2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Bernie Sanders is going to have to speak on more issues affecting black people. [View all]artislife
(9,497 posts)He has some good people around him, perhaps they need to sit down and talk to him about his approach.
What I guess a lot of people don't understand is how racism feels, what the experience is like.
I was talking to a client turned good friend. My mother was Irish and my father was Native/Mexican. I was talking about my maternal grandfather who stopped coming to our house. He was drunk and mad and called us kids "Half breeds". He cut my mother off.
I have stood on the streets of San Diego with my grandmother as people passed and called out the word "Spick."
My older brother who is darker skinned than I, spent a week in jail on a traffic violation in Midland Texas without being charged.
People who haven't lived it, don't get what the experience is like. I don't even. I have had very few events. I cannot compare my life with someone who is Black in this society. But I get the sense that a lot of infractions are overlooked if you feel that generally you might get a fair shake. Because to get 24/7 respect is too much to ask for. Not in this country, not in these times.
So they know the Clintons and even if there have been infractions and bad moves, they haven't been evil. They have helped at times. They are a known quantity. Bernie is too color blind, I am gathering. That comes across to some as not getting it. Not getting it all.
I, too am a Bernie supporter..hard core. I don't take offense at his color blindness. But then again, I am not getting pelted with racism on a daily basis.