So, I asked the question, "What will it take for a candidate to earn the votes of #BLM"

[rateyes]

As of now, the post has been up almost 2 1/2 hours. It has been viewed 483 times, has had 28 replies, and I have received:

ZERO answers to the question. Not.one.answer.

Having researched each candidates positions, votes, statements, and ACTIONS throughout their political careers, from 50 years ago until the DAY BEFORE the BLM protests, it seems to me that Bernie Sanders HAS earned the BLM vote. But, if I am wrong about that, then tell me why he hasn't earned it.

I was hoping that someone would tell me one thing more that it would take, but no one did.

I have read threads that say "white people need to shut up and listen." This white guy has been listening for nearly 50 years, and have worked alongside my black colleagues in the struggle for justice for all.

I gave an opportunity today for people to speak to me on this forum, and have yet to hear one voice with one answer to my question.

Perhaps there isn't an answer.

[randys1]

1. sigh

[bravenak]

168. I answered the question about a bajillion times.

[randys1]

181. The arrogance and condescension...Hey YOU, you slaved at one time! You Jim Crowed, You redlined

you person who has been treated like complete shit for 200 years. You person if your name sounds Black wont get a call back for a job or apartment

YEAH YOU

Still treated like shit.

YEAH YOU

WE ASKED YOU A QUESTION, Now GOD DAMN IT, ANSWER IT

I was so pissed when I saw this happening here I did the sigh instead of my true reaction

[bravenak]

182. Crazy shit. I guess the alerting on every post will start soon to shut my black ass up.

[randys1]

183. You and me both. I STILL want to know the TRUTH about whether or not the Sanders

campaign changed, cancelled, altered in ANY Way the meeting they had scheduled with BLM...

I still dont have a definitive answer on that

[bravenak]

184. He can still meet with them regardless. I see it as a slip up that he can recover from.

His supporters on th other hand... The observant ones need to hold an intervention for the clueless ones. Family meeting or what not. Then maybe I can support him again later after the debates.

[randys1]

185. Yes, but my issue is it is one thing to not handle a confrontation perfectly in the heat

of the moment, but to then later still be reacting with anger, not good.

I hope that isnt the case here

[bravenak]

186. I hope he makes it right. Hire some if the activists to help him with social media.

They can help him craft his message better because he really does care about our lives. Just used to saying things a certain way and talking to certain people. I'd like to see him spend some time with immigration activists and lgbtq activists too. He can hear about their difficulties and add to his platform very easily.

[randys1]

187. In a way, this issue is exposing just how damn hard it is to be President, to have to be in

tune with ALL groups and their issues.

Think about President Superman and how he has handled this.

Tremendously well, is how.

We are spoiled

[bravenak]

188. He is the best president. Lucky to have him sad to see him go.

[snagglepuss]

2. Not surprised. BLM at NN had every opportunity to put forward

a prepared statement and be heard but instead opted for mindless disruption. BLM didn't want to have a rational conversation. Bernie and O'Malley were there to listen but BLM weren't having none of that.

If BLM had stood up and presented a prepared statement with a list of demands and either O'Malley or Bernie had silenced or stopped them, or dismissed them; then, and only then, would there have been reasonable cause for their disruption. As it stands they are either fools without any sense of how to play their hand effectively or they are, consciously or unconsciously, simply tools for the HRC and the corporate agenda she represents.

Furthermore as for being heard. They are being heard all right, who didn't hear them
being disruptive? There is a difference between "being heard" and being effective. They should learn the difference. If they wanted to have an effect, that is, to make a positive and MEANINGFUL contribution they should have prepared a statement listing the points they believe, if instituted, will address the issues.

[DCBob]

3. Propose a plan.

[jeff47]

11. Both candidates already did. (nt)

[DCBob]

15. If Bernie has one, he needs to sell it better.

It seems few are aware of it.

[jeff47]

26. Few are bothering to get past the "only cares about whites" meme.

But hey, there weren't a lot of minorities in a picture taken in a 96.4% white city, so he must not care about PoC.

Weird how such photo analysis only applies to Sanders, but whatchagonnado.

[stranger81]

31. It's hard to listen

when you're screaming and your fingers are jammed in your ears. As well as when you've already made up your mind about the issue at hand and are just engaging in theater.

[AgingAmerican]

37. Many are aware of it

And some simply ignore it.

[cascadiance]

51. If selling it better means "don't worry about anything else"...

... then I'm sorry, but I don't think he or a majority of Americans can accept that.

We CAN accept, and have been WANTING to have a big part of what BLM wants as part of our party's platform and our president's agenda to take care of when elected (hopefully with a Democratic congress to help get things done too).

But if a group of people just wants to have someone stand up and say that this is the most important and really ONLY problem we face to solve, then they are being selfish in my book, and are hurting themselves and their fellow POC by injecting a conflict that will get in the way of the changes they are looking for instead of facilitating them.

If they are not saying that this is the only problem and that this the only one we should be working on, then what problem do they have with Bernie? As the OP says, I think they should give us a thought out speech of where they feel we need to be working harder, and I think EVERYONE wants that (including Bernie very much so in my opinion).

The corporate interests of this country for years have been wanting us to only look at social issues in society and have us divided on them, so that we can't unite for the other big problems that they force upon us with so much of what they pay congress critters to do for them at the expense of all of us. We all need to take a step back on so many issues we feel important to us, and make sure that we have it fit in the big context of what we are all fighting for. Yes, I do agree that what POC face is a BIG problem, and should be one of the high priorities of a new administration, but without doing things like facilitating taking the money out of politics, and not having our country enslaved to corporate serving trade deals, we're all going to lose even more at a critical time in our history.

Don't be a pawn for corporate power. Work with us and have a people's solution work for all of us.

[JDPriestly]

116. Thanks. I have been asking what can we do, and all I get is shut up, you're white, you

can never know what it is like to be Black. I agree. I can never know what is like to be Black. I agree. I enjoy white privilege wherever I go every day of my life.

But what can we do together, Black and white people, to end the racism that is in people's hearts and because it is in their hearts, makes its way into our society, our institutions, our entertainment, our own lives?

It's a question.

I hear a lot of justified complaints and outcries, but I don't hear any suggestions about good solutions.

And this issue cannot wait.

But it is not the only issue we face.

BLM must understand that they too are part of a society that needs to improve in many respects. They need to suggest workable solutions. It's important to bring the problem to everyone's attention. But it is not effective unless good solutions to the problem are proposed. Just awareness will not change this kind of problem. We need suggestions for change.

And if Obama couldn't bring the change we need with regard to race relations, I don't know how a white candidate can since white people I am constantly reminded do not really understand -- and that is a reminder with which I agree.

What specific changes need to be made? And can they be made by government?

[cui bono]

169. Yeah, well, apparently the new talking point is that it doesn't matter what someone did 50 years ago

I've seen that several times in the last couple days.

So then who cares who becomes president if their record means nothing? It's a bullshit talking point. One person I saw say it may be saying it out of anger, but I believe this whole attack on Sanders that has been going on since before the BLM incident is a calculated attempt to take him down on his strength. Swiftboating. Look at how rabid Hillary supporters keep going on about this issue with Bernie. Look at how those who are 'undeclared' in their support never go after Hillary about racial issues even though she ran an ugly race-baiting campaign against Obama. No wonder "the past doesn't matter" is the new talking point.

[AtomicKitten]

174. You nailed it.

[JustAnotherGen]

48. Actually - if you watch O'Malley on TWIB (google it on YouTube)

He spoke clearly to what he has done in the past that worked - and what he should have done more of. There are links in our O'Malley group.

Good stuff in that interview and he shows his progression (it's only about 12 minutes) from a Prosecutor, to a Defense Attorney, to a Mayor, to Governor . . . shows at a high level his evolution on the criminal justice system.

Like he wished they had moved to body cams - not just street cams.
He did bring the incarceration rate down considerably - but he doesn't feel enough.
He reinstated the voting rights for 52 K voters
Recidivism reduced by 15% - but he wishes it was more.
They took the 'convicted' check box off of job apps.
He's questioning sentencing guidelines.

He ends it up with a promise to put forth a white paper for us - and I'm eager to read it.


BLM was a good thing in my opinion -because he was able to have a sit down with someone that in particular - black women (we have the vote more so than our male counterparts due to a lot of things he listed) - will listen to. He hit every single point -

But more important - he knows it can be done - because he's already did it. To some degree I feel like the people of Maryland are this huge group of guinea pigs that he experimented on to see -

How can I inflict my beautiful liberal mind on this world!

So sharing all of this - but he's a devil in the details candidate and I think we should 'hold' for the details document.

[rateyes]

53. That's good stuff. Sounds like I need to keep listening to him, too.

[stevenleser]

79. O'Malley is taking advantage of what really was an opportunity for both men.

I wrote about it here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=462942

Yes, I still can't wrap my head around how badly he flubbed what was an opportunity handed to him

on a silver platter. It really was.

Your list is great but he could have just said your #1 and added

#2 - "My DOJ will aggressively go after local and state police who violate the civil rights of people of color. That has to stop."

And boom. This was an opportunity for him that instead he chose to react to petulantly as if these people should not have dared interrupt this magnificent speech he was about to give.

I had heard reports about how cranky Bernie was but I filed those away as possibly true or not. But this is not how a President handles this kind of a challenge.

[Number23]

165. If everyone advocated for their candidate with 1/400th as much class, enthusiasm and respect as you

do, this board would actually be readable and could hold on to more than a couple of dozen posters of color at the same time.

[JustAnotherGen]

173. Thanks Number23

I just read the comments on O'Malley's Facebook page in response to his apology.

He has Republicans pressed. Pressed.

If you piss off Republican primary voters who reference Trump as a talking point - you are doing the right thing! I'm not sure if they are paid or what? All I know is they are going on about how we need a solid centrist to run against Clinton's liberal policies.

I hope O'Malley and Sanders - -this is NOT classy -

Cause a lot of these idiots to stroke out!

I want them to get out of our way, go away - or sit down and shut up. Their Republican values have ruined this country financially.

[pnwmom]

68. How did Bernie's standard stump speech, which is what he gave that night,

address BLM concerns?

His focus on economic inequality doesn't address their concerns about racial inequality.

[jeff47]

71. Hrm...if only there was time before that one speech.

Like, the previous night. Or several other speeches in June and July. Or his floor speech denouncing "tough on crime" when it was ascendant in 1991. Or his endorsement of Jackson for president.

Too bad only that one night exists. Oh well.

[pnwmom]

81. They were there to hear him THAT night. And he saw what happened to O'Malley.

(Who they had some justified concerns about, since he was a zero-tolerance-on-crime Mayor.)

When they started to shout questions to Bernie, he could have answered. Instead, he went into his standard speech, and when they interrupted that, he threatened to go home.

Yes, from his perspective he was right to be annoyed with them. What they did wasn't polite. But he had a chance to directly address their concerns and instead he stubbornly held to his prepared speech.

I think he blew the chance to show he understood. But he will have many other chances. If he's smart as people think he is, he'll use them.

[jeff47]

89. If they were there to hear him, they would have not shouted him down.

They were there to disrupt, claiming that those candidates are not talking about their issues.

When they started to shout questions to Bernie, he could have answered.

Uh, he did answer. They kept chanting.

I think he blew the chance to show he understood.

And I think we need to find out why BLM has better media access than Monsanto and BP.

[pnwmom]

96. In discussing media access, why are you comparing BLM with Monsanto and BP?

[jeff47]

98. Two Satan-inspired corporations with giant piles of money to buy access.

Yet can't get nearly as much positive coverage.

BLM went from zero coverage to all over the political pages. A counter-example would be OWS, which never got as much favorable coverage.

[pnwmom]

107. So the media is more sympathetic to BLM than to Monsanto or BP.

That doesn't seem surprising.

[jeff47]

109. Yet less sympathetic than OWS.

Given the media's general pro-white slant on covering any race topic, that's pretty odd.

(Note before anyone starts shouting "Tin foil!!": Can't prove a damn thing. Have zero evidence. It just looks odd. Could be completely benign.)

[daybranch]

100. Bernies speech is about wealth concentration and the use of that wealth to divide the classes.

Racial equality cannot be achieved without economic fairness, something the rich will not support as it allows them to divide our people along class and racial lines. Bernie addresses the heart of the problem and tells us we must remove the heart. BLM protestors want to be heard but want easy answers when a whole system has been established to continue that racism and is constantly being re-enforced by MSM. Not so easy to fix, but BLM should know they were blaming and shaming the two candidates who apparently care most about their concerns and act accordingly. Yelling does not always work and reveals that BLM is not media savvy. You do not attack friends you need to get elected if you want them to be able to help you. All in all, a fruitless outburst of those who may be so concerned with their seconds of fame that they have ignored the long term success of BLM.

[pocoloco]

119. Duh.................

His record speaks for itself!!!

Fuck this hillary shit!!

[pnwmom]

121. The people in BLM want their concerns addressed directly. They disagree with the idea

that fixing economic inequalities will automatically fix racial inequalities -- which is an idea Bernie seems to believe.

[frylock]

125. Some people say..

can you show where Sanders stated, or even implied, "that fixing economic inequalities will automatically fix racial inequalities"? Also:

And we will advocate for a decrease in law-enforcement spending at the local, state and federal levels and a reinvestment of that budgeted money into the black communities most devastated by poverty in order to create jobs, housing and schools. This money should be redirected to those federal departments charged with providing employment, housing and educational services.

http://blacklivesmatter.com/demands/

[TBF]

128. It is a big mistake to split

economic and racial inequality into separate camps. These two types of inequality are not the same exact thing but they are intertwined. You're not going to fix one without the other - particularly in a country in which both conditions result from (and benefit) capitalism.

A simple analogy - Darlene is probably going to get the interview before LaKeisha - but when Mallory shows up with her prep school background both Darlene & LaKeisha are thanked warmly for their time and shown the door. That's the problem we are facing in this country and we can't address it if we are busy infighting.

If you look at the numbers in this country republicans should never win elections. Not ever. Maybe 5% of the population at best are helped by republican economic policies. Yet time after time we split on gender, race, religion and other issues to the detriment of our own well-being. Letting this happen again is handing the election to Bush, Rubio, or Walker on a silver platter.

[pnwmom]

129. They are intertwined but racism won't be fixed simply because economic inequality is fixed.

And there is an URGENT matter for racial issues to be addressed. Black people are dying.

[TBF]

132. URGENCY

Why on earth would you decide to target people who are running for president and can't be elected until late 2016? That's more than a YEAR out and these aren't even the forerunners. These are 2 candidates who are long-shot challengers. Why is Hillary Clinton not being targeted? Why are the CURRENT White House and Congress not being protested?

[pnwmom]

137. Hillary was targeted. She got a ton of criticism for saying "all lives matter."

And Sanders and O'Malley missed a golden opportunity at Netroots to show that they were different. Instead, O'Malley dug in even deeper than Hillary by adding, "white lives matter."

[TBF]

140. Urgency?

Hillary wasn't even at the event. What about today? Two young women who reportedly committed "suicide" in cells in the past week - in Texas and Alabama - are not even being addressed. Instead I see people out to get two candidates who wouldn't even be in office for over a year if elected. Seems like the urgency is really off target. Why are there not protests outside the Congress and White House?

[HooptieWagon]

12. Progressive whites are being told to STFU.

It doesn't seem BLM wants any kind of plan from white progressives, but their leadership seems unable to formulate one aside from shouting.
If BLM ever does come up with a plan, and is willing to form a coalition to carry it out, they will find receptive partners with white progressives, Sanders in particular. In the meantime I guess they'll just march to their own drum.

[DCBob]

20. Bernie needs to work a bit harder to earn his creds.

He is at a big disadvantage being who he is and where he is from. It may not be fair but many cant imagine how an old white jewish guy from a pearly white rural state can possibly understand the plight of inner city black people.

That's the hill he has to climb.

[stranger81]

36. Sanders has done plenty to "earn his creds."

HRC, in the other hand, has nothing behind her but platitudes and an extremely racist 2008 campaign, yet BLM has crowned her "Khaleesi" (not my word -- just search GDP).

As I said, this "controversy" is disingenuous. It's a tactic.

[DCBob]

44. Fairly or not, Hillary already has her creds...

I guess mainly because of her association with the "First Black President".

[stranger81]

57. Absolutely absurd.

Sanders puts himself on the line for the civil rights cause at a time when it was dangerous for anyone to do so, but mentioning that is somehow anathema to people who claim to be primarily concerned with that same cause.

HRC, on the other hand, went so far as to suggest candidate Obama might be assassinated in order to win votes in 2008, and since she later worked in his administration (in a capacity completely unrelated to civil rights, mind you), she's the one who's earned her chops?!?!?

I hate that we get the government we deserve. I fear nothing will ever change for the better.

[DCBob]

58. It may be absurd to you but she is perceived as understanding the plight of black folks.

The polling numbers clearly spell that out.

[stranger81]

65. I understand she is perceived that way.

Despite all evidence to the contrary.

As I said, we get the government we deserve. Eight more years of status quo at best, or of a Republican at worst, and the squandering of our best hope for authentic and meaningful change in a generation.

[pnwmom]

86. Do you know more about this than the minority voters who happen to perceive her that way? n/t

[stranger81]

149. I obviously have no privileged inside info about any campaign.

But I agree with what Sanders's supporters who are also POC's would tell you. As one example, I would point you here: [link:http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/07/11/1401252/-Black-Folks-No-on-Bernie-Really|

[pnwmom]

151. He has a lot of ground to make up. He still could, but she has a big lead.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/19/politics/bernie-sanders-african-americans-2016-netroots/index.html

A June CNN/ORC poll showed just 2% of black Democrats supporting Sanders, a figure that has remained unchanged since February. Among non-white voters overall, Sanders polls at 9% compared to Hillary Clinton's 61%.

[stranger81]

152. Agreed.

HRC is, at this early stage of the game, the name-recognition front runner.

[pnwmom]

153. It is an insult to minority voters to attribute all the support to name-recognition. n/t

[stranger81]

154. Not at all.

I really don't think you want to argue that all POCs support HRC, or that HRC's heavy lead right now, before even a single debate has taken place, is not due largely to name recognition. Because both of those facts are objectively demonstrable.

[pnwmom]

156. Most minority people would recognize the name of Donald Trump. Does that mean they support him, too?

[stranger81]

157. Of course not.

Historically, persons of color don't turn out in large numbers for the GOP.

On our side of the aisle, HRC clearly has much more name recognition than any of her opponents. The polling at this early stage of the race reflects that.

[pnwmom]

158. But it isn't just name recognition. She gets high approval ratings across the spectrum. n/t

[stranger81]

159. And even higher disapproval ratings.

Which is also a consequence of voters knowing her name better than others.

[cui bono]

171. No it isn't. The same applies to white people. n/t

[eridani]

179. The self-proclaimed cadidate of "hardworking people, white people"? n/t

[AgingAmerican]

82. Yet there is no concrete evidence to back it up

Her polling numbers are due to name recognition.

[DCBob]

99. Well.. she is walloping Bernie 72% to 2% among AA voters in the latest Suffolk poll

That's more than name recognition.

http://www.suffolk.edu/documents/SUPRC/7_15_2015_tables.pdf

[AgingAmerican]

111. Which just might explain

Why Bernie is being singled out and is held to a standard that no other candidate is being held to. In spite of the fact his record on such matters is far better and more consistent than HRCs.

[Sancho]

176. That's not true, Hillary has more than name recognition...

whether you like it or not, minority and immigrant groups see the Clintons first hand working for them on the street. Of course, Bernie has nothing like this. Hillary was on a tour with Reverend Pinkney the day he was killed - visiting small, black congregations. She attended the funeral. To minorities these efforts are much more personal and important than big rallies that they don't have time or money to attend. If you don't get it, that's too bad, but that's the reason for the poll results.

One example:

https://www.clintonfoundation.org/blog/2015/06/10/laundromats-playgrounds-promote-early-childhood-literacy

Laundromats, Playgrounds to Promote Early-Childhood Literacy

This article originally appeared in Education Week on June 10, 2015.

Reading during the rinse cycle? Singing during the spin dry?

Why not? asks Too Small to Fail, a joint initiative of the Clinton Foundation and Next Generation, two nonprofits that have made early-childhood education a focus of philanthropic efforts. On Tuesday, the Coin Laundry Association announced that it will be asking its members to hang posters and distribute pamphlets that encourage parents to use laundry day as an opportunity to talk, read, and sing to their children.

The announcement was made at the 5th annual meeting of Clinton Global Initiative America, in Denver.

- See more at: https://www.clintonfoundation.org/blog/2015/06/10/laundromats-playgrounds-promote-early-childhood-literacy#sthash.no6MLx0O.dpuf

[jeff47]

63. The "First Black President", who happened to push a massive "tough on crime" platform

that is significantly responsible for the situation today.

Makes perfect sense.

[A Simple Game]

87. And he has recently admitted it was a mistake. n/t

[jeff47]

93. Except the claim was the Clintons have "cred" because of his time in office

where it was not a mistake. In fact, he ran on it and shoved it through.

[frylock]

94. That and a nickel....

[cui bono]

170. You mean the association of her running a race-baiting campaign against him?

I guess you subscribe to the new talking point that the past doesn't matter.



It's really too bad so many people refuse to discuss things factually on here.


***Edit... oops, brain fart... you were talking about her husband. Still leaving my post as written because it is important information. Plus I'm too tired to rewrite it.

[HooptieWagon]

67. I think one problem...

...is that perhaps some Blacks may consider that Sanders' activism in the civil rights movement in the 60s, or even recent legislation he has fought for or against on behalf of minorities, has no bearing on Black issues today. That may be a valid point, but I still haven't seen any ideas to give Sanders a greater understanding, nor concrete proposals he can adopt in his platform.

[George II]

45. You said what I've been wanting to say for a couple of months, but was nervous doing so....

...because of the climate around here.

Even beyond the Democratic primaries, how is he going to attract a broad range of voters being, as you so aptly put it, "an old white jewish guy from a pearly white rural state" (you left out that dreaded word that middle-America is scared of - "socialist&quot ?

He has a huge "Hill" to climb and, if successful, yet another hill to climb.

[DCBob]

84. Indeed.

Even if he somehow miraculously wins the Dem nomination he will have a bunch of negatives going against him in a general election.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

166. He has a much better chance in the general than HRC.

He has significant Republican populist support. AS opposed to Hillary who will energize their base. His support among veterans is very strong.

[eridani]

180. Clinton has zero chance of appealing to alienated voters

That would e the 63% who didn't vote in 2014.

[Gore1FL]

46. Maybe do more to advertise his creds. n/t

[HooptieWagon]

47. I'd say Bernie is trying hard.

He's certainly not dismissing the AA vote, even if few are paying attention to him. I'm sure he would welcome input to improve his platform and message, but those ideas haven't been forthcoming. Just shouting and claims he doesn't care. He won't give up, though....he hasn't in 50 years.

[DCBob]

56. He needs to do something outrageous.

Maybe wear a hoodie and a black face mask and walk down a street in a rich white neighborhood late at night and see what happens.

[cascadiance]

59. Why don't you tell Hillary to do that if you feel that he needs to do that?

Why are you giving her a pass and not him?

[DCBob]

61. Hillary already has her creds.

Bernie doesnt.

[cascadiance]

64. And you are blind if you think just doing it since the 2008 election versus a LIFETIME for Bernie

gets her more creds. Evidently corporate money ads seem to help you make your decision. Yes, it's too bad, but I'm glad that Bernie doesn't take that kind of campaign money that Hillary does so much.

[DCBob]

69. Im not talking about myself.. Im talking about AA voters.

Fairly or not, she is perceived as understanding the plight of regular black folks.

[cascadiance]

72. Then why didn't they vote for her instead of Obama in 2008?

I think many had quite a different vocal opinion of her then as I recall.

Why is it so different this time around? Why reject someone that has been even a part of the Martin Luther King protest movements of the sixties?

Yes, I get it, and probably can't completely understand the depth of hurt POC are feeling these days when so many are treated horribly by the institutions of our society today that need changes. But if they want help, they need to ask those who've cared for them before to help, not just say to everyone out there to get lost because they perceive that no one else cares except someone that the media tells them does care about them.

Until we're all able to step back and welcome suggestions of what we've done wrong, and where we are doing the right things in context, we're not going to solve anything. THAT is the painful truth that needs to be realized!

[DCBob]

77. They were going to except a dynamo emerged...

who also happened to be half black. Hard to resist that.

Bernie is no dynamo and he certainly is not at all black.

[cascadiance]

106. Please define "dynamo"...

... and would they have felt the same way about someone like Clarence Thomas or Herman Cain if they ran for the Democratic Party nomination?

I don't understand why Bernie is any less of a "dynamo" (whatever that means) than Obama was. Yes, I'm used to the fact that "Hope and Change" wasn't really defined well, but many people hoped that it would translate in to a better America that Hillary was defining that was more of the status quo then that favored war overseas, etc.

Bernie IS trying to define what his version of hope is this time around for people so that people will know what they are getting themselves in to. Now many with BLM doesn't feel that hope and change he's defining includes enough of what they want, then comments to him (and to the rest of us to echo back to him) are a better route than confrontation, which really doesn't serve anyone anything good, other than the powerful elite that are laughing at us being divided again while they continue to solidify their power over all of us.

If you put the notion that Bernie being white counts more to be concerned about him than his actual record on civil rights issues, don't you see how that using color against him works against the goals of BLM, etc. and all of us who want a society where a person's skin color doesn't work against them? As I noted in another thread, MLK knew that, and that is why he didn't just work on civil rights issues, but many other issues that also influenced those civil rights issues. Issues that Bernie has also been fighting heavily for along with those civil rights issues consistently throughout his career.

Would you vote for someone like Keith Ellison, who in my book is a damn good Democrat and a person of color, even if he is Muslim? I certainly would. I hope that all of us would just as much as we'd vote in Barack Obama, even if they falsely claimed he was a Muslim as a means to try to tear him down, and how the right will go after Bernie for being a "socialist" in an equally simplistic and bigoted way too, even if socialism is what America, when they look at what democratic socialism really means is really what they want.

[vaberella]

194. Why the fuck do I always feel people think we toe the line and would automatically vote for HRC?

I don't think she understands the plights of regular Black folks, as coming from a Black folk. Much like I don't think she understands the plight of being Latino, coming from a Latina. I'm sorry, what makes her so understanding. What has she done, really done for our community? Please list the ways.

[whatchamacallit]

122. Feelings engendered by your response

...

[Bjorn Against]

130. Did you seriously just suggest he should wear black face?

Wow, you claim Bernie is out of touch and then suggest the way he can get more in touch is to wear black face. Somehow I don't think that would go over too well with the black community and for you to suggest he should do such a stupid thing shows how out of touch you are.

[DCBob]

133. Mask.

[Bjorn Against]

139. So you think he should wear a mask to fool people into thinking he is black?

This has to be performance art, no serious person could actually think it would be a good idea to wear a mask to disguise himself as a black man.

[DCBob]

143. ok..dumb idea. just trying to help.

[seveneyes]

144. What *would* happen?

And what would happen if you reversed the situation?

[DCBob]

147. Maybe police would harass him.

Its probably a dumb idea.. just trying to think of something to shake things up.

[snagglepuss]

78. So be it then If they get Hilliary it will be the same old, same old or

worse. If they are too bloody thick headed to see how free tuition, let alone a host of other points in Bernie's platform would help them then so be it. There are none so blind than they who refuse to see. People who make their bed gotta lie in it.

[TBF]

141. That old white Jewish guy was born in Brooklyn -

do you really think he doesn't understand the city? It's not like he grew up in the cornfields of Iowa. Please.

[jeepers]

54. As to police brutality

Local police depts are not able to fairly investigate their own forces, so

Task the FBI with investigating all claims of brutality as a denial of civil rights, a federal crime.

We could probable ask Obama and his DOJ if such a move were constitutional and how difficult it would be to do. Then, after the 2016 election, less than two short years, we might convince the republican president to take note of the fact that Black people are American citizens and deserving of federal protections.

What are your thoughts Bob

[cstanleytech]

103. The FBI already does investigate such things now and then but they are not big enough

to police the police, if you want that then your going to have to either make them a larger organization with more power (bad idea imo) or do something else.
Something else in this case could be either a new state level department formed solely for investigating civil rights violations or just have a citizens council or something investigate them, both have their pluses and minuses.

[LeftOfWest]

163. Oh. Wind shift.

[PatrickforO]

4. I asked the question repeatedly on a number of threads, and also got no answer.

Upon some reflection, because I was pissed about the Net Roots debacle, I've come to the following conclusion:

African-American kids have been getting killed for no or dubious reasons by the police, whose motto seems to have changed from 'serve and protect' to 'stomp on people until they totally submit.'

This has been going on for years and years, and has only really been receiving any national notice since Trayvon.

If it was me, and my group had been experiencing this (Irish Catholic ancestry - and the Irish Catholics have been heavily oppressed for centuries, with the situation only really being alleviated for about 10 yrs now), well...

everything would STOP until the situation was fixed. And I would disrupt, disobey and be part of uprisings.

Bottom line is these people are very angry because the problem has now come to national attention, but NOTHING is being done, really, in a systematic way to take care of it.

And, when you are this angry, you are gonna shout down anyone - it doesn't matter, because when your kids are getting killed, all else fades to the background.

At least, that is it as near as I can figure.

As to that lady saying they were gonna disrupt every debate, well that isn't the best way to go, but I guess I can understand the anger. That approach really will do more harm than good, I think, but there's no reasoning with this kind of anger because it is righteous and justified.

[rateyes]

5. Yours is the best response I have seen so far.

[KittyWampus]

6. Why don't you ask Black Lives Matter instead of whinging

that they aren't seeking out your individual post and individually answering your question on DU?

They have a website, a facebook page, twitter feed.

It seems as if you really wanted an answer from them you'd ask where they actually ARE:


http://blacklivesmatter.com/

https://www.facebook.com/BlackLivesMatter

https://twitter.com/blklivesmatter

[JustAnotherGen]

7. Thanks for this Kitty

It seems to me the op is telling them to come here - when perhaps the poster needs to go to them. Now he/she can get the answers they seek.

[KittyWampus]

13. One may wonder if the OP'er really cares about what any of the protestors would say

I am tempted to post on BLM's Facebook and leave a link to this OP so anyone who is interested can come on by and weigh in.

[rateyes]

19. That sounds good to me. I would appreciate that.

[JustAnotherGen]

32. Unless you really want the answers - I wouldn't

Why should you do someone else's heavy lifting?

[rateyes]

16. I am awaiting their response. In the meantime, there seems to be quite a few members

of BLM posting here. I thought that perhaps someone would/could offer an answer.

[KittyWampus]

25. How do you know someone on DU is a member of BLM?

[JustAnotherGen]

28. I don't think there are

That's a little pups movement - and most of the afam group members here are 30 and older. We don't have a robust enough showing at DU of black Americans in general - let alone this group of protesters. They (BLM) are like many millenials - social media oriented.

Now do I have nieces and nephews that fit in this demographic? Yep. But my older nephew just started his first job working at a Hedge Fund, and the other one is working two part time jobs this summer to help pay for his school. They don't have time for activism - other than they are constantly re-tweeting and posting BLM, TWIB, and Black Voices articles. My niece - she's too fluffy to care! So - they are in tune - but wouldn't be caught dead on a message board with a bunch of us old folk!

[rateyes]

9. As I replied to you in the other thread, I have done that.

BTW, do you know the answer. I am assuming that they haven't had time to reply to me yet.

[JustAnotherGen]

18. No - I don't have the answer

I'm trying to make a decision between running for town council or the environmental position in my town.

This weekend I met with local p.d. and a group of citizens that think they are the bees knees - and how we can make them into the gold standard for NJ - i.e. protecting brown kids not hassling them and killing them.

Saturday night I went down to the Main Street Salsa Night in order to greet and meet possible voters for a few hours.

I've not had the time to reach out to them - I'm 'doing' in my own backyard.

[rateyes]

21. Good luck! I hope you win, and accomplish good things!

[progressoid]

35. From their Demands page:

http://blacklivesmatter.com/demands/

We will seek justice for Brown’s family by petitioning for the immediate arrest of officer Darren Wilson and the dismissal of county prosecutor Robert McCullough. Groups that are part of the local Hands Up Don’t Shoot Coalition have already called for Wilson’s swift arrest, and some BLM riders also canvassed McCullough’s neighborhood as a way of raising the public’s awareness of the case.

We will help develop a network of organizations and advocates to form a national policy specifically aimed at redressing the systemic pattern of anti-black law enforcement violence in the US. The Justice Department’s new investigation into St Louis-area police departments is a good start, but it’s not enough. Our ride was endorsed by a few dozen local, regional and national organizations across the country – like the National Organization for Women (Now) and Race Forward: The Center for Racial Justice Innovation – who, while maintaining different missions, have demonstrated unprecedented solidarity in response to anti-black police violence. We hope to encourage more organizations to endorse and participate in a network with a renewed purpose of conceptualizing policy recommendations.

We will also demand, through the network, that the federal government discontinue its supply of military weaponry and equipment to local law enforcement. And though Congress seems to finally be considering measures in this regard, it remains essential to monitor the demilitarization processes and the corporate sectors that financially benefit from the sale of military tools to police.

We will call on the office of US attorney general Eric Holder to release the names of all officers involved in killing black people within the last five years, both while on patrol and in custody, so they can be brought to justice – if they haven’t already.

And we will advocate for a decrease in law-enforcement spending at the local, state and federal levels and a reinvestment of that budgeted money into the black communities most devastated by poverty in order to create jobs, housing and schools. This money should be redirected to those federal departments charged with providing employment, housing and educational services.

I'm guessing that our Dem candidates would support this. However, I'm not sure how much of this is being addressed by the current administration. Maybe they've decided to move on to the next administration.

[seveneyes]

52. Demands do not substitute for laws in a civil society

A society governed by demands does not last very long without violence becoming the law.

[rateyes]

62. I saw that at their site. But, it really doesn't answer the question of what candidates need to do

earn their vote. I sent a request at that site.

[frylock]

104. The demands are also somewhat dated..

They make reference to US attorney general Eric Holder. Sadly, Darren Wilson is not going to be arrested. And their final demand seems to be what Sanders has been fighting for. Nothing on Facebook. Nothing on Twitter since this initially blew up. Please keep us posted as to whether you receive a response.

[progressoid]

110. Yep. And as frylock said, it is rather dated as well. n/t

[Mnpaul]

146. a decrease in law-enforcement spending at the local, state and federal levels

good luck selling that one. I doubt any candidate will run on that. It would make sense but I don't expect anyone to go there.

[arcane1]

8. Of course Sanders is the best choice on this topic. That's the whole point of attacking him

Turn that strength into a weakness!

[AtomicKitten]

175. Rove 101.

Ruthless buttugly tactic particularly in a primary.

[ram2008]

10. Nothing

Nothing will be enough. That part has become completely clear.

[HooptieWagon]

30. That's my conclusion. nt

[PatrickforO]

145. Not so.

I was pissed too at the Net Root debacle, and engaged in a bunch of arguments on different threads here about the wisdom of disrupting the candidate most likely to be sympathetic and to help.

I went on the Black Lives Matter website, link above courtesy of Kitty Wampus and reviewed the group's demands, which seem pretty reasonable based on the magnitude of what has been happening year after year to black people, especially kids, at the hands of various police departments.

While I was a little put off that Kitty said well, why should we go here and answer individual questions when you can go to the BLM website and get the answers, I can well understand the anger of the black community that's starting to boil over. It makes me sick that this shit is happening to black kids, but as outraged as I am, the truth is as a white guy I'm further away from it than the BLM people are. It happened 'down the block' or 'cross town' and not in my back yard, so I'm ashamed to say I haven't been sharing the same urgency felt in that community.

[JustAnotherGen]

14. They aren't here - kitty wampus

Gave you a few ways to contact them.

You need to go ask them - outside of the DU bubble.

[HooptieWagon]

33. I believe they did try to contact BLM but got no reply.

[JustAnotherGen]

50. Why not put it on their Facebook page?

Seems to me - you would get response from both the leadership and the members of the movement there.

I'm not going to fault them for not jumping at attention - for all we know - if you guys are sending emails -they might have been flooded this weekend with inquiries.

[frylock]

105. You can't post on their FB page..

you can only message them.

[JustAnotherGen]

134. That's not my problem

It's the problem of the people who are upset they are playing hard to get.

I was in sales many years ago . . . You know how I made my money? 100 dials a day until I closed.

These are just a few young Americans - not some Russian billionaire Oligarch. Getting through is not an ungettable get. These are grown people (at DU) who if it was really important to them - would keep calling until they get through. The only gate keeper they face is themselves.

[frylock]

136. It's the problem of BLM..

honestly, they need to get their feces cohesive, and now is the perfect opportunity to do so. Their list of demands is dated, and doesn't really contain any specific policy proposals to address the issue. I don't watch MSNBC, but today would be an excellent opportunity to get leaders of the movement on teevee to articulate what it is that they'd like to see happen.

[KittyWampus]

138. I agree w/them having to get their sh*t together. But when same was said about OWS

many DU'er came down like angry hornets on those suggesting such a thing.

And part of the problem is it's a delicate thing to tell black people how to do things. There's a history of white people doing that kind of stuff and it isn't taken well.

[frylock]

150. I understand, and I think because of that, a lot of people have refrained from weighing in.

[JustAnotherGen]

142. There are only TWO things out of date on their web site

Here I go again doing other people's heavy lifting. I had to do the work that some lazy lay abouts were afraid they'd pull a muscle doing - this huge tiresome task of typing the web site into their laptop. That's okay - I'm laughing about that with my husband - he said go for the hide "Mammy!" And I said as my grand daddy used too say - Lazy will kill ya!


•We will help develop a network of organizations and advocates to form a national policy specifically aimed at redressing the systemic pattern of anti-black law enforcement violence in the US. The Justice Department’s new investigation into St Louis-area police departments is a good start, but it’s not enough. Our ride was endorsed by a few dozen local, regional and national organizations across the country – like the National Organization for Women (Now) and Race Forward: The Center for Racial Justice Innovation – who, while maintaining different missions, have demonstrated unprecedented solidarity in response to anti-black police violence. We hope to encourage more organizations to endorse and participate in a network with a renewed purpose of conceptualizing policy recommendations.


•We will also demand, through the network, that the federal government discontinue its supply of military weaponry and equipment to local law enforcement. And though Congress seems to finally be considering measures in this regard, it remains essential to monitor the demilitarization processes and the corporate sectors that financially benefit from the sale of military tools to police.


•We will call on the office of US attorney general Eric Holder /Now Lynchto release the names of all officers involved in killing black people within the last five years, both while on patrol and in custody, so they can be brought to justice – if they haven’t already.


•And we will advocate for a decrease in law-enforcement spending at the local, state and federal levels and a reinvestment of that budgeted money into the black communities most devastated by poverty in order to create jobs, housing and schools. This money should be redirected to those federal departments charged with providing employment, housing and educational services.



frylock: Their list of demands is dated, and doesn't really contain any specific policy proposals to address the issue.

If you think this list is dated and contains not a single specific policy proposal - - I'll send you my maid service for a month (I have them in twice a week) so you have time to come up with a more 'up to date list'.

But take it to them. This is their fight. You want to fight - fight them!

[frylock]

155. Yes, I posted this list earlier this morning..

1) Darren Wilson is not going to be arrested, and 2) they really should consider updating that list to include AG Lynch. I would imagine they are seeing some increased traffic to their site, and some people may not take them as seriously as they should with such an oversight. Otherwise I am in full agreement with their point of making the names of those officers available to the public.

They have a link to contact them, but nothing in regards to people getting involved. How far along are they in "developing a network of organizations and advocates to form a national policy specifically aimed at redressing the systemic pattern of anti-black law enforcement violence in the US", and how do people get involved?

And lastly, take a guess as to which candidate has spoken about demilitarizing our local police forces, and reinvesting money into black communities to address unemployment, housing, and education?

[JustAnotherGen]

172. Yep - O'Malley

http://dailycaller.com/2015/07/18/omalley-apologizes-for-saying-all-lives-matter-video/

I look forward to his details, love that he admits his failures, and admire his ability to say - we can do more.

He gave that interview at the link - at NRN.

You may not be aware of TWIB - but a lot of black women - and men are . . .

He just reached out directly to us. And he's getting dragged on his FB page - being called a wimp for apologizing by a whole bunch of people who aren't even Democratic Party members - who want him to pretend to be a centrist :lmao:

[rateyes]

160. I read those demands at their site. I know that Sanders has already, several times

proposed the same things. And none of that answers the question of what he or anyone else needs to do to earn their votes, especially since Bernie has already advocated for those things.

[JI7]

17. they are made up of individual people

If you care about the issue it shouldn't matter that much
.

O'malley is not getting any support from any group right now but he is listening .

At the very least the talking down and lecturing should stop. Even if one disagreed with blm on method it certainly didn't deserve the reaction . Maybe a few threads with people saying thst disagreed . But things like bringing up king and telling others how to feel should stop.

[geek tragedy]

22. Did you ask the same question of Occupy Wall Street? nt

[JustAnotherGen]

135. That's a fair question n/t

[uponit7771]

191. +1

[MohRokTah]

24. You know, all either of them had to do was come out on stage and say this

"Hi. I'm a Presidential Candidate. I believe that #BlackLivesMatter and I have policies to address the tragic loss of life we've witnessed."

That's all. They would have grabbed the attention of the BLM activists and the rest would have been history. In fact, the BLM movement would have got on their side almost immediately had they done that.

But that ain't the way it went down.

Now it's probably too late.

[arcane1]

29. Is it too late for ALL Dem candidates?

Because I don't recall any of them starting a speech with those words.

[jeff47]

66. You mean something both candidates did before NN?

That's all. They would have grabbed the attention of the BLM activists and the rest would have been history.

Well, since both candidates did what you said, and it didn't grab the attention of BLM, it would appear that your theory is a tad off.

[stranger81]

27. Have the initials "HRC."

Seriously, this entire "controversy" is disingenuous.

[demmiblue]

34. bravenak had a really insightful response in another thread...

but I can't remember which thread it was. One of the suggestions was to read tweets (I think the hashtag was something like Bernieissoblack) on the Jimmy Kimmel show. Self-deprecating humor has a way of uniting us... I so agree with her there!

There is a small faction here that will tell you to look it up/contact BLM directly (in other words, they themselves have no idea, but will use the NN event and BLM as a cudgel. Use being the operative word).

[George II]

49. Did you mean "inciteful" or "insightful"?

[demmiblue]

55. Lol... Thanks for the response/heads up!

Definitely not inciteful. Though it did incite me to think a little deeper!

[George II]

73. That's one of those words that someone can have fun with - I've used "inciteful" in the past...

....implying the other word and the person I've used it "against" didn't even pick up on it, i.e., "your comment is inciteful"!

Glad you meant insightful.

[ybbor]

124. This may be the bravenak post you are thinking of:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=461992

I also thought it was a very good response to this OP's question.

[MannyGoldstein]

38. BLM is very, very angry

As they should be.

I suspect that the only good answer is to stop the senseless death.

As to earning BLMs votes, this white guy's wild guess is that a candidate who's had a constant message and long track record of honesty and achievement in the service of helping opressed people will win the vote.

[Betty Karlson]

39. What do you hope to achieve with this OP?

Even when there are no quick and easy answers, the frustration and desasperation of PoC are real.

Just acknowledging that would be the start of a solution. Dismissing them for lack of an answer doesn't start much good, I fear.

[rateyes]

74. I am not trying to be dismissive. I know they are justifiably angry.

Righteous anger, when directed in the right direction, is a very positive thing. Any kind of anger, justified or not, directed in the wrong direction can be counterproductive, in the least, and disastrous, at worst.

I want to see positive solutions to the problem. And, I don't think it is incumbent on any of the candidates to come up with a solution on their own. If BLM wants a candidate to do something to help, help the candidates come up with solutions. Don't yell at them for not listening, when they have been listening. If they aren't doing something you feel needs to be done, TELL THEM what that something is!

[Betty Karlson]

83. Please allow me to nuance that position of yours.

Imagine someone screaming at the top of his lungs that "the bullies need to stop".

Would you ask that person: "how do you want me to make them stop?"

Chances are there is no quick and easy answer for his / her anguish.

But what you can do is listen. Ask questions. Gather information on their plight. Even if you already know some of the answers, hearing them again will make the distraught victim feel that SOMEONE has his / her back, and take away that feeling of being all alone and uncared for.

As someone said in a thread about the LGBT exasperation with Obama's early policies: when you are drowning, you don't want to be told to be patient for the tide to turn.

PoC cannot wait for economic changes to be slowly wraught and deliver some elevation above the rank of the exploitable poor and then translate into less biased policing and fewer lone wolfs. They want something to be done about police bias and lone wolfs NOW.

Don't you?

[frylock]

108. People are listening now..

the ball is in #blm's court. I hope they use the opportunity to articulate what they feel can be done at a legislative or executive level to address these issues.

[AgingAmerican]

97. It's a pretty basic question

Is it absurd to think someone should answer it?

[Betty Karlson]

167. WE should answer it - caucasians and PoC alike

When you are drowning, the last thing you need is for someone standing on land saying "well what do you want me to do about it? Stop splashing around so much, it makes a mess."

[seveneyes]

40. It looked and sounded to be only for disruption

If there is a consolidated set of thought, they are not sharing it.

[whatchamacallit]

41. Hillary knows apparently

... magically...

[Sancho]

177. Yes she does...and the Clinton Foundation outreach in minority and immigrant works for them.

Post after post wonders why Hillary is "ahead" and Bernie's record is not recognized. It may be because the Clintons have worked for YEARS in the neighborhoods of color and immigrants. Here's another example. Not a mystery to me. I suspect that most of the people who attended a Bernie rally never lived in a neighborhood or saw the impact of the Clinton Foundation.


https://www.clintonfoundation.org/blog/2015/06/12/too-small-fail-and-its-partners-recognized-helping-communities-take-action

Too Small to Fail and Its Partners Recognized for Helping Communities Take Action

Just last week, two of Too Small to Fail’s key partners—Sesame Workshop and Univision—received national awards for their collaborative work with Too Small to Fail to help parents and communities take meaningful actions to improve the health and well-being of children from birth to age five, and prepare them to succeed in the 21st century.

The REVERE award for Beyond the Classroom – which recognizes exceptional resources that stimulate learning outside of school – was awarded to the “Talking is Teaching” family resource, a multimedia toolkit developed in partnership between Sesame Workshop and Too Small to Fail. This bilingual (English/Spanish) resource aims to empower families to boost children’s early brain and vocabulary development through simple actions like talking reading, and singing during everyday moments and routines. “Talking is Teaching” provides colorful, fun, and informative content that parents, caregivers, and communities can use to support children’s early learning from ages birth to three.

The second award was presented to Too Small to Fail’s partner, Univision, for their joint Pequeños y Valiosos initiative – a cross-platform public awareness and action campaign that aims to improve children’s early language development among families in Hispanic communities across the United States. The month-long campaign created special programing on the morning show, Despierta America, showcased local broadcasters engaging in brain-building activities with their own children, and reached parents with interactive challenges to boost engagement. Awarded the ACC Golden Beacon Award for Integrated Communication, Pequeños y Valiosos was recognized for creating a positive impact while demonstrating excellence in communication and public affairs.

- See more at: https://www.clintonfoundation.org/blog/2015/06/12/too-small-fail-and-its-partners-recognized-helping-communities-take-action#sthash.hBmNVUTo.dpuf

[msongs]

42. at protests an agenda and list of "demands" can be quite useful nt

[Zenlitened]

43. The nerve of those black folks...

...not jumping and running the moment you bellowed your demand!



Jeezuss, this place.

[rateyes]

80. I didn't demand anything. I asked a simple question.

Maybe one day, someone who cares enough about the topic will give an answer. If not, oh well.

[n8dogg83]

70. I think the way to earn the votes of #BlackLivesMatter

is to engage with them. I say this a Bernie Sanders supporter and an African American who also supports #BLM. Bernie has a great opportunity, in my opinion, to start a real dialogue with BLM. Bernie is not stupid, and despite the fact that he appeared a little annoyed at the protests, he did listen to the protesters that afternoon. Just a few hours after they were demanding that he #SayHerName, Bernie did say her name in his Phoenix Convention Center speech. I would encourage Bernie and all of his supporters to meet with BLM and visit the black communities around the country and put together specific policy goals that address systemic racism in this country. I have little doubt that he would be behind them all.

[jeff47]

75. So....looking for help crafting a set of policies?

Shouldn't that be one of the first things an activist group does? Figure out specifically what changes they are fighting for, so that they can advance those changes?

[geardaddy]

91. Welcome to DU!

And thanks for your opinion.

[PotatoChip]

76. Bernie's proposals will go a long way in addressing many of these issues.

In the meantime, there is a petition to try to get Loretta Lynch to DO SOMETHING in the case of Sandra Bland. Only 6,558 signatures still needed out of 150,000!
https://www.change.org/p/the-united-states-department-of-justice-attorney-general-loretta-lynch-take-over-the-investigation-into-the-death-of-sandra-bland-from-the-waller-county-texas-police-department

Personally, I think she should be looking into every suspicious case, state by state. But this is a start at least...

From the BLM website:

The current state of Black America is anything but just. For Black people in the U.S., the shadow of crisis has not passed.

The median wealth for single White women is $42,600. For Black women, it’s $5.001.

The infant mortality rate for Black mothers is more than double that of White mothers, due to factors like poverty, lack of access to health care, and the physiological effects of stress caused by living under structural oppression 2.

22 states have passed new voter restrictions since 2010, disenfranchising as many as 34 million Americans, most of them Black 3.

In cities across the country, profit-driven policies fuel displacement and gentrification, leading to the destruction of entire Black communities 4.

Blacks and Latinos are about 31 percent of the US population, but 60 percent of the prison population 8.

In our country 1 in 3 black men will be incarcerated in his lifetime 5, and Black women are the fastest growing prison population 6.

The life expectancy of a Black trans woman is 35 years. The average income of a Black trans person is less than 10K. Trans people are denied jobs, housing and healthcare just for living in their truths.

It is legal in many jurisdictions to fire LBGT people from employment and deny them access to healthcare and housing.
Since 1976, the United States has executed thirteen times more black defendants with white victims than white defendants with black victims 6.

Black U.S. political prisoners have collectively served over 800 years in prison and have consistently been denied parole despite good behavior and time served.

Increasingly, students in white areas are nourished and taught while Black children are criminalized and judged.

Black neighborhoods lack access to affordable healthy food resulting in disproportionate levels of obesity and other chronic illnesses.

Our schools are designed to funnel our children into prisons. Our police departments have declared war against our community. Black people are exploited, caged, and killed to profit both the state and big business. This is a true State of Emergency. There is no place for apathy in this crisis. The US government has consistently violated the inalienable rights our humanity affords.

We say no more.

We demand an end to all forms of discrimination and the full recognition of our human rights.

We demand an immediate end to police brutality and the murder of Black people and all oppressed people.

We demand full, living wage employment for our people.

We demand decent housing fit for the shelter of human beings and an end to gentrification.

We demand an end to the school to prison pipeline & quality education for all.

We demand freedom from mass incarceration and an end to the prison industrial complex.

We demand a racial justice agenda from the White House that is inclusive of our shared fate as Black men, women, trans and gender-nonconforming people. Not
My Brother’s Keeper, but Our Children’s Keeper.

We demand access to affordable healthy food for our neighborhoods.

We demand an aggressive attack against all laws, policies, and entities that disenfranchise any community from expressing themselves at the ballot.

We demand a public education system that teaches the rich history of Black people and celebrates the contributions we have made to this country and the world.

We demand the release of all U.S. political prisoners.

We demand an end to the military industrial complex that incentivizes private corporations to profit off of the death and destruction of Black and Brown communities across the globe.

http://blacklivesmatter.com/state-of-the-black-union/

[n8dogg83]

88. I think those are all issues that Bernie either supports or would support.

Bernie (and BLM) would both benefit from a face-to-face conversation were they have the chance to bring up and discuss their issues and Bernie can respond to them point for point.

[PotatoChip]

95. I agree on the two points that you made.

Welcome to DU btw.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

92. If it's not already a separate OP, maybe you should post that as one.

Specifically the BLM state of the black union part.

[PotatoChip]

102. Don't have the time to tend to an OP at the moment

Been on here too long as it is.

But be my guest if you would like to do it.

[frylock]

127. Signed..

146,103 signatures thus far.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

85. You asked it of whom?

Are there any #BLM reps here onsite who have the standing to answer such a statement? This is a pretty white site overall, I'd be surprised if there were such a liaison present.

[AgingAmerican]

90. None of their supporters can answer that either

And 90% of those same supporters also hail from the HRC camp. Coincidence?

[cstanleytech]

115. Hey, I dont see any need to throw HRC under the bus over this or the people in her camp.

Unless you have something that proves the people running Hillarys campaign or Hillary herself were somehow behind it.
And no, I am not a HRC voter, heck I havent even decided which candidate to support really yet I like Bernie for his social issues but Clinton might have enough pull to be able to get more done though I am not sure how much either of them could really get done considering the republicans control the House and Senate and have made it clear that they will no longer work with the democrats.

[Sancho]

178. Simply wrong...it's not hard to see why Hillary resonates with the minority and immigrant community.

The examples are numerous of her work personally - much with the Clinton Foundation in the US - not just overseas.

https://www.clintonfoundation.org/blog/2015/06/10/any-time-talk-read-and-sing-time-too-small-fail-makes-3-new-commitments

Small to Fail Makes 3 New Commitments

No matter where they live, how much money they earn, or how busy they are, all parents want the same thing: They want what’s best for their child. They want to ensure their child is safe, that they’re healthy, that their life is full of opportunity, and that they have the best possible chance at success not just in school, but in life.

That’s why Too Small to Fail is working to help parents make the most of everyday moments in everyday places. Our idea is simple: any time is talk time. And, by talking, reading, and singing with children every day from birth, we can boost their early language and brain development, and ensure every child has the strong start they need. Whether doing the laundry, visiting the playground, or getting ready for bed – simple actions each and every day can make a big difference for a young child’s development.

Yesterday, at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) America Meeting in Denver, Clinton Foundation Vice Chair Chelsea Clinton announced new Commitments to Action by Too Small to Fail and its partners that will reach parents of young children, and particularly those in underserved communities, in bold and innovative new ways – such as in a laundromat, or on the playground.

All three commitments utilize local community settings to help raise awareness about the importance of engaging with children from birth in order to develop healthier learning, language and brain development:

- See more at: https://www.clintonfoundation.org/blog/2015/06/10/any-time-talk-read-and-sing-time-too-small-fail-makes-3-new-commitments#sthash.F97GhyMM.dpuf

[Cleita]

101. Maybe you are asking the wrong people. Maybe you should be asking BLM directly what

it would take to earn their votes.

[shaayecanaan]

112. If you're asking whether they have an agenda

the answer is no, they do not. They couldn't agree on one if they tried, in the same way that the Occupy movement couldn't move beyond being a cathartic protest movement to an organised presence with an agenda. Forming agendas, mobilising, endorsing candidates is "dirty" political business unsuited for unsullied, bright eyed activists such as they.

The stock in trade tactic is to ask candidates "what are you going to do to end racism". The best way of dealing with them is to respond: "obviously you are more acquainted with it than me, what would you like me to do?".

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8bi8qpjdmvetiyz/Nothing%20Left%20ReedJr%20Harpers%20March.pdf?dl=0

[Zorra]

113. More cash than the banksters are giving them to swiftboat Bernie. nt

[YOHABLO]

114. There has been several post on this same topic. I think ''BLM'' are targeting the wrong people.

I think both black and white need to go after SOLUTIONS rather than attacking those who have compassion and empathy for their cause. Their are no solutions in ANGER!

[SoapBox]

123. + 1000000

Exactly.

Stop screaming at those that are best able to help.

[L0oniX]

117. Maybe #BLM are happy enough with the republicans.

[shaayecanaan]

120. like the white working class that keeps voting for them?

it might be worth spending as much time pondering that thorny political problem than endlessly going over the actions of twelve people who bothered showing up to a Sanders appearance.

[L0oniX]

161. I eagerly await for #BLM to show up and speak or shout at republican candidate gatherings.

[Roy Rolling]

118. Advocate mandatory body cameras

Authority is passed through people, they do not create it.

A law officer can arrest someone only because they represent the government laws, which is me. Their authority is granted to them by me.

So I want my representative police officer, who is enforcing the laws we citizens create, to wear technology so I can see how they represent me.

This solution addresses the issue of rogue cops misusing authority. The problem is misused authority, the only solution can be methods that improve the use of that authority by accountability to the ultimate authority-grantors---the people themselves.

[passiveporcupine]

126. Sanders on prison industrial complex and immigration reform

Clearly one of the crises we face in our nation is that we have more people behind bars than any other country on earth […] China is a nation that is 3 or 4 times larger than us population wise, it is an authoritarian country Communist country, and we have far more people behind bars than does China. And what we do in our jails is we run a great educational system, we educate people how to be even better criminals. So it seems to me that rather than spending huge amounts of money on jails and on private corporations who are incentivized to keep people in jail, it might make a lot more sense to spend money on job training and education so that people do not end up in jail in the first place. And yes I'm certainly in favor of comprehensive education reform.

Much more here:

http://www.alternet.org/bernie-sanders-intends-strike-heart-prison-industrial-complex

[moondust]

131. Not be a white guy? n/t

[Skittles]

162. right

and they will also deny they are trying to shut down debate

[Skwmom]

164. The organization BLM can only endorse, not vote. While Bernie has a great record

and I believe as President would do more than any other candidate to help the black community, he can't just assume that he has earned the black vote (and I'm sure he doesn't).

As far as comments like "white people need to shut up and listen," a lot of black people are extremely frustrated and rightfully so. While other groups are seeing some of their long wished for desires fulfilled, Black Americans are being killed with impunity, subject to predatory lending, high unemployment, unfair incarceration, etc.

A lot of white America is unaware of the extent of what is going on in the black communities which is why we should be spending air time discussing these issues rather than hours spent on political manipulation to benefit rich billionaires and corporations.

[Stellar]

189. aww....

thank you friend!

I really wish Bernie and any other candidate for POTUS would hire a couple of these people from BLM, and place them on their team. Half of Bernies battle with Black folk would be over. Bernie could have them to represent him on Black airways and televised broadcast. They would definitely get Bernies name out there as their candidate.

Shaky response
A group of protestors crashed his speech, forcing Sanders to go off script while they chanted "black lives matter," a phrase that has become the rallying cry for a new civil rights movement.

His initial response was shaky and some activists found Sanders dismissive.

"Black lives, of course, matter. I spent 50 years of my life fighting for civil rights and for dignity," Sanders said. "But if you don't want me to be here, that's OK. I don't want to out-scream people."

After the protests, Sanders retreated from public view for several hours. He canceled a small group meeting that included Elon White, a host of a show about black issues, and he was a no-show at an event hosted by the Arizona Democratic Party. Meanwhile, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is also mounting a liberal challenge to Clinton, participated in panels at the conference and took question from on the online interview show, "This Week in Blackness."...

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/19/politics/bernie-sanders-african-americans-2016-netroots/index.html

ETA: Bernie need to freshen his resume to show his thought about Black lives matter.

[Skwmom]

190. I don't think that would be wise considering everything points to them being in Cllinton's camp.n/t

[Stellar]

192. Friend...that's BS. I wouldn't be surprised if Hillary Camp put that out.

With all there racist attacks on Obama in 2008. it won't be soon forgotten.

Will black voters give Hillary Clinton a second chance?
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/122007/stop-treating-black-voters-they-vote-only-based-race

Bill Clinton Gives More Voters Doubts About Electing His Wife
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/03/13/bill-clinton-gives-more-voters-doubts-about-electing-his-wife/?mod=googlenews_wsj

To Win Black Voters, Hillary Clinton Can't Rely Upon Hope and Change
http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/26/politics/hillary-clinton-south-carolina-2016/

[Skwmom]

193. Clinton needs the black vote. I guess one way is to make the other candidates

totally unappealing. Isn't that the drum that has been beating for quite a while - that black voter's won't support Bernie.

See. http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251464074

Hillary adapting their platform was listed as one of the iconic moments of the BLM movement.