2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumThere is no excuse for what the protesters did to Bernie.
Today, Bernie Sanders was invited to an event in downtown Seattle celebrating Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Bernie was asked to come speak about praising the success of these programs and expanding them. However, before he could speak, the event was hijacked and shut down by individuals who are organizers for the #?BlackLivesMatter movement.
As Bernie was being introduced by rally organizers, a few BLM protesters (three women) got on stage and demanded the mic. The rally organizer didn't want to yield the mic, but Bernie went ahead and told the organizer to give the BLM protesters a chance to speak. Bernie stepped off to the side of the stage. The young woman at the mic first gave a sarcastic list of welcomes to Bernie "From Seattle, which was stolen from the Duwamish..." etc.
The speaking protester (claiming to the be co-founder of #BlackLivesMatter's Washington state division) brought up incarceration rates, gentrification, etc. in Seattle, and then asked for a four and a half minute moment of silence for Michael Brown. The crowd managed to keep quiet enough, and the moment of silence was held. The speaking protester then began to make accusations against Bernie and asked him to apologize for his behavior at the Netroots Nation conference, at which point the crowd grew very restless and wanted to listen to him speak. Then, the speaking protester said that Bernie and the white progressives in the crowd were all racists, claiming that they were "white supremacist liberals."
A rally organizer wanted to give the mic to Bernie, but Bernie wanted to resolve the protest, and the gave to mic to someone else (it liked like another rally organizer) who talked about how everyone in attendance was supportive of the BLM movement. However the BLM protesters were very aggressive, rowdy, and threatening, and made it clear that they wouldn't leave the stage until they got another chance with the mic. After several side discussions with campaign workers and others, Sanders appeared to have come to the conclusion that he would not have the chance to speak at the rally, and decided to leave the stage and then made a long walk weaving through the crowd shaking hands with supporters.
I support the overall goals of BLM, but I thought the actions of the protesters today were pathetic, shameful, and disgraceful. The protesters claimed that Bernie didn't say anything about criminal justice reform, but he talked about it in depth at the SCLC and the Urban League. The BLM protesters claim that the event was xenophobic and white supremacist, but that doesn't make any sense given the speakers (Seattle Councilwoman Kshama Sawant was a speaker). Bernie probably has the strongest civil rights record in Congress, and has been explicitly focusing on structural racism. It makes no sense to me that the BLM movement is singling him out for disruptions and harsh criticism when Republicans and establishment Dems are given a pass.
Systemic racism is an important issue, and I hope BLM can find better leadership to pursue the cause. Code Pink slamming Condi is one thing, same with AIDS activists condemning Reagan, but this group taking their frustrations out on Bernie Sanders is BULLSHIT.
Jeb Bush said Black Lives Matter is politically correct nonsense. Ben Carson also said BLM is "PC gone amok." Yet, I haven't seen BLM interrupt them, calling them "white supremacists," or disrupt their rallies and events.
We've seen #BernieSoBlack, #RedefineProgressive blasting Bernie on twitter, etc. All of which I would have been okay with if BLM also targeted Hillary, and all the other candidates including the GOP ones, with the same level of criticism. But BLM has definitely singled him out to protest and disrupt. They haven't targeted Hillary at all. In fact, a BLM representative praised Hillary on MSNBC while basically calling Bernie Sanders a "phony."
I'm just very disappointed.
Rosa Luxemburg
(28,627 posts)I don't think the three people who interrupted Bernie's speech tonight were supposed to do that according to BLM.
roguevalley
(40,656 posts)Gman
(24,780 posts)Get some Corbin your audience. It looks like the RNC.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)ibegurpard
(16,685 posts)Seattle is a lily-white liberal city. If you want allies for your cause you're likely to lose many of them by calling them racists...whether it's true or not. Black Lives Matter as any kind of organization needs to do some serious organizing and strategizing or they risk just being ignored. And as a movement that can't be allowed to happen.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)But we are going to promote the cause LOUDLY. How they hell can a person be president if this breaks them down? Obama got heckled by a fucking congressman during the SOTU. This is not the apocalypse. You guys overreact and threaten to remove supoort from black lives and we think it's racist so more heckling to come.
ibegurpard
(16,685 posts)My outrage at institutional racism and police abuse will continue regardless of what misguided protesters do.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)ibegurpard
(16,685 posts)I'm dismissing the messengers. Including you. Bye now.
sheshe2
(83,319 posts)The more I see, the more I pay attention.
zentrum
(9,865 posts)at Hillary rallies? At Republican rallies?
davidn3600
(6,342 posts)I'm sure they will...but only after Hillary has the nomination, right?
Cha
(295,899 posts)coalition building? So he's "disappointed" because he came to talk about "Social Security and Medicare".. which these Black kids being murdered by police will have no chance.
This Will Keep Happening Until Bernie Sanders Learns
snip//
Instead too many of you are on Twitter right now whitesplaining and lecturing and talking down to black folks and people of all hues who happen to see this through the lens of the same team. Oh, yeah, that's a real bright idea for winning this campaign. Let's go on Twitter and troll the black people about how they don't understand Bernie.
Bernie handled it badly again today. He left the stage and went shaking hands among the white people in the crowd. He told a reporter that the protesters "don't want to listen to anything." Just like in Phoenix, he ran.
Contrast that will how Martin O'Malley handled the #BlackLivesMatter Protest in Phoenix .. he shut up. sat down and listened, and listened a lot more. Went through out to conference all the damn day seeking to listen to people of color who would talk to him. And, since then he has put out the most progressive and detailed policy proposals on controlling police violence, prison and criminal justice reform and related matters. You don't see people protesting at his rallies. They probably will soon enough but, he'll know how to respond unlike your guy."
Much more.. worth the read.. https://www.tsu.co/AlGiordano/75250428
2pooped2pop
(5,420 posts)to throw them out on their asses.
Cha
(295,899 posts)2pooped2pop
(5,420 posts)Just kiss their asses forever? How long is he suppose to put up with this kind of shit before he has to take action? He'll talk, no problem. But have them dog him at every meeting? Hell no. Enough is enough. WHy Bernie of all of them, why Bernie. Money. someone is paying someone.
Yeah, he tried to let them talk, but to let them show that he is too weak to toss em out? No fucking way. Enough.
I was proud when I watched the Ferguson protest. I respected them. I wanted to join them in the protest. But now with this group protesting the only one that would be of use to them if elected just makes me think they are dumber than a box of fucking rocks.
Yeah, lets just let them fucking take over every rally, every meeting. Fuck no
Cha
(295,899 posts)zappaman
(20,605 posts)ljm2002
(10,751 posts)...and your characterization of the OP is unfair to say the least.
So do you think Bernie Sanders has been singled out by Black Lives Matter? If so, why? He has spoken out on the issues that face the black community, including high unemployment, high incarceration rates, and unfair and often brutal treatment by law enforcement. He made it a point to say Sandra Bland's name after the Netroots Nation incident, and he has brought it up several times. And his long-time record on civil rights is well-known.
Everyone keeps saying he needs to do more. What would you suggest he do more of?
cali
(114,904 posts)Calling Sanders and the audience white supremacists. You may agree with them but it it's only damaging the movement. BLM needs allies.
MissDeeds
(7,499 posts)Bernie extended a hand to one of the women and she refused to shake his hand. He then stepped back, giving them the chance to speak.
Bernie showed them a lot more respect than they showed him.
Phlem
(6,323 posts)What's the fascination with Bernie?
Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)But all those women did was to disrupt someone who had done nothing to deserve their anger. And #BowDownBernie (thehashtag blm Seattle launched to justify this)? What the hell is THAT?
There's no reason to silence somebody who agrees with you, and targeting the white left for "calling out" achieves nothing.
They need to at least do the decent thing and leave Bernie's rally alone tonight.
passiveporcupine
(8,175 posts)If BLM wanted to talk to Bernie about institutional racism in this country, they would not approach him this way. I am starting to think they don't want to talk to him at all. The only thing they intended to do here was insult him and prevent him from speaking at a meeting where the topic was supposed to be about Social Security and Medicare...not racism. That was not his choice.
Why don't they approach him and sit down and tell him what they want him to do? If you are trying to work with someone for change, you don't start off by insulting them.
I don't know why you can't see this.
2pooped2pop
(5,420 posts)and you only give in so far to people who want to act like that. A lot of people traveled to see Bernie, not 3 women with their own agenda. They tried letting them have their say but that was not enough. I don't think anything would have been enough. They just caused the one step forward, two steps back rule to activate. Two steps back. Try again.
Fawke Em
(11,366 posts)Go head to head again with me.
YOU are shot and killed. People like my son are shot, killed and demonized.
Alert me again.
dreamnightwind
(4,775 posts)Perhaps it's time to stop saying we support BLM and start saying we support black lives.
I don't know, depends on whether this is the group doing this or just a few outliers, but the group has had plenty of opportunity to distance themselves from focusing on Sanders and they have not. The apology was pretty specifically phrased to be about calling people that wanted to hear Bernie speak "white supremacist liberals". IMO they jumped the shark, with me at least.
Hydra
(14,459 posts)I support the AA cause, and was right with them when the flag came down...but BLM coordinated with the Hillary campaign to damage a civil rights supporter.
That's just not right.
dreamnightwind
(4,775 posts)though we don't know for sure thaat they coordinated with the Clinton campaign, there might be some other explanation, whatever it is is messed up.
I no longer have any sympathy for BLM, they have establshed themselves as part of the problem, not part of the solution. I have a lot of sympathy for what they are supposedly about. So does Bernie.
Hydra
(14,459 posts)But every one of the usual suspects here were on the issue almost the same moment the Netroots incident happened, all singing on key with the exact same talking points and sounding perfectly prepared. I gave the group the chance to do the right thing and use the momentum they suddenly had, and they squandered it to help HRC, who is most assuredly NOT their friend.
In the process, they also hurt my advocacy for equal rights and economic rights, but at least it was short lived, and they have actually catapulted the movement back into place by their actions.
seveneyes
(4,631 posts)I'm not sure there is a classification for the stupid that transpired.
Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)pa28
(6,145 posts)He's not going to lose any votes by having bullying, threatening disruptors escorted from the stage. He might even gain some.
Cheese Sandwich
(9,086 posts)The group that staged today's #BowDownBernie event have only set up their facebook yesterday...
MEDIA CONTACTS: Marissa Johnson blacklivesmatterseattle@gmail.com
Black Lives Matter Seattle organizers and supporters take over Bernie Sanders rally at Westlake on Saturday, August 8, 2015.
Today BLM Seattle, with the support of other Black organizers and non-Black allies and accomplices, held Bernie Sanders publicly accountable for his lack of support for the Black Lives Matter movement and his blatantly silencing response to the #?SayHerName #?IfIDieInPoliceCustody action that took place at Netroots this year.
https://www.facebook.com/BLMSeattle/posts/716844418437393
Meanwhile other, more well know Seattle #blackLivesMatter activists have distanced themselves from the action...
Which you can read here:
https://twitter.com/blm_seattle
And elsewhere online
truebrit71
(20,805 posts)Last edited Sun Aug 9, 2015, 12:10 AM - Edit history (1)
... to go pound sand...
WorseBeforeBetter
(11,441 posts)BlueJazz
(25,348 posts)...and or money to pull a stunt like that.
Phlem
(6,323 posts)or "How dare you ask".
You can't win for trying.
I'll tell you what, this act was belligerent and uninformed to the extreme.
They created more discord amongst their supporters than the positive outcome I think they wished to achieve. Clearly there is a disconnect between allies and enemies.
Let's see how well that plays out.
BlueJazz
(25,348 posts)...and IF they were smart enough to pull a stunt like that. We all know the repugs will do anything short of murder to win.
Strike the "short of murder" in the last sentence.
HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)jalan48
(13,797 posts)W T F
(1,145 posts)sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)and Hillary is getting the blame, rightly or wrongly. Meantime the event was spectacular with over 15,000 people attending, filled to capacity with 3,000 having to listen from outside.
Zorra
(27,670 posts)polls next week, at Hillary's expense. Bernie should offer them a mic, free beer, and hot dogs to show up at more gigs.
Totally rad entertainment.
Go #BLM!!!