Anyone notice anything somewhat strange about Bernie's MLK-day rally in Alabama yesterday?

[Cali_Democrat]

The rally was held in Birmingham Alabama.

Birmingham Alabama is 73.4% African American according to the 2010 census.

Here's a photo from the rally:

[brooklynite]

1. Gee...I got in trouble when I talked about the demographics at a Sanders rally.

[rhett o rick]

49. Wow, How do you respond so quickly? One minute or less after the OP is posted. That

takes some dedication. Kudos. But I do wonder why some are concerned about the color of people in the audience. Do you think it's important what color people are? Why insinuate, why not just come out and say it?

[Go Vols]

2. another

Last edited Tue Jan 19, 2016, 03:47 PM - Edit history (1)

[JDPriestly]

31. She is just fantastic. I feel like I am listening to an old fashioned song sermon.

WMOZ the Black Spot on Your Dial. From the 1950s.

She is my favorite. She and Cornell West and Killer Mike -- wonderful.

[Beacool]

35. That pic behind Sanders is not necessarily representative of the rest of the people in attendance.

I'm not saying that the crowd wasn't diverse because I haven't seen enough photos of this event, but the people who appear behind the candidate are always hand picked to be as diverse as possible. Anyone who has volunteered or worked on any campaign can tell you about the shuffling done before the "right mix" of people is achieved.

[uponit7771]

55. Is this the same event ? tia

[JonLeibowitz]

67. Yes, it is. n/t

[Empowerer]

65. The people onstage tell us nothhing about the diversity of the crowd

The people standing behind the candidate onstage are handpicked by the campaign to create the best possible backdrop for the camera shots. And campaigns always go for the most diverse tableau they can get.

I have no idea what the racial makeup of the actual audience was - it may actually have been very diverse. But this picture doesn't tell us a thing.

[Go Vols]

79. True,the OP's pic does the same.

[Empowerer]

83. No, it doesn't.

The OP's photo shows a section of the crowd. The other photo shows a carefully staged backdrop. Two totally different things - unless you think that the Sanders campaign purposely filled the first several rows in front of and beside the candidate with mostly white people to make it look like there were very few minorities in the crowd. If that's the case, his advance team needs to be fired.

[Go Vols]

87. lol at carefully staged backdrop

side shot at white folks in OP pic,mine was the full on entire speech.

You should watch it as I did ,live.

[Empowerer]

89. The people on the stage holding the signs behind Sanders were put there by the campaign staff

That's how it works. All campaigns do it.

[Go Vols]

90. yes

[JTFrog]

105. Careful, only Clinton takes staged photo ops.

Especially if children are involved.

I heard it right here on the DU.

[riversedge]

70. Oh, yes, the infamous photo-op --pick folks from the crowd and put behind the speaker. dah!!

[snoringvoter]

3. And?

This is just a small piece of his large crowd of 7,000 people.

[m-lekktor]

4. aah too many white people! nt

[1StrongBlackMan]

15. No ... Not enough Black people (for a city that is better than 65% Black). eom.

[rhett o rick]

74. So you are making this a race thing? You don't like who supports Sanders?

Do you have a fair comparison of the crowds H. Clinton is drawing? Or is it all about insinuation?

The above questions are rhetorical. I know the answers and I think it's low to make this about race.

[1StrongBlackMan]

76. No! It's an observation that the pattern continues ... despite the support of Killer Mike. eom.

[rhett o rick]

92. I am disappointed in Democrats that try to make this a race issue similar to 2008.

Also sad is making it a gender issue. Not very Democratic. It's also sad that Democrats are siding with the corp-media and Citizens United because they are helping H. Clinton. But then Clinton accepts millions for her personal accounts from bankers and billionaires. Not very Democratic. Win at any cost is also not very Democratic.

[1StrongBlackMan]

101. What part of an OBSERVATION do you n0ot understand? eom.

[rhett o rick]

111. Well it sounds like you don't want to discuss it. The OP clearly is making insinuations

about something. I am guessing it's racial.

The wealthy 1% and their narrow sighted quest for more and more wealth has created the situation we live in today and it's getting worse. I hope we don't disagree on that. The only way things will improve is if we wrest control of our government and economy back from the wealthy 1%. Without a true representative government, we will soon lose all the gains we've made in the areas of social justice. Prison populations will continue to grow. The local police will continue to get worse and worse. Poverty and infant mortality will continue to grow with the profits of the wealthy 1%. H. Clinton is in very deep with the rich and powerful, in fact her personal accumulation of $50 million dollars should make people wonder where her priorities really lie. Look at the bank crisis in 2008 and look at who was responsible. All close friends with her. Her proposed "solutions" are weak. Robert Reich says, "Most of Clinton's proposals could have already been put into effect by the Fed and the Securities Exchange Commission, but they haven't been..."

You won't get your social justice as long as the wealth 1% control our government.

[1StrongBlackMan]

113. Again with the "insinuations", i.e., MY Interpretation, rather than ...

what is actually written ... that based on the picture, taken in a location that has a better than 70% Black population, it appears that Bernie crowds continue to be under-represented, Black.

That is not making anything about race! It IS an indicator that Bernie's campaign continues to struggle with attracting Black folks to his events (unless they are on stage)... and that, is not "making it about race", either. It is an observation.

[rhett o rick]

125. And H. Clinton is having a hard time drawing any crowds. She prefers the quiet $10,000

a plate luncheons. Do you not recognize that we are in a class war?

[1StrongBlackMan]

127. What part about this isn't about HRC vs BErie ...

That is so difficult for you to grasp?

[rhett o rick]

128. I notice that instead of discussing the issue you concentrate on trying to insult me. nm

[1StrongBlackMan]

130. Insulting you? ...

I have answered your queries ... you just want to alk about, "Well, Hillary ...!" And your correct ... I have zero interest in comparing Bernie to HRC.

[Hortensis]

135. :) But comparing the crowds they draw and why

is a very different matter. Even more for their supporters -- who are attracted and why.

FWIW, Rhett, people going to war do so for various reasons, with different grievances, goals to be obtained, and, notably, different primary enemies identified.

[Lawud]

154. Most had to work on MLK day

[Empowerer]

157. Why then would choose MLK Day to hold a rally in a predominantly black area, knowing that most black

residents wouldn't be able to come?

BTW, I don't buy the "It was MLK Day" excuse - there are plenty of black folk who do not have to work on MLK, particularly in Birmingham where there are a significant number of blacks across all areas of the economic and social spectrum.

[Lawud]

158. It's not an excuse it's just the way it is

The people who had the day off were state government or federal government employees which are mostly white in that area.

I know the area well , everything else was open for business in that area and the people who
are unemployed in that area have other concerns for example , surviving from day to day.

You know little stuff like , having enough food to eat , wondering how they might be able to afford to see a doctor

you know little stuff like that

[lunamagica]

5. Yeah, I noiced eom

[litlbilly]

6. What about the other 7k people? Were they all white too? OMG Cali-dem

[1StrongBlackMan]

16. There's no way of knowing; but, in a city that is better than 65% Black ...

one would think that the presence of Black faces in the crowd wouldn't have to be sought out.

[Mike Nelson]

7. Yes, but...

...I'd be happy to be in a photo with Bernie, Hillary or Martin even if it looked like I was picking my nose!

[SheilaT]

8. So let's see a picture of a rally with Hillary

in Alabama. I'd be quite interested to see what they look like.

[HerbChestnut]

9. I knew this would come up.

The race baiting on this site is disgusting. You should be ashamed, Cali.

[morningfog]

12. You expect shame from them? lolololol.

[SMC22307]

45. They don't do shame, Herb. (n/t)

[uponit7771]

56. How is this race baiting? Why is the lack of brown faces in a brown place not a valid query? tia

[840high]

155. ..+1

[NCTraveler]

10. Are you sure that is from his Birmingham rally? nt.

[Cali_Democrat]

13. Yes. nt

[NCTraveler]

14. Thanks.

Look at the pic of the people standing behind Sanders. Seems there was some "moving" going on.

[Cali_Democrat]

17. I got it from al.com's website:

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2016/01/bernie_sanders_in_birmingham_l.html

[CommonSenseDemocrat]

20. Sanders won't win votes by talking down to voters

[Fearless]

81. Wasn't that what fox news said about Obama!?

[CommonSenseDemocrat]

91. Obama NEVER talked down to voters

Perhaps his surrogates, but never Obama. Obama never said North Carolina, Virginia, Indiana, Missouri, and Georgia vote against their best interests. He never said that about Louisiana or Mississippi, where his vote share rose in 2012.

[Fearless]

93. Ummm... which is why I said fox news

They tried to hurt him using this lie.

[CommonSenseDemocrat]

97. Sanders is actually talking down to Alabama voters

That is not just right wing spin.

[JRLeft]

103. Yes he did, you must have forgotten about the pull yourself up by your bootstraps speeches he

Last edited Wed Jan 20, 2016, 12:47 PM - Edit history (1)

always gave to black audiences.

[1StrongBlackMan]

114. That is/was not talking down to his audience ...

I know it's difficult for some to comprehend (particularly, the (white) left); but, there are some messages that one group can say to themselves that others cannot.

[JRLeft]

116. Yes it is, he never spoke that way to white audiences.

I know exactly WTF he was doing, if a white politician gave the same speech the same people defending the president would be upset.

[1StrongBlackMan]

123. Like I said ...

I know it's difficult for some to comprehend (particularly, the (white) left); but, there are some messages that one group can say to themselves that others cannot.

[JRLeft]

124. I'm not white bruh.

[1StrongBlackMan]

126. Okay. Then, you should understand ...

There are things a Black man can, and shloud, say to a Black audience, that a white person could/should never say. Right?

[JRLeft]

129. Agreed, but disagree with the brothas message.

[1StrongBlackMan]

131. I don't think you agree ...

Whether you agree with that/this, specific, message or not ... else why would you bring up the "white politician" part?

[JRLeft]

133. Bruh, I'm not the only brotha who wasn't feeling his bootstraps speech.

I know a lot brothas and sistas whom wasn't feeling the president most of us stayed quiet because we wanted him to win.

[1StrongBlackMan]

134. Okay. eom.

[NCTraveler]

22. I believe it to be a photo from the event.

My apologies for even questioning it. I should know better with you. I just saw the photo upthread, where the people seem to be representative of Birmingham standing behind Sanders, then your photo of the crowd. Serious differences in the two photos.

[bettyellen]

32. I saw the pics in the same order- first the crowd, them those behind him.....

and thought the same thing. Hate how ALL the candidates think about optics to that extent. All of them.

[Ed Suspicious]

57. I hate it as well. Campaign workers just feel they need to do something, I guess.

[1StrongBlackMan]

115. True ... So, true. eom.

[pinebox]

11. Fascinating

Thanks for showing us how much Bernie resonates across the color divide with many people. I see black, brown, white, I think I may even see a little green alien in there too XD

[sadoldgirl]

18. How often do we have to go through this garbage?!

You don't convince anyone with your intentional efforts.

[UglyGreed]

19. I don't know what posts like this

Last edited Tue Jan 19, 2016, 04:49 PM - Edit history (1)

are suppose to prove. Is it that Bernie is a racist and only welcomes whites? Or is that PoC do not know Bernie as well as Hillary? Or PoC do not trust Bernie because he is a white man of Jewish descent? What is your point?

[JDPriestly]

34. Or that it is a good sign if a Democrat as liberal as Bernie can get a crowd of any color

the size of 7000 people in Birmingham, Alabama.

That is astounding to me.

Bernie drawing a crowd of 7000 people of any color, shape, size, age, religion -- in Birmingham, Alabama?

And on Martin Luther King weekend?

The times they are s'changin'.

That's wonderful.

[dixiegrrrrl]

42. It was also Robert E Lee birthday weekend.

Yep..Joint holiday.

Also:

Confederate Memorial Day is a state holiday in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia on the fourth Monday in April.
In Mississippi it is observed on the last Monday in April. In South Carolina and North Carolina it falls on May 10.

Jefferson Davis' Birthday is a state holiday in Alabama on the first Monday of June each year.

Whadda mean the South is not progressive?????

[JDPriestly]

142. Sometimes I just forget how crazy Alabama really is. Thanks. Lightens things up around here.

Only in the South would people celebrate the birthday of a loser like Robert E. Lee. Amazing.

[redstateblues]

102. Bernie could draw that many in Nashville and lose

The state by a huge margin.

[JDPriestly]

141. True of any candidate including Bernie or Hillary.

Still, I think it is great that Bernie drew such a big crowd. Each of the people who attended is a potential if not a likely volunteer. If you bother to find a parking spot or walk or travel by public transportation to an event and then you are willing to stand and wait in a crowd of 7000 for a seat and maybe not even get a seat, then you are an avid supporter. For each avid supporter, you have quite a few not so avid supporters.

This is an excellent sign in a state as conservative as Alabama. And that the crowd in Alabama is so white is astounding considering how conservative white people are in Alabama or at least used to be.

This is a sign that Bernie's voice is being heard, that his ideas are being heard and loved and that he is reaching a population and exciting a population that has not been reached and excited to this extent in recent years.

Do you think that Obama would have assembled such a large crowd with so many white people in Alabama? Do you think Clinton would?

I am really asking. I am not being snarky. I would appreciate a discussion and some opinions especially from people in the South on this. Do you think that assembling a crowd in Birmingham with that many white people at a Democratic event is notable? Or have I just not been following changes in Alabama?

[uponit7771]

52. Could it be his appeal is narrow because of lack of relationship? tia

[UglyGreed]

58. It takes two to begin a relationship

perhaps people should go and listen to him speak. I never heard of Obama and gave him a chance and ended up voting for him

[uponit7771]

59. Unnnnn, Sanders NEEDS votes... The onus should be on him not someone right? tia

[UglyGreed]

61. Unnnn funny

he was chastised in Baltimore when he devoted his press conference to the struggles the people there are having ........ give me a break

[uponit7771]

63. !?!? Are you responding the right post? We're talking about Sanders establishing a relationship

... with people(S) instead of coming asking for votes when they're needed only.

We're not talking about what happened in some random crowd is some random place...

[UglyGreed]

66. You really don't know the man

Perhaps Abuela Hillary could learn a thing or two

20 Examples of Bernie Sanders' Powerful Record on Civil and Human Rights Since the 1950s
From fighting segregation to standing against police violence.
By Zaid Jilani / AlterNet July 20, 2015
Print
805 COMMENTS

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 9, 2015:- U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (Independent -Vermont) speaks at a luncheon at the National Press Club
Photo Credit: Albert H. Teich / Shutterstock.com

Over the past few months, one lingering attack on Bernie Sanders' candidacy for the Democratic nomination is his supposed indifference to racial justice and civil rights issues.

But the truth is, Sanders has a 50-year history of standing up for civil and minority rights, as he told the attendants of Netroots Nation after he was interrupted by Black Lives Matter protesters. Of course, it's understandable that they want to bring attention to the movement. Killings of people from Ferguson to New York City to Los Angeles to Atlanta have finally brought important issues like police brutality, systemic racism, mass incarceration and militarization of the police into the center of national dialogue.

It is up to all candidates for the presidency, including every Democrat, every Republican and independent candidates, to address these issues in a forthright manner and to do outreach and communicate with communities that are besieged by these problems. Although his events in Phoenix, Houston and Dallas, where he loudly condemned police brutality and racism were a start, Sanders owes it to pay attention to these activists and listen to the concerns of marginalized groups whose civil rights have historically been suppressed. Sanders does have a record of fighting on these issues, and it should be only natural for him to be able to comfortably address them before a diverse audience.

Here are 20 ways Sanders has stood up for civil and minority rights, starting in the early 1950s up to the present year.

1. Raising Money For Korean Orphans: International solidarity was an unusual concept for any American to have in the 1950s, let alone a high school student. But one of Sanders' first campaigns was to run for class president at James Madison High School in New York City. His platform was based around raising scholarship funds for Korean war orphans. Although he lost, the person who did win the campaign decided to endorse Sanders' campaign, and scholarships were created.

2. Being Arrested For Desegregation: As a student at the University of Chicago, Sanders was active in both the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). In 1962, he was arrested for protesting segregation in public schools in Chicago; the police came to call him an outside agitator, as he went around putting up flyers around the city detailing police brutality.

3. Marching In March On Washington:Sanders joined the mega-rally called by the leaders of the civil rights movement, a formative event of his youth.

4. Calling For Full Gay Equality: 40 years ago, Sanders started his political life by running with a radical third party in Vermont called the Liberty Union Party. As a part of the platform, he called for abolishing all laws related to discrimination against homosexuality.

5. Standing Up For Victims Of U.S. Imperialism In Latin America: While mayor of Burlington, Vermont, Sanders formally protested the Reagan government's policy of sending arms to Central America to repress left-wing movements. In 1985, he traveled to Nicaragua to condemn the war on people there. He writes about it in his book Outsider In The House: “The trip to Nicaragua was a profoundly emotional experience....I was introduced to a crowd of hundreds of thousands who gathered for the anniversary celebration. I will never forget that in the front row of the huge crowd were dozens and dozens of amputees in wheelchairs – young soldiers, many of them in their teens, who had lost their legs in a war foisted on them and financed by the U.S. government.”

6. Condemned And Opposed Welfare Reform and Dog Whistle Politics:While President Bill Clinton and most Democrats in Congress supported so-called welfare reform politics, Sanders not only voted against this policy change, but wrote eloquently against the dog whistle politics used to sell it, saying, “The crown jewel of the Republican agenda is their so-called welfare reform proposal. The bill, which combines an assault on the poor, women and children, minorities, and immigrants is the grand slam of scapegoating legislation, and appeals to the frustrations and ignorance of the American people along a wide spectrum of prejudices.”

7. Vocally Condemned and Opposed Death Penalty and Prisons His Entire Political Career: Sanders has long been a critic of “tough on crime” policies. Here he is in 1991 condemning a crime bill for promoting “state murder” through expansion of the death penalty:

“My friends, we have the highest percentage of people in jail per capita of any nation on earth....What do we have to do, put half the country behind bars? Mister Speaker, instead of talking about punishment and vengeance, let us talk about the real issue. How do we get to the root causes of crime? How do we stop crime? … I've got a problem with a president and Congress that allows five million people to go hungry, two million people to sleep out on the street, cities to become breeding grounds for drugs and violence. And they say we're getting tough on crime. If you want to get tough on crime, let's deal with the causes of crime. Let's demand that every man, woman, and child in this country have a decent opportunity and a decent standard of living. Let's not keep putting poor people into jail and disproportionately punishing blacks.”

He also voted for an amendment in the crime bill to eliminate the death penalty with life imprisonment.

8. Voted Against Cutting Off Prisoners From Federal Education Funds: In the 1990s, there was a successful effort to end the Pell Grant program for prisoners, which was one of the most effective ways to reduce recidivism. Only a handful of members of Congress voted against the legislation, and almost all of them were members of the Black Caucus. Sanders was one of the few white members who opposed this effort. It passed by 351 to 39. Of those in the House who opposed that vote, few are still serving; Reps. John Lewis, Jose Serrano, Charlie Rangel, and Bernie Sanders stood together at that time and continue to serve today.

9. Took IMF To Task For Oppressing Developing World Workers: In a 1998 committee hearing, Sanders took Clinton administration official Robert Rubin to task for not enforcing a provision to protect the rights of workers in Indonesia. “Tell the world now that no more IMF money goes to that country, goes to [dictator] Suharto!” he thundered to Rubin, who later went on to be the chief architect of policies that led us to the Great Recession. “The IMF historically does not have a good record in terms of the poor people of various countries,” he noted, standing up for the poorest black and brown people on the planet, tackling an institution few in Congress dare to criticize.

10. Achieved High Ratings From Leading Civil Rights Organizations: A frequent critique of Sanders is that he is from a very white state. While this is true, he certainly has not ignored issues that matter to people of color. In 2002, he achieved a 93 percent rating from the ACLU and a 97% rating by the NAACP in 2006.

11. Voted Against the PATRIOT Act: The USA PATRIOT Act was passed in a 98-2 vote in the Senate and a 357-66 vote in the House. Sanders voted against it, and has voted against renewing it every single time. The law has been used to violate the rights of Arab and Muslim Americans, but few know how extensively it has been used in the drug war; from 2009 to 2010, the law was invoked for 3,034 narcotics cases and only 37 terrorism cases.

12. Opposed Both Iraq Wars on Moral Grounds: Sanders was opposed to U.S. involvement in both Iraq wars. While many simply talked about the war in terms of the impact it would have on the United States, Sanders went further, saying that the “death and destruction caused” would “not be forgotten by the poor people of the Third World.”

13. Traveled to Costa Rica to Defend Exploited Workers:Sanders traveled to Costa Rica to help organize workers opposing the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). While many critics of trade agreements do so on the grounds that Americans deserve jobs that could be lost to foreign countries, Sanders instead practices a form of solidarity politics, saying that workers in both countries are being exploited by corporations and so we must organize workers in both countries.

14. Endorsed Jesse Jackson, Spoke Up For Palestinians: In 1988, Jesse Jackson was the first competitive black candidate for the Democratic nomination for the presidency. He came under fierce attack for his advocacy of Palestinian statehood. Sanders came to his aid, organizing Vermonters and winning the state for Jackson. Sanders was asked about Jackson's comments on Palestine and defended him, saying that the Israeli assault on Palestinians was “reprehensible.”

15. Strongly Condemned Police Violence Over the Past Year: One criticism of Sanders is that he avoids talking about police violence in favor of talking about the economy. While the economy forms the bulk of his pitch, he has repeatedly condemned police violence during the duration of the Black Lives Matter movement. Here he is in mid-August 2014, before frontrunner Clinton ever spoke about the issue. Here (8/20/14) are (8/24/14) a (8/18/14) few (6/6/2015) more (4/30/2015) examples (6/2015).

16. Embraced Immigrants When Hillary Clinton Refused To Talk To Them: In 2014, young immigration activists repeatedly tried to talk to Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton to ask her about executive action. While Clinton did not talk to them, Bernie Sanders was not only willing to talk, but agreed with their call for executive action.

17. Defended Voting Rights Against Voter Suppression Efforts: Sanders earned the endorsement of radical rapper Killer Mike by his leadership on defending the Voter Rights Act and calling for expanding voting rights.

18. Fought Against Employment Discrimination: Sanders was a strong supporter of legislation to end workplace discrimination against LGBT Americans.

19. Called For End to War On Drugs, For-Profit Prisons and Migrant Detention Quotas: Sanders supports decriminalizing marijuna, and believes the war on drugs to be a failure. Additionally, he has vowed to end for-profit prisons and immigrant detention quotas.

20. Put Out Detailed Plan to End Economic Crisis in Minority Communities: Many argue that Sanders views the issue of racial justice in too myopic a fashion by focusing on the economy. But polling of both Latinos and African Americans shows that jobs and the economy is either their top concern or tied for their top concern. Gallup polling shows that 13 percent of Hispanics say immigration is their top concern; 47 percent say the economy is. Meanwhile, among black Americans, 13 percent say “race relations” is their top concern, tied with “unemployment/jobs,” an additional 10 percentage points go to the “economy in general.” Combined, economic concerns make up 23 percentage points while race relations compose 13 percent. If you add in healthcare, at 6 percent, another major Sanders theme, it gets you up to 29 percent. Add in poverty at 7 percent and education at 5 percent and you're up to 41 percent of African Americans naming Bernie Sanders' top issues as their top issues.

This validates Sanders' strategy of looking to the economy as the top concern of minority communities. He has put out a detailed strategy to target unemployment across America and particularly to attack Hispanic and black youth unemployment, which he introduced in August 2014, long before he announced for president.

None of this is to say that the Sanders campaign doesn't need to do more outreach to a broad array of people; the rallies in Phoenix, Houston and Dallas were a start, as they featured heavy presence of Latino and African Americans. The campaign is reportedly set to meet with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference next week, and will be campaigning heavily in the Southeast starting next month, with an event in New Orleans at the tail end of this month.

But much of the criticism of Sanders seems more rooted in who he is — an old white guy from Vermont — than what he has done. If anything, the fact that he has done so much for civil and minority rights despite the fact that his constituency is not one that would naturally demand it speaks to his character and wide empathy that isn't shared by many politicians.

[libdem4life]

82. Wow. I knew I liked him, but surely did not know all of that. Amazing.

More and more becoming a Liberal, Progressive Record vs. a Personality Cult. Mrs. Clinton has done many good things, but after reading this, no contest IMO.

[CorporatistNation]

95. To UglyGreed... Great Info... Your Post Is Why I Rec'ed This! There is plenty here to inform

people... GREAT JOB!

[sorechasm]

99. Nice list and Civil Rights Agenda for the next POTUS

Thank you UglyGreed!

[chervilant]

21. I am so glad

that I have you on my IL. I wish I didn't have to see your rude and inflammatory OP. I guess I'll have to use the trash thread option.

[NCTraveler]

23. I don't have anyone on ignore.

When you put them on ignore you still see their ops? Thanks.

[Ed Suspicious]

60. You see them on the "home" page.

[TheBlackAdder]

24. While I get your motive, perhaps there is another angle to view this from.

.


On one hand, there is a disproportionate display of race, based on demographics.

This is why post like this just act to be divisive, since they are just pushing the OP's desired narrative.




From the view of a Poli-Sci student, one needs to sit back and view why the audience is the way it is?


- Since most people of color in SC favor HRC, they would need to be acquainted with SBS.

- SBS had almost no media coverage, up until the most recent weeks. Since, I do not know if tickets were reserved in advance, I don't know if the last debate was too late to attract new followers, or people interested to see him in person.

- If, by following the implied intent of this OP, this could also be a sign that the whites in the audience want to see economic balance and equality brought to the country.



I see, over an over, an attempt to paint SBS as someone who only attracts whites--so he can't be trusted in the black and hispanic communities. Regardless of how much civil rights championing he's performed, all seems moot to some, as their optics are myopic.


From a poli-sci viewpoint, OPs like this show little nuanced thought.


.

[uponit7771]

54. 6 months out and people there STILL don't know about SBS?! Come on, this is old now

[TheBlackAdder]

68. It just seems old if holding a personal interest to see one's chosen candidate win. nt

[Goblinmonger]

25. How did Clinton's rally go in Birmingham?

Oh, yeah, she didn't have one. What does that say about her, then?

[TeddyR]

26. This post strikes me

As race baiting, shouldn't be condoned, and certainly doesn't convince me to vote for someone's favored candidate.

[TipTok]

122. Jury Results

AUTOMATED MESSAGE: Results of your Jury Service

Mail Message
On Wed Jan 20, 2016, 08:25 AM an alert was sent on the following post:

This post strikes me
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=1031881

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

"race baiting"? Is that supposed to be like reverse racism? Are you fucking kidding me? Is this still DU?

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Wed Jan 20, 2016, 08:34 AM, and the Jury voted 2-5 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: SSDD with this one, it is sad when they thrive on negative attention. Admins need to take a look at this one, they don't even pretend to be a Dem.
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: The poster is right, the OP is typical vicious camp weathervane trolling.
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Explanation: Yeah,this is Freeper grade derp. Hide.
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Are you serious? What a joke of an alert...
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[Dawson Leery]

27. Thank you for pointing this out.

[TM99]

28. Unrec!

An obsession with the color of people's skin for almost 9 months now suggests that someone might be a racist.

[Ed Suspicious]

29. Back to counting black folks in photos again?

Sad.

[Empowerer]

69. I bet if those were mostly black faces in the OP photo

Sanders supporters would plaster it all over DU as proof that black folks were "feelin' the Bern!"

So, the objection isn't to the reference to the race of the people in the photo. It's because the race of the people in the photo does nothing to advance the Sanders narrative - and is, therefore "OUTRAGEOUS!"

[Ed Suspicious]

71. I bet maybe. Or maybe not. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[Truprogressive85]

30. Tell us how was Clinton's rallies ?

Here comes Cali counting to see where the black folks are again


I support Sanders ,and I'm black man

Nothing will ever make me vote for Clinton

[KingFlorez]

33. It's a fairly polarized primary electorate

That picture is not at all surprising to me.

[bowens43]

36. I love the smell of desperation in the morning, it smells like victory

[Fawke Em]

37. Good Lord.

Alabama for Bernie







And, just because the city has that high of a population of AAs doesn't mean much since people from all over the state came in to see him.

I should know - I have family there. My step brother, who's in his 20s, is a former Ron Paul fan, now turned "BernieBro," which isn't that unusual for a Southern kid his age, went from Huntsville down to Birmingham to see him. And, yes, he's white, but he's NOT a resident of Birmingham.

[pinstikfartherin]

88. I was there.

Yes, it was majority white. But, there was more of a minority presence than the OP photo shows, especially toward the back where I was seated. You know, where the cameras don't particularly go since they don't get the best shots. In fact, if the photo was even higher and to the right or left....
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/democratic-presidential-candidate-sen-bernie-sanders-speaks-news-photo/505584658

Rumor is Bernie is coming to my area to visit ASU in Montgomery soon...guess we will see if they're as pumped as they were at the Birmingham rally. https://www.facebook.com/MLMBossLady/videos/10206476991465210/?theater

[Beacool]

140. I'm not AA, so I'm not going to get into a back and forth over this issue.

But, you just confirmed the OPs point. Sanders attracts the white liberals and millenials. Hillary attracts the rest of the base of the party: AA, Hispanics, Asians, Southeast Asians, the majority of the LGBT community, unions, etc.

[Nanjeanne]

38. I tried googling

But I can't find pictures of the crowds at Hillary's rallies. Can someone point me in a direction or what search terms I should try. I tried: Hillary Clinton rally crowd and then clicked images. Any other ideas?

[Fawke Em]

40. Her rallies are considerably smaller.

Many look like a PTA meeting.

[peacebird]

53. LOL!

[SidDithers]

39. DU rec...nt

Sid

[DemocraticWing]

41. The Birmingham-Hoover metropolitan area is 28.4% African American

Maybe there should be more black people at the rally, but the reasons Birmingham city has such a high black population is because the city proper has shrunk in population thanks to white flight...but there's no reason the rest of the metro couldn't make the 30 minute drive into the city (where they work, shop, are entertained every day) for a rally.

[Warren Stupidity]

43. Yeah - the guy in the front row second from Sander's right is picking his nose!

[Chemisse]

44. Haha! You're right!

At least that's how it looks.

[SMC22307]

46. Not strange, but that tall guy in the back in the maroon shirt?

Hubba.

[artislife]

47. Latina for Bernie right here.

This is a despicable OP. But one that isn't so surprising from you.

[brooklynite]

48. Despicable because it's wrong? Or because it's right?

[artislife]

77. You two are two peas of a pod. nt

[rhett o rick]

50. I would like to compare this with those that turn out for the $5,000 a cup of tea at

a Clinton event.

You forgot to mention that the crowd was too large and overflowed into the park. This is typical of Sen Sanders rallies.

[UglyGreed]

51. Or at the East Hampton events

[GoneFishin]

64. You'd notice a remarkable absence of certain faces, Timex watch faces.

[elias49]

62. Unrec this crap. nt

[Warren DeMontague]

72. A distinct lack of a pervasive sense of desperation?

Unlike, say, some corners of this place?

[Hoyt]

73. Looks like the crowd at gun shows, although a bit younger.

[rhett o rick]

75. The crowd is far different from the wealthy crowd that pays $5,000 to have tea with Clinton.

Two sides to this class war. Sanders and the 99% and Clinton and the 1%. Clinton has amassed $50,000,000 in a very short time, most coming directly from the billionaires that expect quid pro quo for their investment return.

[Hoyt]

78. I admire her ability to con them into funding her run against GOPers.

[libdem4life]

86. It's no con ... they are consenting cohorts in political funding and vote purchasing.

[Fearless]

80. Race card again?? Shame on you.

[Empowerer]

85. "Bernie drew 7,000 in B'ham! Who says that black people aren't feeling the BERN?!"

"But I hardly see any black people in the audience . . ."

"How DARE you mention RACE! STOP PLAYING THE RACE CARD!!!"

[Fearless]

94. Nice strawman you got there

[1StrongBlackMan]

100. LOL ... Exactly. Here's a thought ...

I'd love to see a Bernie event in any of the hundreds of "China Towns" across America. I wonder ... Would we be having this "race-card" discussion, when the Bernie crowd is of similar composition?

[uponit7771]

108. +1, and MLK and stuff... Even when valid mention of race is appropriate some people don't want to

... hear it

[Karma13612]

84. Since the invention of the car, I suspect people might have traveled

From outside B'ham to see Bernie. I know I would have, in order to see him IRL.

It isn't some oddity.

#Bernie16

[jfern]

96. Probably still more blacks than the average Hillary rally

Which is better, 1000 blacks and 500 whites or 2000 blacks and 5000 whites? Gee......

[uponit7771]

106. Ummmm, noooooooo... not true... but either way

[1StrongBlackMan]

118. It depends on the locality and the context ...

in a city that is 70+% Black, and with a campaign is perceived as lacking support among the Black electorate, I, as a campaign staffer/candidate, would rather see 1,000 Blacks and 500 whites ... as it would show that my support is approximating the demographics of the locality.

But that's just me.

[jfern]

156. The Birmingham metro area is only 28% black, though

So it depends on how far people came to see the event.

[Art_from_Ark]

98. Not this shit again

If there are that many white people in Alabama at an event honoring Martin Luther King, that indicates that Alabama has made significant progress in race relations since the days of Selma.

And Bernie's got a 100% rating from the NAACP.

Give this race-baiting shit up, already.

[uponit7771]

104. Yeap, valid point... regardless of how people hate to hear it. I do think if Sanders started early

... with a relationship in communities of color HRC would run at all.

There would be no room for her, Sanders would go unapposed

[riversedge]

110. A pic (in the OP) is worth a thousand words.

[Skwmom]

107. They showed Bill Clinton talking to people after the debate.

Last edited Wed Jan 20, 2016, 04:36 PM - Edit history (1)

And they didn't pan out but from what I saw, it was a pretty white crowd. Maybe that's why they didn't pan out. It would refute the narrative they are pushing.

Politics: A lot of smoke and mirrors and manipulation.

[1StrongBlackMan]

119. HRC isn't perceived as lacking the support of the Black community ...

Neither is O'Malley.

[Skwmom]

136. O'Malley with all the arrests and the third world Baltimore slums has no problem w/black support?

I'm speechless.

[1StrongBlackMan]

137. O'Malley enjoys +5 favorability numbers among Black folks ...

with his strongest support being among Black B'More natives.

[Skwmom]

138. Proof? n/t

[cherokeeprogressive]

109. Only this post.

Oh wait. Race-baiting isn't odd for Hillary Clinton supporters... it's par for the course.

[GeorgeGist]

112. Here's another view ...

[1StrongBlackMan]

120. Those are the people on the stage. eom.

[Still In Wisconsin]

117. Oh my GOD Bernie's a RACIST!

And if you don't support Hillary against him YOU are a racist TOOOOO!!!

[1StrongBlackMan]

121. There you go again with that BS that has never been said ...

It's interesting getting a look into the mind of folks from what they write.

[valerief]

132. Alabama is one of those states where they put all the black people in prison. nt

[MellowDem]

139. Not at all...

He's an incredibly progressive candidate and blacks are among the most conservative demographics in the Democratic Party.

The Democratic Party as a whole is pretty conservative, and it is a big reason Clinton will win.

[anigbrowl]

143. At least it's nice and toasty

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2016/01/bernie_sanders_campaign_we_did.html

[Warren DeMontague]

144. Obviously Hillary cannot run on the issues.

[Cali_Democrat]

145. What does the photo have to do with Hillary? nt

[Warren DeMontague]

146. Obviously Hillary cannot run on the issues.

[Cali_Democrat]

147. What does the OP have to do with Hillary? nt

[Warren DeMontague]

148. Sure, whatever you say.

Obviously, Hillary cannot run on the issues!

[Cali_Democrat]

149. Help me out here.

I posted a photo of Bernie at a political rally and you bring up Hillary.

What does the photo have to do with Hillary?

[Warren DeMontague]

150. You are smarter than that, I'm sure.

[Cali_Democrat]

151. What does the photo have to do with Hillary? nt

[Warren DeMontague]

152. Okay, I will explain what it has to do with Hillary.

Obviously, Hillary can't run on the issues.

[Lawud]

153. Not strange at all since most state government workers had the day off

Most normal people which is a large segment in that city who are Black had to work on MLK

What you're looking at is a lot of white privilege in how state government jobs are handed out.

It's who you know not what you know......