Most Sanders supporters are good decent people

[Dem4Life1102]

and not 'Bernie Bros' as they have been characterized. Most that I've had contact here on DU are great people who will intelligently discuss issues and don't deserve to be demonized. True there are a few that are a little too extreme and aggressive but they are the exception, not the rule.

[napi21]

1. There's no doubt that's true. I've always asumed that most Dem supporters would vote for whoever

the nominee is and the ones who say "if it's not Bernie I'll stay home" were just a relatively small but very vocal group.

[elleng]

2. Good to see it.

Thanks

[Dream Girl]

3. Age just tad naive and will to believe Bernie line

[we can do it]

4. I'm sure you're right. I just hope those good people support our nominee.

No matter who.

[SiliconValley_Dem]

5. I agree

[honest.abe]

6. +1

[beastie boy]

7. Agreed-most are decent and civil people. The vast majority are. But Bernie Bros define the narrative

coming out of Bernie's campaign.

I don't know if most Bernie supporters were ever characterized as "Bernie Bros".

A definition from Urban Dictionary may shed some light on the difference between Bernie supporters and Bernie Bros:
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Bernie%20Bro

[mitch96]

8. Im curious how many of these "bad Bernie bro's" are infiltrators trying to split the vote?

This would be a rodger stone move if I ever saw one... YMMV,
m

[stopdiggin]

10. perhaps in anonymous postings (like here on DU)

but that doesn't cover some of the very visible and identifiable (sometimes quite prominent) sources that are clearly tied to Sanders and the campaign.

I agree 100% with the OP .. most Sanders people are wonderful people and absolutely rock solid. But I can't let you get away with suggesting the "problem" is mostly infiltrators. The Bernie Bro thing is real (as has been witnessed and attested to numerous times, here and elsewhere) .. they are identifiably Sanders supporters .. they play by their own rules .. and they are toxic to the party and the democratic process. And frankly, that doesn't bother them in the slightest. It's part of their agenda. Ask them.

[mitch96]

12. "But I can't let you get away with suggesting"

Can you let me get away with asking a question??? pretty please???
m

[TwilightZone]

9. Some quite likely aren't even supporters.

We can only go by what posters claim to be, and that applies to supporters of all of the candidates.

Some posters are pretty clearly intent on doing their professed candidates more harm than good, and for some, I think it's intentional. They're just here to cause division and stir shit up.

Some are pretty obvious about it. Some, not so much.

[RhodeIslandOne]

15. A good chunk would drop their masks if he gets nominated.

And start disinformation against him.

[TwilightZone]

18. Agreed.

Or just create alts, which is what some are doing now.

[squirecam]

11. I go by what the surrogates and campaign staff say.

By that measure, what Turner, Sirota, Brie, Sarandon, Moore, and the like say.

Posters here on a message board. Meh. Doesn’t affect me.

[HarlanPepper]

13. I see misguided more than malicious

But the surrogates are straight up toxic.

[Hortensis]

14. Exception on DU, yes, but NOT the exception among the

following Sanders and those helping him have worked for years now to build. The decents Sanders himself woos at public rallies are desperately needed voters, but it's the ruthless, angry populist energy he's put together that dominates.

And it could get much worse.

If, for instance, the kind of Trump followers who really want him to cancel elections and imprison political opponents became convinced Trump was a loser, many would flock to the other populist leader who's been wooing them for years now. Some have already moved back and forth since 2015. What?! Move from a class-warfare socialist movement that's only nativism-lite to a highly racist fascistic one and then back? No one would do that!

How about in a heartbeat? Because ideology is not what it's about for those. Back in the 1930s the fascists and socialist revolutionaries were always competing for those who want a leader to provide a mob to join. Nazi or socialist revolutionary? Whatever perambulation was the last one was it. As for decency, to this kind of populist that's a weakness to exploit, ignore or smash as needed.

Also, and this is huge: Putin has been working to unite populists in one movement under one leader, reportedly Trump, to destroy us, and he's made serious progress.

The same messaging targeted at decent, idealistic peoople that keeps them from realizing what's happening now would probably continue to be successful for most until way too late.

[Turin_C3PO]

17. I disagree with you.

I don’t think most Sanders supporters want an authoritarian leader. There’s a big difference between the goals of the far right and those of the far left. The far left’s ideas are for the betterment of the average person, the fascists aren’t. What Sanders folks are missing is that change requires compromise and will only be achieved by incrementalism. But as far as Sanders goals, Medicare for all, no cost university, forgiveness of student loans, etc. , these are noble ideas, nothing at all in common with fascist right.

[Hortensis]

19. "Think?" Shouldn't that word be "know" in order to

have a foundation for disagreeing?

Maybe go read up on what our intelligence agencies reported to us so we can make informed decisions to protect ourselves and our nation. They still have agents in Russia, you know, even apparently some with access to the Kremlin in spite of Trump's treason. And other nations are sending them intelligence as well.

Also find out what political scientists who study the destruction of democracies are saying. What's happening in our domestic populist movements is very predictable and clear to understand as merely variations on the techniques that took down Germany, Russia, Iran and many other governments since. Btw, no matter the ideology, corruption and poverty always get worse.

As for how decent Sanders himself is now compared to the past, that would probably require the insights of political psychiatrists. They have found that leaders typically take on characteristics of their followers, not just the vice versa we expect. And both Sanders and Trump have to keep their red-in-tooth-and-nail followers fed and satisfied because they'll eat either who doesn't and then look to the other.

[Turin_C3PO]

20. Sorry, we're not going to agree here.

There’s a world of difference between most Sanders supporters and the deplorables on the right. Absolutely no comparison can be made.

[Hortensis]

22. Another already completely disproven notion.

Probably by now a big "most" of Sanders followers are the kind you imagine. Over 3/4 in 2016 were. And mercifully for the human race, the populist types who can only get what they want by smashing and all in for that are always minorities.

But regardless of their number, the decent ones are mostly just water carriers. They provide the needed votes. The others decide where this class-warfare revolution goes and what methods are used.

If we don't stop it, you should also expect it to become far more authoritarian in trying to achieve Sanders' big ambitions. Most Americans don't want what he does. But the bully-boys in and out of government who've forced every socialist and fascist revolution the world has known are all in for that.

Btw, have you considered that those don't care that their alignment is assisting Russia's efforts to destroy the United States. Starting with being okay with putting corrupt, increasingly fascistic Republicans in power again? Nothing good can come of anything they're an important part of, but they love "our boy, Bernie," as they call their current leader.

[King4ADay]

16. I agree - everyone IRL that I know who supports Sanders does so because they honestly feel

that the system is broken and not working for the majority of regular Americans and want to try something different.

Pretty much the same message and viewpoint that Warren espouses.

[ehrnst]

23. So why do you think that on twitter

so many Sanders supporters call Warren "a snake?"

[King4ADay]

24. I have no idea, but if I had to guess I'd say that it's because they are in a very

similar lane (or at least were), and his supporters may feel that she siphons off some of his support.

But I don’t pay attention to Twitter - it’s a complete toilet.

[ehrnst]

25. It's a good metric. Maybe he siphoned off the support that could have given her a victory over Biden

But one certainly doesn't see this kind of behavior among Warren supporters.

[Moderateguy]

21. I would argue that even most Bernie Bros are not bad people

Just passionate people who are terribly misguided because they do not know/understand how our government works. They feel that all they have to do is get Bernie in the WH and all of their wishes will come true.

[beachbumbob]

26. How many exceptions do you need to see before its a rule. ANY intimidation by supporters

often reflects the nature of THEIR candidate. Ask Betsy Londigran, the democratic candidate in the IL-13th district how she felt when a group of sanders supporters surrounddr her car and prevent her from leaving her event while yelling and screaming at her.

Never heard a word from bernie sanders in apologizing to Betsy have we???

[empedocles]

27. Strong point. The BS campaign, among the 24 Dem Prez campaigns, was

'the exception'. BS campaign consistently stood out for aggressive negativity - as they did in 2016.

[betsuni]

28. ...