Bernie and racial equality issues through the decades.

[madfloridian]

Racial Equality

Bernie Sanders has rightly received criticism for not explicitly addressing racial issues in America beyond how economic inequality disproportionately affects people of color. However, what Sanders’ words have merely glossed over, his long, inspirational history of supporting civil rights absolutely confirms.

Sanders has been passionate about racial equality since the 1960s, when he was once arrested for protesting segregation. In college, he was a coordinator for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). The SNCC often collaborated with Martin Luther King, Jr. to protest segregation and structural racism. According to his campaign website, Sanders was also an officer of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), and led sit-ins to protest off-campus housing at the University of Chicago. Sanders’ current support of marijuana legalization could also be interpreted as an effort to help the African Americans and Latinos disproportionately persecuted by racist law enforcement.

.....Bernie is also a vocal supporter of DREAMers. He supports immigration reform, and has spoken candidly about the plights of immigrants:

They have been routinely cheated out of wages, held virtually captive by employers who have seized their documents, forced to live in unspeakably inhumane conditions and denied medical benefits for on-the-job injuries.

The writer notes that Bernie was fighting for racial equality long before he began his political career.

It’s worth noting that Sanders’ activism for racial equality began long before his political career did. It’s a lot easier to believe that in his 20s, the current presidential hopeful was a young man who sincerely believed equality was worth fighting for. He meant for his involvement in the civil rights movement to create lasting change, not just be used as leverage to attract the minority voting pool. Sure, I think it would be great if Sanders expanded on his history a little bit more, but at the same time, I think the fact that he doesn’t boast is pretty telling of his humble, genuine character.

[DRoseDARs]

1. Nonsense. It wasn't until #BLM confronted him...

...that he even became aware that black people existed. And he's totally racist, because reasons.

[SoapBox]

2. Clarification please.

Anyone else...am I confused by this post?

[marym625]

3. I assume you are being sarcastic

But please make that clear.

Also, though I or anyone obviously can't tell anyone else what to think, this subject is best left in the past. It's been done to death and it's not helping Senator Sanders, or the campaign, to rehash this. The message was sent and received and it's the message that matters. Let's move forward like Senator Sanders has. His speech tonight at SCLC shows what we should be talking about.


We're here to support the Senator

[SoapBox]

4. +1

[DRoseDARs]

5. It is precisely as it reads.

He has a long history of civil rights support, but to some it's like none of that exists. And I'll leave the stoicism to the senator.

[Autumn]

7. Right now people in this group are a little touchy. In here we all know it exists. Save the snark

for those who deny his history please. Not everyone gets that your post was sarcasm.

[L0oniX]

8. Need to use the sarc tag. BTW luv the sig line.

[hootinholler]

9. BWAHAHAHAHA

Thanks for the laugh!