans, LGBT and Jews.

Sanders is coming up with logical, legislative solutions to problems as that is truly the only possible route for a government official. He is famous for avoiding lying or campaign hyperbole. He is not making the soaring promises that obviously some people are accustomed to. The fact that people are demanding he change "optics"--for instance, busing in more people of color to Vermont, or hiring a few token minorities to say, Look! see! a dark person!--are actually perpetuating the damn cycle of lies that got us here in the first place.

As a post script, in case no one has noticed, we have an African American president who will be in office until January, 2017. How about we make the demand that he put his power behind racial justice, and most especially make bold steps to stop police murder and abuse right damn now before a single more person dies? That would be far more effective than anything a candidate could say. That's real.