"Black Lives Matter" and Bernie Sanders

[Canarr]

I stumbled across this article here, and I'm not getting it:

http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/...sanders-speech

From the description, it looks like this Sanders guy is pretty much on board with reformation of the Criminal Justice System already. But then why would these activists disrupt his events? Why not those of his more conservative opponents?

Or is there something I'm missing here?

[Estil]

Wasn't Mr. Sanders a member of the Socialist party at one point (it's a bit of a pet peeve of mine when a politician is classified as an "independent" when in fact that they do have a party affiliation, even if is one of the minor parties)? And that's not liberal/far-left enough for them?

[Gravekeeper]

I'm a bit lost on this one too. By all accounts there they even allowed the protesters some speaking time ( which they did not have to do in any way shape or form ) despite the way they interrupted and tried to take over the stage.

The only explanation I see them offering is that Bernie is A) Liberal and B) Doesn't "elevate Black Lives Matter as much as we need" and I assume C) If they tried this with Hillary they would be face down in cuffs before they made it to the podium.

I don't see how this helps in any way shape or form. Going after the politicians most likely to do something while simultaneously turning entire crowds against you does nothing for your image or cause. Especially in such an honestly disrespectful and juvenile manner.

Their official statement is:

"Today BLM Seattle, with the support of other Black organizers and non-Black allies and accomplices, held Bernie Sanders publicly accountable for his lack of support for the Black Lives Matter movement."

You didn't hold anyone accountable, you made asses of yourselves in public and made it easier to dismiss your cause for opponents of it. =/

[Kara_CS]

According to the shitstorm on Twitter after it happened, Bernie isn't a "true ally" because #BLM isn't the sole focus of his campaign. Never mind that he's literally the only candidate who has said one word against excessive police violence resulting in the needless deaths of unarmed citizens. And never mind that there's no shortage of GOP candidates who have spoken up in favor of said excessive police violence and blamed the victims for their deaths that they could interrupt instead.

This one confuses me.

[Canarr]

Okay, so it *is* as strange as it seemed to me; I thought maybe there was some background or history I wasn't aware of.

So they basically harass the only presidential candidate who is sympathetic to their cause? Stupid move.

EDIT: statement from the two organizers of the action:

PRESS RELEASE: Black Lives Matter Seattle #BowDownBernie Action

MEDIA CONTACTS: Marissa Johnson (360) 840-6234 blacklivesmatterseattle@gmail.com

Black Lives Matter Seattle organizers and supporters take over Bernie Sanders’ rally at Westlake on Saturday, August 8, 2015.

Today BLM Seattle, with the support of other Black organizers and non-Black allies and accomplices, held Bernie Sanders publicly accountable for his lack of support for the Black Lives Matter movement and his blatantly silencing response to the #SayHerName #IfIDieInPoliceCustody action that took place at Netroots this year.

Bernie’s arrival in Seattle is largely significant in the context of the state of emergency Black lives are in locally as well as across America. The Seattle Police Department has been under federal consent decree for the last three years and has been continually plagued by use-of-force violations and racist scandals amongst their rank and file. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has refused to push any reform measures for police accountability, not even the numerous recommendations of his self-appointed Community Police Commission. The Seattle School District suspends Black students at a rate six times higher than their white counterparts, feeding Black children into the school-to-prison pipeline. King County has fought hard to push through a plan to build a $210 million new youth jail to imprison these children, amid intense community criticism and dissent. The Central District, a historically Black neighborhood in Seattle, has undergone rapid gentrification over the past few decades, with Black people being displaced from the only neighborhood that we could legally live in until just years ago. While white men profit off of the legalization of marijuana, our prisons are still filled with Black people who are over-incarcerated for drug offenses.

This city is filled with white progressives, which is why Bernie Sanders’ camp was obviously expecting a friendly and consenting audience for today’s campaign visit. The problem with Sanders’, and with white Seattle progressives in general, is that they are utterly and totally useless (when not outright harmful) in terms of the fight for Black lives. While we are drowning in their liberal rhetoric, we have yet to see them support Black grassroots movements or take on any measure of risk and responsibility for ending the tyranny of white supremacy in our country and in our city. This willful passivity while claiming solidarity with the #BlackLivesMatter movement in an effort to be relevant is over. White progressive Seattle and Bernie Sanders cannot call themselves liberals while they participate in the racist system that claims Black lives. Bernie Sanders will not continue to call himself a man of the people, while ignoring the plight of Black people. Presidential candidates will not win Black votes without putting out an explicit criminal justice reform package. As was said at the Netroots action, presidential candidates should expect to be shut down and confronted every step along the way of this presidential campaign. Black people are in a state of emergency. Lines have been drawn in the sand. You are either fighting continuously and measurably to protect Black life in America, or you are a part of the white supremacist system that we will tear down in the liberation of our people.

On this, nearly the one year anniversary of the ruthless murder of Mike Brown, we honor Black lives lost by doing the unthinkable, the unapologetic, and the unrespectable. Out of radical love for our Black brothers and sisters, we put our lives and our bodies on the line to testify to their persecution and resilience. We join together in Black love to #SayHerName and declare that #BlackLivesMatter, understanding that our love will disrupt the complicity and corruption of our anti-Black society; GOP, Democrat, and otherwise.

There is no business as usual while Black lives are lost. We will ensure this by any means necessary.

With the strength of our ancestors and for the future of our children,

Black Lives Matter Seattle Co-Founders

Marissa Johnson and Mara Willaford

[Canarr]

Ah, crap... and an article that explains how they aren't really BLM?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/0...Not-BLM-Sorta#

[Gravekeeper]

Judging by the shit storm on Twitter these two morons don't exactly enjoy the popular support of the BLM movement to put it politely.

[Nekojin]

The facts about Bernie Sanders apparently don't matter to the BLM crowd*. Being present in the crowd when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous, "I have a dream," speech? Worked with CORE in Chicago in the 60's? Endorsed Jesse Jackson for President - twice?

But no, he doesn't actually care about black people... because he's white. He can't possibly care enough...

* Edit: Well, that BLM crowd, anyway.

[HYHYBT]

Wasn't Mr. Sanders a member of the Socialist party at one point (it's a bit of a pet peeve of mine when a politician is classified as an "independent" when in fact that they do have a party affiliation, even if is one of the minor parties)? And that's not liberal/far-left enough for them?

It is unreasonable to treat that the way you're doing, as if tense doesn't matter. I don't know what his connections "at one point" were, but that doesn't affect whether he's an independent candidate NOW or not.

[Rageaholic]

I have two theories.

1. These guys are extreme SJWs who consider anyone outside their little club the enemy, not much different than various fundamentalist cults.

2. They're just assholes trying to stir shit up.

[Gravekeeper]

* Edit: Well, that BLM crowd, anyway.

Yes, ironically the main voices in the BLM movement actually praise Sanders for his platform. -.-

I have two theories.

1. These guys are extreme SJWs who consider anyone outside their little club the enemy, not much different than various fundamentalist cults.

2. They're just assholes trying to stir shit up.

Ugh, please don't use the term SJW. Its really only wielded by assholes and hard to take seriously given its history.

That said, why not both? >.>

One of them is apparently a radical Christian and former Palin(?!) supporter ( No, seriously ). Who seems to just be in this for whatever gets her the most attention.

[Kara_CS]

And now there's evidence that Ms Johnson was a big fan of Sarah Palin and the Tea Party, and could have been a plant to disrupt the rally.

[Nekojin]

So, it seems as though it may have been a (poorly executed) false flag operation, then.

[Rageaholic]

Wow, that's very low (though not surprising coming from a Tea Partier).

[Gravekeeper]

So, it seems as though it may have been a (poorly executed) false flag operation, then.

I don't know, it sounds like she just goes with whatever will get her the most attention. Facts be damned. She's ranting insanely about Christianity at the moment. complete with terrible spelling. Her response to the Palin thing makes it sound like she switched sides because the right wasn't paying enough attention to her. -.-