2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Bernie Supporters - Please read my post [View all]LWolf
(46,179 posts)To be honest, I don't really understand Twitter. I am not a complete techno dinosaur, but the Twitter account I opened when it arrived on the seen those years back remains unused; I never understood what to do with it, or why, and now don't even remember how to get there. I understand that I'm an outlier in that, though. If I were a Twitter user, I'd offer up support for BLM, in general and for the action at NN. It might not have been pleasant, but it accomplished something good.
Bravenak was talking about feelings, and about being defensive. I think this is true for many Sanders supporters, as well. They felt attacked and got defensive, and haven't been able to come out of that place.
Others have listened, and are moving forward, just as Sanders is. I have a lot of other thoughts, and feelings, about the political and racial divisions, in the nation and in the Democratic Party. I haven't talked about them on DU, and probably won't, because I feel like they'd be more likely to feed those divisions than heal them. I'd rather listen, learn, and chime in when I've got something constructive to say and know how to say it in a way that will be taken constructively.
Probably, the best way to move forward for any group that feels attacked is to listen and then reach out. I think that can happen for most of us. At least across racial divides. I don't know that it's going to happen across the Clinton/Sanders divide; I'm really shocked that it's this ugly, this early. That's why I'm trying to stay completely out of Clinton threads of any kind. I just don't want to feed it.
I've always admitted to being an idealist; I've called myself a "defiant idealist," because of the derision that is heaped upon idealism. I'm never going to apologize for that, though. I really think that we get a lot farther by going after the ideal, even though we don't get there, than be defending the status quo or accepting mediocrity.
I can also admit to being somewhat naive, as so much of the mainstream political process doesn't fit within my ideals, and I've rejected it.