UPDATED: Rep. Lewis, "protesters represent another time, another period."

[Kittycat]

Last edited Thu Feb 25, 2016, 11:26 AM - Edit history (1)

Update down below.

I know there have been several posts regarding the women representing Black Lives Matter who stood up and protested at Clinton's event. I wanted to shift away from the candidate, to open up for discussion a comment near the bottom of an article I read on CNN last night that I haven't been able to let go.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/30/politics/hillary-clinton-black-lives-matter/

Speaking to CNN after the event, Lewis said he believes the protesters "represent another time, another period."

Given history, is protesting ever convenient or representative of a only single time period/era? Historically speaking, it seems this is most often how the weakest in our nation or other nations have been able to stand up to have their voices heard on important issues.

What are your thoughts? Do you have a different interpretation of his statement?

UPDATED with full statement
****HT to #8 PoliticalAverse for sharing a link to the larger video of the statement/brief interview****

https://mobile.twitter.com/danmericacnn/status/660199443929526272

-------
Mods, feel free to move to GD. I only posted this in GdP because it occurred at a candidate event, and was concerned it would cross over in discussion.

[forjusticethunders]

1. So Rep Lewis thinks "racism is over"? -nt-

[leftofcool]

4. Of course he doesn't think that

But, protesting something that was said over 20 years ago, doesn't help what is going on today.

[votesparks]

16. The idea of superpredators, and getting urban populations to "Heel"

is still very alive in our industrialized prison state.

[leftofcool]

30. Did you by any chance look at the date?

[dorkzilla]

38. Sure it does

If it helps us to understand the how, what, why and who, it absolutely has as much significance today as it did 20 years ago.

Hateful words don't have a "Sell By" date.

[artislife]

41. I think he is wrong.

Because all the lobbying of 20 years ago still impacts today.

Kind of like Jim Crow.


What about the Three Fifths Compromise? Though it was to lower representatives to slave holding states from counting actual people, the end result was the feeling that the country thought of Blacks as three fifths v a whole white person. I think this still needs to be discussed.

History is the foundation of today. Disregarding what people thought about, fought for and based their political career on IS important.

[Wilms]

2. I happen to agree that the protesters "represent another time, another period."

It's called the future.

[pengu]

34. Perfect response

[mmonk]

3. As someone who has been marching and protesting

since 2010, that is not true. We've been having rather large ones in fact. Wherever and whenever there is injustice, one protests. It is the sound and actions of the ignored.

[Merryland]

5. What the hell is he talking about?

Ensconced in the Washington establishment, does he think everything's groovy out there since his VERY COURAGEOUS walk across the bridge?

[leftofcool]

6. Don't worry about what he actually said. He's already under the bus

Has been since he came out in support of Hillary.

[Kittycat]

14. That's not what this is about

It wouldn't matter if another historical leader said it. It's the statement itself, do you agree/ in part or full. And second, given his background (or other leaders who have led protests toward significant change: labor, war, race, economic, education, disabilities, lgbtq, etc - if anyone from those eras had stated it).

I am first and always a big table person. You have to get people to the table to discuss the serious issues, find a central point and work forward to fix the issue from there. As quickly as possible.

My near and dear/hits me at home is disability rights and education. It's something that transcends race, religion, economics, etc, but those most impacted are always the least advantaged. In our area, that means they're facing a system that often uses intimidation or puts up communication barriers, sometimes intentionally, to avoid providing the support they need. Even silent protests, for example: everyone wearing the same color shirt at a meeting, are met with snide comments, retaliation, and disdain. Sometimes it takes a loud voice and a spotlight to bring attention to the matter, and get people back to the table to discuss the issues when the enclosed their hearts and their minds. No one wants to do it, but sometimes - someone has to.

[leftofcool]

32. You do realize that this was said after an event in October of 2015?

[Orsino]

9. The Establishment. n/t

[djean111]

7. So now that protesters are inconvenient for HILLARY, they are thrown under the bus.

By someone who is revered for protesting.
I'd ask how some sleep at night, but I imagine it is warmly and safely.

[PoliticAverse]

8. You can see a partial video of his comments here...

https://twitter.com/danmericacnn/status/660199443929526272

Unfortunately we don't get to see Lewis's full comment but "another time another period"
seems to be referring to now not the past and in the short excerpt Lewis seems not to
be disparaging their actions in any way.

Note that that comment was after an event back in October.

[Jarqui]

12. "Lewis seems not to be disparaging their actions in any way."

I agree.

I was thinking about that girl on Facebook in tears after she called hateful racist Trump supporters in the south.

I was thinking about how brutally congress has treated their black president.

I was think about all the young unarmed blacks shot in the back by cops.

Protesters "represent another time, another period." but they're facing a lot of the same racism.

[sufrommich]

10. Where is his full quote? nt

[Kittycat]

26. Just updated the OP

#8 had posted the video link from the reporter on Twitter. I just added it.

[sufrommich]

27. I don't see a video at your link. nt

[Kittycat]

35. Strange

Try this. The link goes directly to the reporters tweet w/video link. See if this one works.

https://mobile.twitter.com/danmericaCNN/status/660199443929526272/video/1

[mmonk]

11. This is something today's party has to learn from us.

[m-lekktor]

13. He Who Can't Be Criticized strikes again! nt

[Kittycat]

19. Do you agree with the statement?

Remove his name. Do you agree with it? If it was any leader known for helping contribute to significant change through protest, does that impact your thoughts on modern day protesting? How or why does today differ?

[Zorra]

36. I'll be your huckleberry.

1) Remove his name. Do you agree with it?

No.

2) If it was any leader known for helping contribute to significant change through protest, does that impact your thoughts on modern day protesting?

No.

3)How or why does today differ?

The cops have numerous new types of effective, usually non-lethal weapons with which to try to shut us down. The MSM can no longer use ignoring fact and truth as a useful weapon to combat the the effectiveness of direct action because of the internet. The whole world is watching. Literally. There are other reasons as well, but time concerns make it necessary to keep it simple.

Occupy Wall St is one example of the effectiveness of modern protest. Occupy's message of economic justice helped lay the foundation for a sincere presidential candidate like Senator Sanders to make a successful run for president. Occupy direct action created the tension needed to open a national dialog, in which millions more people became aware of the economic injustices (and social injustices) perpetrated upon the 99% by the 1% oligarchs and their fully oligarch owned and operated political establishment.

Ferguson, etc, and BLM, are other examples of the effectiveness of modern day protest. What these protests have done is create the tension necessary to catapult into the national dialog the fact that cops are murdering POC at an alarming rate, with impunity. Right here on this DU page, right now, we have clear examples of the effectiveness of both protest movements.

The essence of these words of Dr. King are as true today as they were on the day he first conceived them:

"You may well ask: "Why direct action? Why sit ins, marches and so forth? Isn't negotiation a better path?" You are quite right in calling for negotiation. Indeed, this is the very purpose of direct action. Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored. My citing the creation of tension as part of the work of the nonviolent resister may sound rather shocking. But I must confess that I am not afraid of the word "tension." I have earnestly opposed violent tension, but there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth. Just as Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal, so must we see the need for nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood. The purpose of our direct action program is to create a situation so crisis packed that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation. I therefore concur with you in your call for negotiation. Too long has our beloved Southland been bogged down in a tragic effort to live in monologue rather than dialogue."

Thanks for asking!

[Kittycat]

37. Thank you for sharing.

I really appreciate the quote you included. I think that says it all.

[Bluenorthwest]

15. Hopefully they represent the brave and outspoken future. The 1980s/90's were an enormous era of

protest for many of us and that's how I spent my spare time in my youth. Protest does not belong to just one generation nor to just one group of persons. In fact one of the reasons I protested was to inspire others do do so, not because I thought myself sufficient to end all need for protest.

[FrenchieCat]

17. Many Sanders supporters didn't "care" much for BLM

as they were supposed to be on the Hillary payroll,
when I just reviewed the many threads from back in August,
with Sanders' own BLM incident

I hope that the hypocrisy of what folks were saying then, vs. now
is going to tempered as it should be!

Otherwise, I'll have another writing assignment.....

[Kittycat]

18. Please read the OP

To begin with, I never commented on those. Second, this isn't a candidate discussion. the only reason it's in GdP, is because I knew posters would find it difficult staying on topic. I welcome your participation in the conversation however, if you would like to share your thoughts on the subject shared. Thanks.

[sufrommich]

21. You posted a small portion of a quote.Where is the rest

of the quote. This seems to be taken out of context on purpose.

[Kittycat]

25. Just updated the OP

The full video statement was posted in #8. I added it to the OP.

[Bluenorthwest]

20. The hypocrites are very obvious in this outing, FC. I came up with ACT UP and BLM is the same stuff

and as I said in August, Bernie and O'Malley both were very excellent with the activists compared to how disruptive activism is usually received by both the crowd and the interrupted speakers. Many on DU claimed Bernie was terrible to those women who are now defending Hillary's response. Bernie gave them the platform, stood beside them as they spoke, joined the moment of silence and called for no security. In Seattle he gave them the mic, while we just saw Hillary give that activist the bum's rush, security stepping up and laying male hands on her repeatedly.

It's very easy to compare and contrast the events, especially for a person like me who has done things like that in the past.

I'll always stand with disruptive protesters doing emergency actions for minority communities. Most of DU, on the other hand, is hugely selective, they trash talk LGBT activists then support activists who disrupt Bernie then criticize activists who disrupt Hillary. There are maybe 12 people on DU who are consistently supportive of courageous disruptive minority activists.

I could do a link parade on this subject, 'Hypocrisy and Disruptive Activism on DU'. A long, ghastly set of quotes it would be.
I hesitate to do that because I like to think of people as works in progress, perhaps those who could not relate to one set of activists later see activism they can easily relate to and in that way they might rethink their criticisms of others who throw caution to the wind and do some crazy ass activism they feel is required.

[delrem]

23. Please, ffs, look in the mirror. n/t

[delrem]

22. And so the whole BLM movement is... NOTHING? IRRELEVANT TO THE TIMES???

wow.
That's sure an "evolution". Compare to the days back at NRN when that kind of talk would be blasphemy.

[UglyGreed]

24. As OWS learned

if you protest the rich you will pay the price....

?w=798

[Waiting For Everyman]

28. Why didn't Lewis go after Hillary's prison ties himself,

much less promoting her? That's the question he's going to have to answer soon, along with all the other old icons.

No wonder he wants to think protest is over, I doubt it though.

[onecaliberal]

29. So rep Lewis doesn't think the black bodies being viewed as

A dangerous threat to police is worthy of protest? Wow! Wonder what BLM movement thinks of that?

[Barack_America]

31. She was protesting mass incarceration of Black men.

That's over?

Please stop, Congressman Lewis. Please.

[Arazi]

39. Kicked and Recced

waiting for an answer

[Eric J in MN]

40. Rep. John Lewis probably meant he thinks Hillary Clinton has evolved

...and that her "superpredator" quote represents how she felt about criminal justice in the 1990s but not now.

I don't think Rep. Lewis was criticizing all BLM protests, just ones about the Clintons in the 1990s.