are going to push all the candidates to grow, even the Repubs, just as the message has pushed me the last couple of weeks. I support the protesters in disrupting -- in a polite or impolite manner, however they see fit (short of bloodshed) -- any candidate's speech or debate, any police station, TV station, justice department, attorneys general offices. Period.
I confess that the whole NN interuption thing made me uncomfortable the first couple of days -- I was asking "why Bernie?" at first, now I ask "why not Bernie? He needs a teachable moment just like all of us. " Now I say "it ain't about Bernie, nothing to do with Bernie. It's about Tamir. And Michael Brown and Sam and Sandra and so many other names, how can we keep up?"
I am so grateful that I had already been reading Tim Wise on my FB feed due to all the police shootings. That discomfort I had meant that I had some soul-searching to do about my own personal white liberal smugness, and realized that the disruptions and messaging WORKS.
I will help however I'm asked. I will show up at any rally within 75 miles to lend my support.
I am, however, a "fixer" by nature. It comes from a project manager background. So I do look forward to next steps in changing the system. I will pledge to work hours collecting data or doing footwork for any focused activism that comes up later as the demands on the BLM site harden into more concrete actions (filing complaints to DOJ, etc.)
The one "but..." I will add to my post is this: Bernie is operating on a shoestring budget. At the time of Netroots Nation, I believe I'd read he has spent a sum total of $112K for his entire campaign (merchandise, salaries, travel, expenses) - he needs to step up his response time, but that means he has to step up staff levels and coordination - that costs MONEY and is probably NOT the way he is used to operating his modest life and shoestring campaigns. He will need to get faster though. Looks like he's got a handle on that now.
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