AFRICAN-AMERICAN GROUP: Dear white progressives: Stop telling black people how to vote

[HassleCat]

4. You don't owe anything to anyone

This is partly the result of the rise of interest group politics, enabled by the formation of PACs. Candidates are forced to pursue voters as member of particular interest groups in a way that reminds me of the things advertisers do to sell products to black consumers. I'm not black, but I would be insulted by some of the shameless pandering, as I guess you are. All this stuff diminishes the role of the individual and promoted the notion that "certain types of people" form nearly monolithic blocs of humanity. In politics, the black vote is pursued this way because black voters usually go for one candidate in very high numbers. This makes the black vote look like a winner-take-all proposition.

It is wrong to propose black voters "owe" anything to Sanders. All we should be proposing is that black voters take a good look at Sanders, his record, his early involvement with civil rights, his commitment to social and economic justice, etc. It is, or should be, a plea for consideration, not a harangue. Sanders has been trying very hard to understand the BLM issues, and it appears to be a sincere effort to incorporate social justice issues into what has been mostly an economic justice platform. But nobody should suggest this establishes any kind of debt, obligation, etc. Clinton has a strong emotional connection to many black voters, and that's perfectly legitimate. We (Sanders supporters) have no business suggesting that connection is somehow overcome by anything Bernie did, or is doing now. We need to state our case to black voters without lecturing them about why they're wrong to support Clinton over Sanders, as if they're deluding themselves or something.