If I didn't already know who Bernie is, and Obama hadn't won twice, what would I be thinking now?

[Rebkeh]

I first learned of Bernie when he gave a short interview on MSNBC during Obama's first term. I later came to know more about Bernie from Thom Hartmann's show and the weekly Brunch with Bernie segment. Needless to say, I have been a 'fan' (what is the proper word here anyway?) of his for years now. When I heard he may announce a run and might be the nominee, and that Elizabeth Warren declined, I was hopeful. Very hopeful, and when he announced, well I was on board instantly.

I'm getting ahead of myself though.

Back in '07 I didn't believe that a black person would ever be president, the country and the system were simply too racist. It was never going to happen, not in my lifetime (I'm in my mid forties). I was completely convinced of it. I had hoped it would happen before I died and if it did happen, it would be through a series of failures and rough starts. Maybe someone would be VP first, but not President. I did not see Obama coming and boy... what an amazing surprise that was! But even when he was still running for the nomination, I honestly didn't think America would come through. I knew the system had changed enough to give him a fighting chance but I had no faith in the people. To even get as far as a nomination was an accomplishment but I didn't think the voters would come through.

Well, damn. They did.

I am far more hopeful about the country than I had been in 2007. The "impossible" is now plausible.

Even though Obama didn't lead as far from the left as I wanted him to, and the people didn't really have his back as much as we should have, my hope remains intact. Which is why I have the confidence I have in Bernie to rally long term support and enthusiasm. But what if I didn't know Bernie?

I have to be honest here. I would likely come to trust Bernie just fine - eventually - but I have to say I'd doubt the people. I would question that they would have Bernie's back when shit gets real, especially in terms of racism. When President Sanders fights Wall St, he will have hordes of people behind him, that's obvious. But when he fights institutional racism? I can see why some are not so sure. Are the people going to recognize the dog whistles - and there will be dog whistles - and call them out? It will be hard to go against the norm, very hard. Are white people going to stand up for programs, proposed legislation and other solutions that mostly or even solely benefit black and brown people? Or are they going to let racism strike them down and ensure that we have yet another President that cannot fulfill his campaign promises? Is the narrative about "lazy black people," and all the rest of them, going to continue to work?

I think a lot of poc can find Bernie believable enough but he won't be able to do it alone. I suspect some poc put more faith in someone who can play the system, to play the game to their benefit than they can in the American People to stand up with them.

Change from within the system needs a brilliant chess player to make it happen.
Change from outside the system needs rock solid and constant support to assist a leader to make it happen.

The devil you know and the devil you don't -

One can kick ass from within, but would she?
One can kick ass from without, but will WE?

We must, as Bernie supporters, convince people that we will have their back. A lot of supporters disappeared after Obama became President, the reasons for that are debatable, but the bottom line is that too many went home and expected him to do it alone. When Obama had to compromise, people withdrew their support. Will that happen to Bernie? Are we in this for the long haul? Are we in it 100%?

[TIME TO PANIC]

1. I'm in it for the long haul.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

2. In re your parenthetical question...

I prefer Sandersnista.

[Rebkeh]

5. lol

noted. Sandernista it is.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

3. And yes, we can't just 'fade away' after the election.

Or sit aside when he pushes for the things that benefit specific constituencies to which we do not ourselves belong.

We'll need to be pestering our Congresscritters, writing letters to the editor, and otherwise working to sway public sentiment enough that he CAN have a shot at actually achieving some goals, Republican Congress or no. And that means engaging our Republican neighbours and relatives in language they're receptive to, to get THEM onboard and pestering our Congresscritters as well. Not just demeaning them, not just writing them off as lost causes, but actually working them around to supporting very specific policies even if it's for reasons that sound RW on the surface, as long as it gets them to support proposed legislation that achieves a left wing end.

[Rebkeh]

4. True, we have to find allies in our "enemies"

But word of caution, you aren't likely going to find them in racists and the only reason the GOP is still relevant is because of racists. Maybe white people can reach other white people? I will believe it when I see it though. I hope I am wrong, I want to be wrong. You say to talk to them in a language they are receptive to... okay. You know better than I do how to do that, but I know how deep it goes in some people. I am not convinced that will work. I think some relationships are going to suffer for the sake of doing the right thing.

Me, I am not going to waste my time with people that pine nostalgic for "the good old days" - those days were good ... for them ... for a reason. I'm simply not doing it, I value my sanity.

A better approach, I think, would be to educate them as to how racism hurts them too and explain how racism itself was and is used to keep them in line for the big bosses and their bosses, to keep them (working class) from forming alliances with poc. People have to connect the dots for them.

"Life may be unfair for me, but at least I am not like him." <--- that has to phase out.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

6. You certainly aren't going to win over the hardcore bigots any time soon.

But people change over time, no one is truly static. The more they're allowed to stew in their bigotry, probably the more they're going to deepen in it. So we work on the 'casual bigots', we try to push them to grow a bit less bigoted, baby step at a time. The people who are bigoted simply because that's what they grew up with, that's who they associate with, who are ignorant and apathetic. We get them talking, point out little bits of history that they've never heard, talk about redlining, about loan practices, how groups get shafted in a million little (and big) ways, slowly get them to admit that some of the stereotypes they held were actually the results of external forces sabotaging communities.

And, as you said, we show them how racism is used as a tool of capitalism, scapegoating used to prevent them from 'looking behind the curtain'.

[Rebkeh]

7. You must have the patience of Job. nt

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

8. I've got a lot more than I used to have when I was younger. nt

[fleur-de-lisa]

9. Great post! eom