Sanders: "Aren't most of the people who sell the drugs African American?"

[RandySF]

The experience was a new one for Sanders. On a trip to Seattle in August 2015, Black Lives Matter activists interrupted two events in one day. The next day, in a meeting with Don't Shoot PDX, a Portland group loosely affiliated with Black Lives Matter, Sanders repeatedly answered questions by referring the activists to his campaign website. (“He said: ‘I don't know you and u don't me, so you have to read my website, you can go on [there] and see my work and judge me from that,’" one attendee recalled in a Facebook post about the meeting.)

Around that time, the candidate brought on Symone Sanders to serve as his national press secretary and one of the first black faces of his campaign. During her first week on the job, she said, she told Sanders that he had to treat racial inequality and economic inequality as “parallel issues” — a suggestion she said he ran with. “I [told him], you know, economic equality is an issue. It’s something we need to address. But for some people it doesn’t matter how much money you make, it doesn’t matter where you went to school, it doesn’t matter what your parents do. It doesn’t matter that Sandra Bland had a job and was on her way to teach for her alma mater. It doesn’t matter. None of that matters.”

By the time his campaign aides scrambled to release a detailed criminal justice platform on Aug. 9, Sanders was still struggling. In a September meeting with Campaign Zero, a movement formed out of the Ferguson protests, activists asked Sanders why, in his opinion, there were a disproportionate amount of people of color in jail for nonviolent drug offenses. Sanders, seated across the table, a yellow legal pad at hand, responded with a question of his own, according to two people present: “Aren’t most of the people who sell the drugs African American?” The candidate, whose aides froze in the moment, was quickly rebuffed: The answer, the activists told him, was no. Even confronted with figures and data to the contrary, Sanders appeared to have still struggled to grasp that he had made an error, the two people present said.



https://www.buzzfeed.com/rubycramer/bernie-sanders-revolution-needs-black-voters-to-win-but-can?utm_term=.xhp4gKb0yx#.sfdvgAbDLn

[R B Garr]

1. This is just one of the problems with unvetted

talking points and zero accountability. Applause lines only are not what we need.

[MrPool]

3. Well of course he said that

they're more POC in jail in Vermont then in the work force probably got that from one of his "economic anxiety" neighbors.
Now waits for translator of what he really meant to say.............

[Wwcd]

4. Weaver will be along to explain, as soon as he dries his eyes

I mean, massive blunder.

[R B Garr]

6. Yes. There goes his civil rights cred...? It's not just

marching 50 years ago......wow.

[Wwcd]

2. This is why I have no need to step anywhere outside my Democratic Party.

This right here.

[Garrett78]

5. This is more or less why the 2016 Democratic Primary was essentially over by the 2nd week of March.

[brush]

150. If this had come out then it would really been over and we could've...

spent time battling against trump instead of wasting out time fighting a divisive campaign.

This info was held back because if it had come out a certain candidate would've been finished.

[uponit7771]

7. You've got to be fuckin kidding me

[malaise]

141. For starters big pharma sells

most of the drugs

[brush]

151. Yeah, we wasted all that time on a divisive campaign that would've been over...

if this had come out.

This info would've that so-called great civil rights record of marching in the '60s null and void.

[joshcryer]

8. Most black people reside in the South, which go Red.

This is why these "new leftists" don't give two shits about them. We saw the arguments loud and clear during the nomination.

[Dopers_Greed]

11. When will they learn that we still need Dems to turn out in red states?

Dump would have one more Senate seat to do his bidding if black voters hadn't turned out in Alabama.

[joshcryer]

12. All they care about is the Presidency.

They don't care about the House or Senate.

[Adrahil]

92. Some of those states in the South are turning Purple.

North Carolina and even Georgia. We need those voters.

[bettyellen]

52. We saw the arguments to mollify the white working class by downplaying sexism and racism constantly-

And all I got to say is, these idiots don’t appreciate who the base are- and how they are the bulk of progressive activists in this country.

[Hamlette]

10. seriously?

that's your reaction?

Hardly a slow news day.

[Hamlette]

61. maybe because he keeps kicking us?

[airmid]

14. I supported Sanders in the Primary and Hillary in the General but being fairly new, I am starting to

feel like I don't belong here. I just can't bring myself to hate Sanders enough for some Dems here and most at my local office. While I will just pull back, for some this will be a reason to just stay home. Because this is not just happening here. I am watching the same thing playing out in several online arenas as well. We don't need Russians to separate us, we are doing just fine on our own. And I know I am about to get eaten alive due to my low post count.

[Demsrule86]

36. Voting with to send a message or "heart" is how Trump got elected...with help from the

Russians of course. How is it hate if Sen. Sanders actually said it...it it was anyone else saying it how would you feel?

[EffieBlack]

53. Quoting Sanders isn't "Bernie-hate". eom

[Kentonio]

16. Lots of us here support Bernie

Unfortunately we also have plenty of trolls and Russian bots whose only purpose apparently is to divide Democrats before the midterms. If you start putting them on ignore, you quickly realize how few the most vocal are. I ignored maybe a dozen people last year and it cut the number of attack-Bernie threads by about 2/3rds.

[airmid]

17. Yeah...I am still learning all the technical things here like trashing threads and such. I just

hate what is happening in our country so much. Too much emotional angst and not enough critical thinking....

[Demsrule86]

37. You know what I hate...Trump. I hate that DACA kids are in danger, I hate that the liar

in chief is defunding Chip (the ACA also) if he can, I hate the big tax cut for the rich, and the baker ruling which has emboldened the LGBTQ haters, I hate the end of net neutrality,I hate Gorsuch...I could go on and on...I am emotional about babies ripped from their parents arms by Trump and the evil troll Jeff Sessions etc. etc. etc. The list is endless. This is not a college philosophy exercise...it is real life. And people are dying because of Trump and the Republicans. See, what I think is if Sen. Sanders said this and I don't see anyone disputing that than, it is likely he won't get enthusiastic support form POC who are hugely important in all elections. This is understandable, and then Trump wins a second term.This is unthinkable. There will be no reason for critical thinking and a debate on emotional angst because the progressive movement will be dead. I think we need fresh candidates that won't divide us or remind us of the 2016 election debacle. The house is on fire kids. This is not the moment for endless debate. Let's move into the future with a new resolve and a new candidate for president. Let's vote in so many fucking midterms that the media says...given that Democrats always turn out for midterms...Time to move on to save our families, our party and our country from the vile GOP party and Trump.

[radical noodle]

46. I agree

and we can't let progressive purity stand in our way. Elect Dems everywhere. Republicans learned a long time ago how important a majority is to gaining ground. We need to do the same. Having a majority is key.

[Demsrule86]

90. We need to elect every damn Democrat...moderate liberal...doesn't matter. After reviewing

our party history, I am more and more convinced, we must have a big tent...50 state strategy...the time we are in now is analogous to past times where we lost big...Humphrey, McGovern and Dukakis ...would add Gore and Kerry...of Course Hillary Clinton as well to this too...when the left left Green types and the right both attacked our candidates. We need warm bodies...we won't get everything but we will move forward and 100% of nothing is still nothing when you are out of power.

[radical noodle]

108. Exactly!

They need to be motivated to GOTV!

[Demsrule86]

146. Yep, we can beat the GOP is we stick together.

[airmid]

139. I have never voted for any other Party but Democratic.

[Demsrule86]

145. I haven't either.

[Sunlei]

18. so did I & if D party voters accept the divisiveness of bernie hate & the 'new' 'leftist' word,

the loss of 3 or 4 percent will only help the Republican party votes.

[stonecutter357]

79. lol

[betsuni]

87. "While I will just pull back, for some this will be a reason to just stay home."

[brush]

135. Doesn't the fact that he thought AAs were drug dealers compel you...

to at least reconsider what you think?

The party of the people, a big, consistent party of our base being AAs, doesn't need that kind of unaware, uninformed representation.

[airmid]

138. I never said nor implied he is perfect. If I held up every wrong or idiotic thing people said, every

one of them would be under the bus. I do not do Cult of Personality. And thanks for laughing at me. Glad you got a good chuckle.Seems to me a thing with some folks. And with that I will crawl back into my hole.

[brush]

143. How you interpret what I wrote as laughing at you I will never know.

Asking you to consider another perspective is what I was trying to

do. But if you want to talk about something laughable, how about

a pol so uninformed and unaware yet wanting to head the

Democratic Party while thinking AAs are mostly drug dealers—AAs

who make up a huge, loyal part of the party's voting base?

Now that's laughable, but laughably sad at the same time.

[emulatorloo]

153. Sitting home isn't going to stop Trump. Lots of people here like Bernie. Stay and defend him.

[Squinch]

20. Because quoting BS is kicking BS.

You might want to think about that fact.

[Squinch]

23. That is absolutely the point. No one is bashing BS.

They are quoting BS. And way too often he is bashing Democrats.

And it continues, frequently, to this day, and it divides us during a time when we are led by a madman and our survival depends on our uniting against that. There is only one man who divides us. And he continues to do so, and he does it intentionally.

[betsuni]

30. Since when is what a politician says in the past off limits?

I thought it showed their judgement and character and what they'll do in the future. That's what we are constantly told about Democrats. Hmmmm. You might want to think about that fact and hold feet to the fire equally.

[Demsrule86]

38. But you have no opinion on what he said?

I don't get that.

[LanternWaste]

45. Criticism of sacred cows is always perceived as "bashing."

"I thought the primaries were over..."

No doubt you maintain that same ethical consistency as applied to posts lauding his accomplishments as well... it's merely my fault for not having seen them.

Else one may be led to believe you hold two different standards for the same concept. "You might want to think about that fact..."

Mere criticism of sacred cows is always perceived as "bashing;" on the other hand, its worship is invariably perceived as "valid criticism and relevant to the day." Every time.

[EffieBlack]

54. If we have to hear - again and again - that "Bernie marched for civil rights in the '60s," we can ce

talk about something he said three years ago ...

[Hekate]

64. +1

[betsuni]

72. +2

[grantcart]

106. You have to figure it on the "white" time scale and the"black" time scale.

If it makes a white person look good the metric is light years.

If a white person says something racist/stupid and says they were misunderstood then it can't be brought up after 48 hours.

[EffieBlack]

131. Lol!

Bingo!

[ehrnst]

122. +1000 (nt)

[ehrnst]

82. Those are Bernie's own words. That is the point. (nt)

[heaven05]

27. Sander's did say

Last edited Tue Jun 12, 2018, 10:39 AM - Edit history (1)

more AA are in jail because it is predominantly AA who sell drugs. Okay "slow news day", Oliver North, of the Reagan administration oversaw the drug running operations of the Reagan administration and that dynamic is overseen by straight white males who own the means of transportation that is still in operation. The plan was/is to keep people enslaved, predominantly, AA's

Now the question is still, who has the capacity to bring in huge amounts of drugs into this country, like cocaine and heroin? That enslaves so many, of all races and cultures? All those AA Sanders say are drug dealers/users. I am surprised undercover man would say something so asinine and stupid, ever. He is no champion of the downtrodden.

Many AA are enslaved by addictive drugs, so it so for Hispanics, Asians and more white people, just because of demographics, than all other races and cultures combined. It's just that white people get the breaks at sentencing that the brown american doesn't. And that's for the very same offence and record. Statements like yours designed to further distract and divert from Sen. Sanders obviously jaundiced opinion on the drug problem in ameriKKKa and brown people(s) is very troubling indeed.

It was stupid of him to say such a thing when it is not true. But, well.............

[ehrnst]

81. Sharing his own words is "kicking him?"

[GaryCnf]

19. He certainly missed an opportunity

To speak truth to establishment power. When this question arose

In a September meeting with Campaign Zero, a movement formed out of the Ferguson protests, activists asked Sanders why, in his opinion, there were a disproportionate amount of people of color in jail for nonviolent drug offenses.

The correct answer would have been, "it's a result of faux progressives who attacked fellow Democrats for opposing mandatory minimums in 2008 and would not support our Democratic president who wanted to get rid of them until he delivered what they wanted first."

[betsuni]

21. He also said this, and how anybody doesn't know this common knowledge amazes me:

"... honestly, I didn't know this until a week ago that in 1960, it turns out, Detroit was one of the wealthiest cities in America. Flint, Michigan, which today is mired in terrible poverty, was an extremely prosperous city."

But quoting is bashing in Bizarro World, so to those who live there, have at it.

[R B Garr]

50. Wow, that's amazing. Common knowledge is exactly right. Even if you're not

steeped in the issues, these things are just common knowledge. Detroit?? Unequal sentencing for black drug offenders?? C'mon now, who doesn't know this.

[Cha]

69. ".. quoting is bashing.." lol

Tough.

[Fix The Stupid]

25. "They" are scared to death of Bernie. Must be doing something right. n/t

[heaven05]

28. no, nothing to be scared of

never has when it comes to....forget it, truth about sen. sanders hurt too many here.

[betsuni]

31. You did not fix it.

[Squinch]

32. 'They" being the people who want to unify and

defeat trump, and who would like to stop playing into the hands of Russian trolls, yes. We are scared to death there will be petulant booing at the next convention and a candidate who divides Democrats.

[Demsrule86]

39. Sure, I am scared to death Sen Sanders may cost us the 2020 election...Divide the electorate.

I am not claiming it would be intentional. Trump will win a second term if this happens. And that should terrify all of us. That is why I fear Sen. Sanders in this context. It is my opinion, he most likely won't win the 2020 primary, but when it is over, will the Democrat who emerges be able to win the General after what may be a bruising primary?

[comradebillyboy]

58. And based on his past behavior he won't concede when he is

obviously beaten and will continue to campaign against the winner.

[Demsrule86]

71. And the party...as well...that is my worry.

That is why he has lost support here...fear of another 2016 debacle in 2020.

[jalan48]

62. Wall Street and the big corporations definitely don't want Bernie or his ideas.

[R B Garr]

101. Where is Tad Devine?

He sure knows a lot of oligarchs — who also have many big ideas.

[jalan48]

110. Oh that Bernie! Doesn't he know that now is the time to be sucking up to the big banks and

corporations. At this stage in his career he should be positioning himself to make tens of millions of dollars after he gets out of office, giving "speeches" to these institutions.

[R B Garr]

113. Oh! Speaking of tens of millions! Tad Devine knows

lots of oligarchs with tens of millions! Oh! I think they call that “dark money”. I guess that might mean foreign money, kind of like what Manafort arranged for Trump.

See, anytime you can type “corporations” and Wall Street, now we can type “dark money” and everyone can be accusatory —just because!

[jalan48]

114. Yes, yes. Bernie just has to be some type of operative. He's probably been one since his days of

fighting for civil rights in the early 60's!

[R B Garr]

115. Tad Devine worked with the kingpin of "operatives"

Paul Manafort. 😮 Somebody somewhere knows something! Dark money oligarchs. Accusing people is the way to go...

Now back to the safe space of “civil rights”. This thread shows Bernie fell way behind in his civil rights knowledge since 50 years ago. You should read the OP.

[jalan48]

116. I've heard Goldman Sachs pays really well for "speeches".

[R B Garr]

117. I've heard of FBI bank fraud investigations...

[jalan48]

118. Time will tell on the one hand but not on the other.

[R B Garr]

119. Time has already told. When asked to name what

policies she changed, Sanders couldn’t. It was all a smear meant to malign her to gain an advantage and be a “gotcha”. Dirty.

[jalan48]

120. It was uncomfortable, I agree.

[R B Garr]

121. And now we have Trump.

[jalan48]

123. Yes we do, but then we had Bush/Cheney (torture), Bush Sr.and Reagan. Hopefully we can come

together in the fall. I think we will.

[R B Garr]

129. Yes, vote for the Democrat. I think we'll see some great pickups, too. nt

[jalan48]

133. I'm on board with that.

[R B Garr]

134. Perfect!

[lapucelle]

127. Protesters shut down Pennsylvania Avenue today.

Among those protesting the separation policy were civil rights icon and longtime Georgia Rep. John Lewis (D), Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY), Rep. Al Green (D-TX), and Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL), Rep. Jimmy Gonzalez (D-CA), and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA). According to Splinter, Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), the first former undocumented immigrant to serve in Congress, was also present in several photos from the protest.

https://thinkprogress.org/democrats-protest-child-separation-policy-4155c49d77b2/

[jalan48]

132. Great to see!

[ehrnst]

83. Who is they? People who repeat what he says? (nt)

[betsuni]

85. "They"

[grantcart]

105. And since his moniker is "fix the stupid" add a few more rows.

[lunamagica]

112. Yes, he really scares me. And it isn't because he is "doing something right"

He scares me because I'm afraid he will be a force that will help trump win in 2020. He scares me because I'm afraid he will run again, and it will be a disaster. He really scares me.

[ExciteBike66]

26. I don't see the "error" here on Sanders' part

He asked a question and was given info that answered that question.

From his further statement (not linked above), Sanders clearly does not hold the opinion that most drug dealers are black.

[Nanjeanne]

29. I voice of reason in an OP posted for only one purpose.

[Fix The Stupid]

35. Exactly...these people are so transparent...

If I were their boss, i would be asking for my money back.

Just don't get the same value these days in paid propaganda.

[Hekate]

66. Are you saying, Fix the Stupid, that the OP is a paid propagandist? Also that those who agree...

...or are willing to have a civil conversation about the ignorance of a man who actually ran for POTUS as a Democrat?

Please be very clear, okay?

QUOTE, post 35
Exactly...these people are so transparent...
If i were their boss, i would be asking for my money back.
Just don't get the same value these days in paid propaganda.
END QUOTE

[Fix The Stupid]

93. ...

My cat's breath smells like cat food.

[betsuni]

98. The cat's in the bag and the bag's in the river.

[Cha]

68. You need to look in the mirror.. all you have are personal

insults. You lose.

[betsuni]

74. What, give back all this money just for posting paid propaganda on DU?

NO WAY, MAN. This is the easiest job I've ever had. All I have to do is quote Bernie Sanders once a day and sprinkle a few +1s around and the dough comes ROLLING IN. I'm thinking about taking a trip to the south of France for vacation this year! Thanks, David Brock!

[Adrahil]

107. "these people. " Nice. NT

[uponit7771]

56. Some questions reveal more than just a persons lack of knowledge on a subject

[ExciteBike66]

80. This might make sense if the question were asked by a Republican, but

Sanders is pretty much known to be on "our" side. Thus, it is very difficult for me to read into this more than what is on the surface. I'm not interested in tossing out an ally merely for asking a question to which he should already have known the answer.

I would be more inclined to view Sanders with suspicion if the article had provided actual quotes from him in the followup to his question, rather than just stating he "appeared" to have trouble understanding his question was problematic.

[Demsrule86]

91. Sanders has made a number of unfortunate remarks about identity politics and advanced

the theory that social justice should take a back seat to economic policy...that if we achieve equality in terms of the economy...social justice will come along for the ride... I don't believe that. He is known to have difficulty attracting Black voters. Thus, I think it was a reasonable question and his answer was unfortunate.

[Tom Rinaldo]

33. I don't expect the politicians who I am open to supporting to always be right

I expect them to be open to learning when they are wrong. If that was a rhetorical question spoken from a podium at a campaign rally that would be one thing. Here though it was a face to face private meeting with Black activists, and it was an actual question.

So Bernie got some schooling. Good. That's how it is supposed to work. Sanders took time to meet with that group. Earlier he allowed a Black Lives Matter activist to take over the stage while he was speaking. Than he hired Symone Sanders, out of Black Lives Matter, to serve as his national press secretary. That was a good move, he needed someone like her around him. I agree that Sanders was not at the forefront of the civil rights movement when he ran for President. But he was not and is not a racist and he was then and is now highly supportive of equal rights for all.

[Demsrule86]

40. Having an opinion that Black people are most of the drug dealers and then having some one refute

said opinion...you consider that how 'it is supposed to work'? And do you believe that will play in a party where POC must turn out in huge numbers for us to win? I don't see it...I really don't.

[leftstreet]

41. POC forgave Hillary for the 'superpredator' remarks

according to the article

Yes, people are flexible

[Demsrule86]

43. Bill Clinton had a long history with POC. Sen. Sanders doesn't have that.

And the identity politics remarks and his stance that economic equality will breed social equality isn't going to work...that we must abandon Identity politics. Civil rights is not negotiable. Also, the MLK thing happened just recently and was met by deep resentment in the Black community according to what I read. I just don't feel Sen. Sanders would have enthusiastic support in the Black and Brown community. Has he even said a word about kids being ripped from their parents arms at the border? I googled and found nothing thus far.


I myself won't vote for Sen. Sanders in 20 in a primary (general sure, but I fear he would lose) because of his remarks on identity politics. I did vote for Sen. Sanders in Ohio in 16. I think it would be risky for us if he enters the Democratic primary. WE don't want a divided electorate again. Also, Democrats should run in a Democratic primary not independents. His presence in a 20 primary will make it more likely Trump wins the general (God forbid) in my opinion-not even his fault...just to controversial, and no one person is worth that risk. We have great Democrats who could run- non-divisive solid candidates that all Democrats could support.

[Tom Rinaldo]

47. It could hurt him in a primary, depending on who else runs

And yes, that might be enough to prevent Senator Sanders from winning the Democratic nomination for President if he seeks it again. We all know that primaries are different, because people often vote their heart in a primary, supporting the person they feel closest to. Obama won the Democratic nomination in 2008 over Clinton largely because he ended up with more support from POC than Clinton had. That obviously didn't mean that most African Americans were unwilling to support Hillary Clinton though. They chose Obama over her.

Bernie Sanders ran on a platform that undeniably would have bettered the lives of most POC had he won and had it been enacted. His voting record on issues facing minorities was one of the best in Congress. He would have appointed people to leadership roles in his administration much more in tune with the nuances of racial justice than he himself was, and they would have had his ear. Harry Belafonte endorsed Bernie in 2016 and he is not the type to support anyone who doesn't understand the fundamental importance of human rights. There can be good reasons why Black Americans might prefer another candidate for president over Bernie Sanders, and like I said above that can hurt him. But should Sanders ever run for President as the Democratic nominee I would be shocked if the Black community withheld their support from him. There is not a single elected Republican in the nation who can compete with Sanders on matters of civil rights and racial justice.

[Demsrule86]

73. Believe me I would much prefer to have Sen. Sanders sitting in the White House than the Orange

menace. It is not that they would refuse to vote for Sen. Sanders...but that some would not be enthusiastic and that dampens the votes. I think women would not turn out as enthusiastically either. Some of the remarks were a bit hard to take...Now with the hatred of Shitler...Sen Sanders might get by. But I don't think it is worth the risk. And he will be 80. I have a hard time with that. I have seen my older family members health chance completely in a matter of hours. I know it can happen to a younger person but an older person is more at risk. We need stability after Trump. The presidency is a terrible job and it ages even young men...look at Pres. Obama and President Clinton...in the before and afters. I would prefer a younger candidate But, I will vote for whoever the Democratic nominee is and pray that he/she wins and saves this country.

[Tom Rinaldo]

95. I agree that Senator Sander's age is a concern of mine as well

All things being equal I would far prefer offering someone of a younger generation as our next presidential candidate. Speaking only for myself I do not categorically reject supporting someone of Bernie's age, but being in one's mid 70's is at least one strike against a candidate in my view.

[Demsrule86]

147. I say the same thing about Biden whom I have adored for years...we need younger blood.

Don't get me wrong, I will support the Democratic nominee whoever that might be.

[uponit7771]

57. 1. She wasn't referring to black people, 2. It was mostly Russians saying she was

[ecstatic]

75. +1000. nt

[Cuthbert Allgood]

97. "She wasn't referring to black people" You can't be serious.

Maybe you weren't alive at that time, but that phrase was ABSO-FUCKING-LUTELY a racist dog whistle. She was 100% going fear politics with that.

What revisionist bullshit.

ETA: Check out this article at The Root if you don't want to believe me.

"That’s all well and good, but using the term “superpredators” was completely in line with the racial dog-whistling that Clinton is currently known for doing in order to appeal to other Third Way Democrats and moderate Republicans—and the record needs to reflect that, even in the face of Trump hysteria."

Though I'm sure you will think that Kirsten West Savali is a Russian bot.

[uponit7771]

109. Sigh, you nor Kirsten quoted Clinton or posted a vid or transcripts cause ...

... she said nothing about black people.

I've seen the video, read the transcripts and the quotes

she mentions nothing about black people

[Cuthbert Allgood]

126. Yeah. It's a racist dog whistle of the time.

The point of a dog whistle is you don't need to say the bad thing you mean.

Nice try, though. Actually, it was pretty weaksauce, but I bet you were pretty proud of it.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

137. So when right-wingers talk about "thugs" or "urban thugs" or.....

.... “Cadillac driving welfare queens” they could be referring to white people as well?

Good to know...

[Tarheel_Dem]

59. Bill & Hillary developed and nurtured relationships with POC even when the cameras weren't rolling.

A relative newcomer who dismisses social justice & civil rights concerns as "identity politics" can't hold a candle to that. An "ally" can be forgiven for a slip of the tongue, or a bone headed statement if they've actually taken the time to foment real relationships. Not so in the case of Sanders. People often forget that Sanders represents a very homogenous constituency, and he has palpable problems reaching folks outside that narrow demographic.

[Hekate]

67. This

[Demsrule86]

88. Exactly right.

[EffieBlack]

55. I thought Bernie didn't need any "schooling" on race ...

Nevertheless ,we don't have time to "school" a 70-something-year-old veteran politician on the basics of race in the criminal justice system.

[Tarheel_Dem]

60. +1

[Tom Rinaldo]

65. Not on right and wrong he didn't. Not on standing up for all people's rights.

We took some time for a little schooling of the last white Democratic president.

[EffieBlack]

70. Riiiiight

There's a reason that most black folk have a totally different opinion of and relationship with Bill Clinton than we do with Bernie Sanders.

And it's not that we're clueless or confused.

[DFW]

78. I can confirm that. A friend of mine worked in the Clinton Administration

Her name is Veronica Biggins, and I'm sure most people outside of Georgia have never heard of her. She has certainly accomplished enough to not need to toot her own horn. She and Frank remain friends with both Clintons, and they are anything BUT clueless or confused. Veronica shares your view, needles to say.

[Tom Rinaldo]

94. I never have nor ever would accuse you or any Black Americans of being clueless or confused

You know that. People have valid reasons for supporting one candidate over another, as well as for feeling closer to one person over another. Both Clintons opened up their lives to African Americans, the relationships they have across racial lines are genuine and in many cases deep. I am not nor have I ever been critical of most Black voters for embracing Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders. With real familiarity comes deeper understanding. Both of the Clintons have had that type of cross racial familiarity for decades and it shows. Their hearts are in the right place in regards to race, as is Bernie Sander's, but Bill and Hillary are better attuned to issues of race than Sanders has been. Living in the South rather than upper New England for decades no doubt played a part in that.

I will never pretend to speak from a Black perspective. It is my personal experience that virtually all Whites can benefit from some "schooling" in regards to race. With very very few exceptions we do not start out with an inherent understanding of what it is like to live as members of an oppressed minority. What percentage of elected White Democrats do you believe can not still benefit from some further "schooling" regarding race? I will venture that it is a small minority of them at best. That does not by default prove all the rest are racists, nor that they would not serve as useful allies of minority communities if elected to positions of influence.

I take the above anecdote about Sanders as overall favorable to him precisely because it shows his willingness to reveal an area where his knowledge was lacking, in the form of a question to those in a position to correct him on the record. Yes he was removed from the battle lines on race after he moved to Vermont, but his gut response to the Black Lives Matter movement was to engage with it from the moment he handed over that microphone to them, Here he is shown having a too rare moment of honest dialog in which a white politician allows his preconceptions on a matter with racial content to be challenged. The fact that he brought Symone Sanders into his inner circle was an appropriately positive move on Bernie's part under the circumstances.

But let me speak now from a White perspective. I remember the 1992 Presidential campaign and I was familiar with dog whistles meant for White ears. When I said our last White President needed some "schooling" at the time here is what I meant. Bill Clinton was following the prime directorate of politicians; Step One is getting elected or all else is moot. So he tried to co opt some of the right wing thunder that led to 12 years of a Republican white house. When he campaigned on "an end of Welfare as we know it, so Welfare can be a second chance, not a way of life" he tapping into the White anger Reagan had stirred with all of his diatribes against "Welfare Queens". When he talked about sending "a strong signal to criminals by supporting the death penalty" he was tapping into White fears stoked by George H.W. Bush over Willie Horton. When he opposed "tax and spend politics" and promised to immediately "make 140 Billion dollars of cuts in wasteful spending" he was tapping into White resentment over LBJ's "Big Government" Great Society which many White's then believed was designed to hand their hard earned wages over to Blacks too lazy to actually work. In my opinion that type of messaging was not helpful to racial relations in America, but clearly, on the whole, the Clinton Administration was.

[progressoid]

104. +1

[R B Garr]

111. Wow, this is a lot of overthinking just to protect a huge

Sanders’ gaffe. Bill C wanted to beat the Republicans at their own games of being the party of fiscal responsibility and their stranglehold on the White House with the “tax and spend” claptrap. He pretty much upended their ruse of “Family Values” as well as the draft dodger ruse. He left a surplus, so it worked, alienating some on the way, but he had a surplus to hand off to Gore.

Face it, the Clintons’ are known for building relationships. Bernie isn’t known for building coalitions or relationships. Not every Sanders gaffe is a tit for tat What About the Clintons.

This gaffe illustrates Sanders’ lack of diversity experience. This OP is just common knowledge, and it’s shocking that he displayed such plain subject matter ignorance. Bill and Hillary don’t play into Sanders lack of knowledge. At all.

[EffieBlack]

124. This

[brer cat]

130. ++++ nt

[Demsrule86]

149. Tom can I say to you, I respect your knowledge of the issues and how you treat everyone with

respect...you are one of the best posters here. I look forward and enjoy reading your posts. Agree or disagree, you are always a 'gentleman' or 'lady'...although with a male moniker...perhaps the former...in any case, thanks for your well thought out posts. I read them all and enjoy them even if I don't agree (rare), they make me think and often present a different perspective that I hadn't considered.

[DesertRat]

42. I had to read the article to know it was Bernie Sanders who said this

When I read the headline I was thinking it referred to Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

[Gothmog]

44. K&R

[disillusioned73]

49. Oh goodness...

[HopeAgain]

51. I would like to see a politician with a socialist focus like Sanders who isn't Sanders...

[Hekate]

63. When someone tells you "I don't see color. I'm color-blind," it means he is half blind indeed...

When someone says, "How can I be a misogynist -- I don't see gender, women and men are just alike," it means he doesn't see ME or indeed 51% of the population.

Poor Bernie. As I've said before: he has only one lens with which to view the world, and the world is way more complicated than that.

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions, Bernie.

[Wwcd]

76. + a million. K n R

Ugh.

Bye bernie

[ehrnst]

84. +1000 (nt)

[fleabiscuit]

77. If the bird had just taken a dump on the saviors podium maybe Dump wouldn't have happened.

[Demsrule86]

89. hahaha - that is a good one...

[vi5]

86. This was a dumb thing to say...

..however, if say Joe Manchin said the same thing then most of the same folks on here delighting in this post about Bernie would be telling the rest of us how we just don't understand civics and how we need his support no matter what and that he'll vote for speaker Schumer (supposedly), and that we shouldn't be bashing him because we need every vote we can get and we don't want to hurt his feelings or alienate his supporters because we need all the votes we can get.

[Tarheel_Dem]

140. Joe Manchin? When he runs for POTUS, give us a call, and we'll talk. Until then the subject....

at hand is Sanders, not made up false equivalencies about Joe Manchin ferchrissake.

[emulatorloo]

154. Garbage strawman n/t

[Lee-Lee]

96. The way he phrased the question betrays his biases and assumptions

"Aren't most of the people who sell the drugs African American?"

He is saying this from the point of view of someone who believes this to be true. Like defending the trend by asking a question phrased to imply the answer is yes and he believed that to be the case.

A person without that bias would have phrased it more like “How does the demographic trend of those inprisoned for these crimes compare with the demographic trends of people engaged in the activity.” Or used a similarly non-biases framing to the question. That is asking a question without implying one answer is true or placing bias on the question.

Now, it’s likely subconscious. He is an old white white guy from a very white state surrounded Day to Day by mostly white people. All of us, even the most enlightened, have subconscious biases we have to work to overcome. But the way he phrased it indicates to me that at the time he said that he was biased to belief that the answer to his question was “yes”.

[EffieBlack]

125. Exactly. He wasn't asking a question to obtain information about something he thought he didn't know

He was seeking confirmation of an assumption he thought to be true.

[brush]

148. It's upsetting to me that this didn't come out during the campaign.

It makes me feel like we wasted all that time on a divisive

campaign that wouldn't have happened if this info had come out then.


One campaign would have been finished if this had come out and

we could've concentrated on beating trump.

This bit of info apparently was held back because of its incendiary nature.

[Gothmog]

99. Sanders is not winning friends or support

[mercuryblues]

100. When you target urban areas for drugs

Last edited Wed Jun 13, 2018, 11:04 AM - Edit history (1)

the people you arrest are most likely to be POC.

“We were jumping on guys in the middle of the night, all of that. Swooping down on folks all across the country, using these sorts of attack tactics that we went out on, that you would use in Vietnam, or some kind of war-torn zone. All of the stuff that we were doing, just calling it the war on drugs. And there wasn’t very many black guys in my position.

So when I would go into the war room, where we were setting up all of our drug and gun and addiction task force determining what cities we were going to hit, I would notice that most of the time it always appeared to be urban areas.

That’s when I asked the question, well, don’t they sell drugs out in Potomac and Springfield, and places like that? Maybe you all think they don’t, but statistics show they use more drugs out in those areas than anywhere. The special agent in charge, he says ‘You know, if we go out there and start messing with those folks, they know judges, they know lawyers, they know politicians. You start locking their kids up; somebody’s going to jerk our chain.’ He said, ‘they’re going to call us on it, and before you know it, they’re going to shut us down, and there goes your overtime.'”

https://thefreethoughtproject.com/dea-agent-drug-laws-intentionally-rich-communities/

Running for the most powerful position in the country, he should have known a little about this. When you have a meeting about racial bias in the justice system, you should know a few facts. Instead he responded with a right wing talking point.

[Anon-C]

102. I really really appreciate the time you take to bear this witness and tell the simple truth.

Thank you!!!!!

[mercuryblues]

136. from the schools

where children of color get sent to the office for the same thing a white child does. Where a COC is more likely to get detention, suspension and expulsion than a white child'

To the police who are more likely to shoot or arrest a POC than a white person doing the same thing.


To the justice system, where a POC will do more time for the same thing than a white person.


To the military where a POC will get a harsher punishment than a white person for the same infraction.

The studies are out there. You would expect a presidential hopeful would have some knowlege of this, more than a Right wing talking point. It does not matter what their income is, POC face this every day.

[brer cat]

128. Thanks for adding this. nt

[lapucelle]

103. "Even confronted with figures and data to the contrary, Sanders appeared to have still struggled

to grasp that he had made an error, the two people present said."

Vermont’s Criminal Justice System: A Series Unveiling Challenges & Practices

Vermont has one of the worst track records when it comes to the criminal justice system. According to Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform (VCJR) white people are equally as likely to be involved with drugs as black people are, yet, "on average, black and brown people are incarcerated in Vermont state prisons at a rate 5.1 times higher the imprisonment of whites. Vermont has a higher rate of incarceration of black and brown men than any other state. 1 in 14 black and brown men in the state of Vermont are incarcerated.'"

"Drug laws exist to police people of color," said Joanna Colwell, a community activist. "That is a national issue, though, not just a Vermont issue. It’s a double whammy: the law itself is racist and then you have those racist laws implemented in a way that is even more unfair to people of color."

According to the 2010 census, while only 1.1 percent of Vermont’s population is black, blacks make up 10.7 percent of the Vermont prison population.

https://middleburycampus.com/37955/local/vermonts-criminal-justice-system-a-series-unveiling-challenges-practices/

[SidDithers]

142. Kick...nt

Sid

[DemocratSinceBirth]

144. Seems a wee bit tone deaf.

[samnsara]

152. so many sanders.. sarah? bernie? now symone.. i need a play book