Joy Reid: why are black potential candidates getting singled out for attacks by Bernie people?

[Docreed2003]

18. I don't know...and I'm deeply troubled by it

During the primaries, there was a vocal contingent of Sanders supporters here that just couldn't accept that black democrats weren't lining up to support Bernie. Some became so extreme in their beliefs, they were, appropriately, banned from the site. In their minds, they couldn't understand how black leaders weren't lining up for Bernie and there were innumerable posts as to how black leaders were "sellouts" for supporting Clinton; some will remember the infamous "Stockholm Syndrome" thread. The flip side was true as well, any black leader that lined up behind Bernie were lauded and praised. Just bizzare to me, as if a primary were a measure of ones liberal credentials.

For the record, I don't believe that Bernie Sanders thinks like that, not in the least.

As for me, a Sanders support in the primaries, I'll just say I'm constantly learning and trying to listen more and talk less. When I was younger, I thought I was tuned in to the matters of civil rights because I grew up idolizing John Lewis and MLK, I had been to the Lorraine motel, I had cried at 16th st Baptist church, and I had stood in the pulpit where MLK gave his mountaintop sermon. I thought myself enlightened for so many reasons, but that was just a start. I've learned as I've gotten older that I have no place speaking for any minority group, not blacks hispanics, women, LGBT, even though I consider myself an advocate for civil rights and women's rights and LGBT rights. I'll gladly add my voice to stand up for rights, but it is not my place to assume the role of their voice.

Maybe that was and continues to be part of the problem. Maybe these "Sanders supports" can't understand how anyone could think in a way that differs from their own beliefs. Maybe there's a more nefarious motivation from some who'd rather disrupt and cause chaos than work toward unity. I don't know, but it's infuriating and troubling, especially coming at a time when we need unity more than ever!

(Sorry for my verbose response....see, I still haven't learned how to shut up and listen! )