"I'm Sick & Tired of the Black Community Making BERNIE Jump Through Hoops", Black Media Host

[appalachiablue]

Last edited Wed Jan 20, 2016, 09:32 PM - Edit history (1)

- THE BENJAMIN DIXON SHOW: *TA-NEHISI COATES ATTACKS SANDERS ON REPARATIONS* -

Media host of The Benjamin Dixon Show gives his perspectives on the controversy and debate generated by black intellectual Ta-Nehisi Coates' article this week in The Atlantic attacking presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders over Reparations for Slavery.

An admirer of COATES and also well known economist Paul KRUGMAN, Dixon notes that the piece by Ta-Nehisi Coates came out soon after Krugman's recent article claiming that Bernie Sanders' single-payer healthcare plan is too difficult.

In the session, Dixon states that he is sick and tired of the black community making Bernie Sanders jump through hoops. And a whole lot more. He explains the positions and work that Sanders has undertaken on BLM, Sandra Bland's death and policies to benefit the black community; actions to spare Hillary Clinton and Martin O'Malley the same scrutiny; and the role of the Black Political Class as he refers to it, in protecting the establishment. Righteous truth, reason and honesty.

Dixon's program on politics, current affairs, BLM/Black Lives Matter issues and other news is aired online M-TH, PM EST.

[TM99]

1. A-fucking-Men!

Are we finally going to hear more PoC start saying this publicly and loudly?

Why are we making Sanders jump through more hoops? Why aren't we expecting the same of O'Malley and Clinton?

Bravo Benjamin Dixon!

I have been saying this same damn thing all day. I hope some of those who have argued with me will watch this and learn!

[appalachiablue]

4. A Second to that, Amen! Truth teller brother Dixon lays it OUT!! There is rational, honest life

and sanity out there after all. Sick of this shit, which is what it is. And it sorely needs to be splained like this, to those who don't or won't see things as they are. *Check out Atlanta Rapper/Activist KILLER MIKE'S honest comments about this subject, now an *OP in GD-P. Great guy Mike is, also very talented and sharp.

[artislife]

32. Really.

So, what if he did go for reparations, where would the goal posts be next?

Restore Native lands to the first treaties signed? Give back pay to the Chinese who built the rail roads? Give moneies to Irish descendents who were refused housing and jobs when they first came over?

And only Bernie, because to paraphrase on poster's answer to me on the other thread, we know h isn't brave, a leader and doesn't like to lose.


We need to do an apology on par with Trudeau just recently did for The First Nationers and then we need to implement economic, educational and environemental changes that would level the playing field so it didn't matter if you lived in Flint or Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Where your schools were safe, clean and taught life needed goals. Where the ability to further educate yourself relied only upon your own inspiration to learn and where the ground water was clean and the earth solid and full of healthy food

[TM99]

48. Damn straight!

In other words, we need to implement King's Bill of Rights for the Disadvantaged which includes all no matter your race or origins. It is an end to the economic apartheid that the 1% hold us all under. And Sanders is the ONLY candidate who has a plan to do just that.

I have never been impressed with Coates. He is an activist only and not some 'intellectual' voice of our community. He never graduated from Howard with even an undergraduate degree and is just a 'journalist'. Meh, give me a real intellectual like Dr. West any day of the week.

[artislife]

49. Martin Luther King Jr's Bill of Rights for the Disadvantage

http://www.thekingcenter.org/archive/document/economic-and-social-bill-rights



Okay, who is the only candidate that even comes close to this?

[TM99]

53. Telling isn't it?

The one candidate that even comes close. But, yeah, that's not good enough Bernie.

The one candidate that even comes close. And Clinton, Miss I love the private prison industry gets a pass.

The one candidate that even comes close. And Coates goes after Sanders for failing to live up to his strawman persona of him.

Yeah, I know exactly who we are fighting. I know exactly who gives a shit about PoC and whites. I know exactly who needs to be president.

[artislife]

67. I am with you! nt

[cascadiance]

2. Who needs to explain their history in the 60's more?...

I think this image asks that a lot! Why are we not dealing with those more fundamental questions there.

[appalachiablue]

8. The actual Truth! Yet too many want to dismiss the known reality in favor of slams,

fabrications and rubbish for political purposes. Thanks for posting, you might want to check out the *OP here in GD-P now on Rapper/Activist Killer Mike who also spoke the truth about attacks on Bernie over Reparations. Great guy Mike is, from Atlanta.

[Lucinda]

21. She was in high school when she supported Goldwater.

Grew up in a conservative home, and had become an active leader in the Dem party on campus by her junior year of college. '68

Does anyone bother to do candidate research anymore?

[DirkGently]

24. After serving as president of her college Young Republicans.

However much anyone thinks it matters, Hillary began her adult political activism as a conservative Republican, period. She supported an anti-civil rights candidate and says had an epiphany after which she changed her thinking. She continued to say she was a "mind conservative and a heart liberal" long after.

[Lucinda]

25. To paraphrase HRC's long time friend Maya Angelou

When she knew better she did better. She left the party of her family to follow her conscience.

And she has, since 1968, been a DEMOCRATIC public servant - first to her college, and later to AR, then the USA, and the world.
If you don't get the significance of that, regardless of who you support for this election, then I'm not sure what else to say to you.

[DirkGently]

27. Yes, it's good Hillary switched sides.

There is no question embracing the civil rights movement and quitting her leadership role in conservative politics partway through college was the right thing to do.

Generally, Hillary has moved from poorer positions to better ones. She's come around on marriage equality and Iraq after holding problematic conservative positions in those areas as well.

If we're talking about "candidate research" though, of course, skipping her leadership of the Wellesley Young Republicans in order to cite her later change of not just party, but her entire political philosophy, would be an oversight.

[Lucinda]

28. I didnt skip it. I went from her Republican support

to when it changed to Democratic support. Which was the point under discussion. I can tell you the year she met Dr King too, but that was in the beginning of her questioning things, and not the moment she made a change.

[Ken Burch]

35. Still, as an always-wealthy white Christian, HRC can never be entitled to lecture Bernie on bigotry.

No one in HRC's family was sent to a concentration camp for being a woman.

[Lucinda]

36. Bernie's mother was born in NY.

Hillary's mother had a very bleak childhood.
And I have no idea what you are referencing...

[Ken Burch]

41. I corrected the post. It was a reference to Bernie's father's family

who were killed in the Holocaust. I simply got the family relationship wrong.

My point stands, though...No one in HRC's family had anything happen to them that was remotely comparable to trying to survive the Third Reich while Jewish.

[Lucinda]

42. I still don't know what comment HRC said that you are referring to

or how it relates to my posts above?

[Ken Burch]

43. I didn't reference a specific comment.

It's about the smear campaign HRC and her supporters have started about Bernie being untrustworthy on anti-oppression issues because he also talks about economic inequality.

She is part of the ruling class and always has been. It's not possible for someone like her to be the victim of any real oppression.

[Lucinda]

45. Ok...so there was no comment, your post had nothing to do with what I was discussing,

and you tossed in the laughable notion that Hillary Clinton has never suffered any mistreatment for good measure? I see a shark just over your back shoulder dude....

And FWIW I LIKE Bernie. A LOT!
The campaign lately? Not so much.

[Ken Burch]

46. I didn't say she never suffered ANY mistreatment.

What I said was that nothing can happen to a gentile woman of her class that could be comparable to what happened to Jews in the Holocaust-therefore, neither HRC nor her supporters are entitled to call out Bernie on his response to bigotry.

[Uncle Joe]

3. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, appalachiablue.

[appalachiablue]

6. Sure Uncle Joe. What an explanation & truth telling by Mr. Dixon, thank heaven! Credit votesparks.

Check out Atlanta Rapper/Activist KILLER MIKE'S straight forward, honest comments in Esquire about this fracas, very worthwhile! It's an *OP here now in GD-P. He's a very talented, intelligent and great guy!

[Uncle Joe]

7. Thanks for the headsup and votesparks rocks!

Peace to you, appalachiablue.

[appalachiablue]

11. Absolutely. Keepers of the Truth must prevail! In the words of Killer Mike, against 'BULLSHIT!" :)

[appalachiablue]

22. ~ Killer Mike's Powerful *INTRO-SPEECH* for Bernie at ATLANTA CAMPAIGN RALLY ~

- Impassioned speech/intro. for Bernie by Mike Render, Atlanta native son, political activist & musician. Bravo!






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[tishaLA]

5. Mr Coates is on Chris Hayes right now

(well, before the break and coming back after it).

If Mr Dixon sees it and doesn't take back much of his attack on Mr Coates, I will be disappointed.

[Armstead]

16. I saw it and was put off

Mr. Coates acknowledged as valid every reason Sanders did not come out for reparations as a major platform. But still it was "puzzling" why he didn't embrace that in his platform. "Not good enough Bernie.'

What was especially frustrating is the contrast listening to Sanders remarks, Bernie said exactly what Coates claims to want. An explanation of why. Bernie said why.Perhaps Bernie could (should) provide a more complete explanation, but the short answer was direct and honest.

This undertone that if Bernie does not do everything that everyone demands then he has a "problem" with some demographic constituency. It's fine for Clinton to ignore reparations......but somehow Bernie is required to favorably embrace everything thrown his way.

And what is infuriating is that it is an argument that is trying to use Bernie's main attribute against him. Bernie is the most open to pushing ideas that have been shut out. He is the one trying to expand the boundaries. But if that does not include certain specific demands of some, it means Bernie is....well, I'll stop here, except to say the comments from the OP are not off the mark.

[tishaLA]

17. A couple quick things...

I've been on DU too much the past couple days and I'm honestly tried of typing. I need to try to be less verbose.

What Coates said was, as I recall, if Sen Sanders wants to say, no, my coalition won't put up with this. It's not something I want to go to the mat for, or something else, that'd be fine and he could respect that. But what he said instead was that its chance of passing was nil. Mr Coates said, well, true enough; it does have no chance of passing. But so what? There are lots of things you want that have next to no chance of passing. Why the line in the sand for this?

And that gets to the point of "why Bernie?" that people have tried to attack Mr Coates over: because he talks consistently about a political revolution and, as Mr Coates said, that's to his credit. We need people like that who expand the realm of the possible in politics--we all know that's not what we would get with Sec Clinton, who is the most establishment candidate since....well, a long time. So why the shift from the rhetoric of revolution toward a rhetoric of pragmatism? That's the central question Mr Coates wants to explore.

[Armstead]

18. I can relate to the being on DU too much...

But in brief.

There are many things that are not on the agenda, that people can claim should be.

We should nationalize the energy industry, and end our enslavement to Big Energy.

We should break up the media monopolies and reinstate limits on ownership of radio and TV stations.

We should create a publicly owned national broadband network that gives everyone access to the Internet,.

we should, we should, we should...

Hopefully, if the larger pendulum can start to swing in a progressive social and economic justice direction, reparations and many other things can come to the fore. But to single out and undermine the candidate who is doing the most to push it in that direction is misgided in my opinion.

[tishaLA]

19. If you saw him, I think it's hard to argue that he's trying to undermine him

not any ore than when LGBT activists disrupted Pres Obama for not moving fast enough on Don't Ask, Don't Tell or marriage equality. We should hope to have leaders whose feet we can hold to the fire; Mr Coates' criticism came from a place o respect--I have no doubt after seeing the interview--and a sense of disappointment that "his" issue was immediately off the table. just as so many LGBT activists were disappointed in Pres Obama for not having their issues in the forefront.

JMO

[Armstead]

29. I realize his job is to analyze and comment

And I saw how he supported Sanders' overall effort and goals.

And I know he is not on the Sanders campaign staff, and as a professional commentator he can obviously can say whatever he wants.

But frankly, with the establishment coming at Bernie fast and furious, it is not helpful to raise this at this point.

I find it annoying that even though Clinton would be even less receptive to reparations,Coates is insinuating negative things about Bernie's racial priorities simultaneously with the attacks from the other direction on his "unrealistic socialistic" agenda by Clinton and the corporate wing of the party.

[tishaLA]

30. to be fair to him, he was utterly dismissive of Sec Clinton

I won't remember what he said exactly, but it was basically: yeah, she's the establishment. Who can possibly expect any out of the box, really progressive thinking from HER?

[Armstead]

31. I realize a commentator's job is to stir the pot

I just wish he'd chosen a different time to stir this particular pot, and not used Sanders as the focus.

But I want to see Bernie win, so I am obviously not objective about it.

[tishaLA]

34. and I wish you and your candidate the best possible luck nt

[ecstatic]

9. Wow. Keep it up. nt

[Autumn]

10. Yeah that article was a big WTF.

This right here,

Dixon states that he is sick and tired of the black community making Bernie Sanders jump through hoops.

can't be said enough. When Coates goes after Clinton, Obama, Hillary and O'Malley like he did Bernie then I'll take him serious. Until then...

[appalachiablue]

12. The absolute truth well told. In addition to Dixon, Rapper/Activist *KILLER MIKE also called

out this fracas for what it is. A very talented, bright and great guy. Mike did a piece on this topic in Esquire now posted here in an *OP in GD-P that you might want to check out. Got to keep 'em honest!

[Autumn]

14. Thanks I'll look for the article.

[Warren DeMontague]

13. Im sure it is a totally organic, grassroots phenomenon

Which has nothing to do with the Clinton campaign cynically trying to spread nonsense memes about Sanders and his supporters being some weird hybrid of Vermont Hippie, Seattle Tech libertarian, and old school white supremacists.

No, Im sure it has nothing to do with that. After all, if it did, we would have seen tons of threads to that effect right here on DU over the past 6 months. Right?

[WillyT]

15. K & R !!!

[Stellar]

20. It is time for Hillary to come up with some answers...

and I just truly found it strange at the number of guests that came on Chris Hayes' show that talked about Bernie being a socialist and he can't possibly win. They sound like Hillary did Tuesday night at the debate like "you should vote for me because I'm the only one that can defeat Trump or the Republic0ns". When all the polls show Bernie defeating Republic0ns, including Trump. WTF!?

I'm still waiting for Hillary to come up with a plan for BLM...nothing yet, and none of Chris' guests said anything about that or even had somebody from Bernies team to support him on the show. What's up with that?! Hillary is the only one that doesn't have a plan, good or bad. (I read an article that somebody wrote that most of Bernies plans might not work, but guess what he and O'Malley at least have one).

[Empowerer]

23. "Black Media Host"?

Ok . . .

[Gothmog]

26. New Poll Shows ‘Surging’ Sanders Losing Ground With the Voter Group He Needs Most

And Sanders is still not polling well with African American or Latino voters and so maybe he needs to change what he is doing http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/01/poll-sanders-gains-stop-short-of-minorities.html#

Team Sanders is certainly focused on the problem, with a variety of campaign efforts focused on minority voters in the works. The talking points they are putting out there, however, are less than convincing, as I learned as a guest on the public radio show "To the Point" yesterday, when I heard a Sanders supporter argue that an Iowa win would greatly boost Bernie's African-American support just like it did for Obama in South Carolina in 2008. The idea that Sanders's potential to win the black vote in South Carolina is analogous to that of the first African-American president does not pass the laugh test. Still, any early-state win for Sanders, even in exceptionally honkified Iowa and New Hampshire, will likely create some sort of generalized bounce. The question is how high, and how loyal minority voters prove to be to Hillary Clinton, her husband, and her implicit ally Barack Obama. It's worth remembering that she defeated Barack Obama handily among Latinos in 2008, and that Bill Clinton enjoyed robust support in both communities.

Monmouth University has a new national poll out that casts some fascinating, if very preliminary, light on this subject. Compared to its poll in December, Monmouth shows Sanders making pretty big gains: Clinton was up 59-to-26 last month, and only 52-to-37 now. But among black and Latino voters, Clinton has actually expanded her lead from 61-to-18 to 71-to-21. In other words, a legitimate "Sanders surge" nationally has coincided with a deterioration of his standing with the voters he will most need for a breakthrough after the first two contests of the primary season.

Sanders is actually losing ground with African American voters and Sanders' current tactics are not evidently working.

Sanders will not be the nominee unless he can expand his base of supporters

[artislife]

33. 2 Latino papers endorsed Bernie in Nevada...watch out! nt

[Gothmog]

37. Time will tell

[uponit7771]

40. I wonder if someone will bring up Stockholm Syndrome again

[artislife]

47. You just did. nt

[Hiraeth]

60. lol ... Stockholm is the new Hitler

[uponit7771]

38. Who cares?! tia

[Bernblu]

39. The argument is not sound

81% of Democrats support Medicare for All. Unfortunately, only a minority support reparations and it is very divisive issue. If 81% supported reparations, Bernie would support it in a heartbeat. Bernie wants to win so he help poor people both black and white. If he supported reparations he couldn't win,

[1StrongBlackMan]

51. Thus acknowledging TNC's (later made) point ...

Sanders recognizes that he will lose too much of his otherwise supportive base ... if he were to put reparations in his platform.

[Autumn]

59. Sounds like Bernie's a damn smart man . Clinton and Obama didn't put reparations in their

platforms. It's not in O'Malley's or Hillary's so there's no reason Bernie should be trashed for not having it in his. Well there is one reason and it's pretty clear what that reason is.

[1StrongBlackMan]

62. Has either HRC or President Obama compaign on a platform of progressive revolution ...

and proposed policy initiatives that they knew was a huge stretch ...

Never mind. Bernie must be defended, even if the defense no defense; but, rather a deflection.

[Autumn]

63. Obamas campaign was pretty progressive...at one point.

But we all know Bernie must be knocked out of the race, even if he is the one with the platform that benefits ALL people. People are finally seeing why.

[1StrongBlackMan]

65. Okay. n/t

[Autumn]

66. HRC supporters all love to say Hillary has the Black vote,

it's not part of her platform. What's she campaigning on? What's in her platform she is promising that is so damn progressive? Oh yeah, the we can't do that platform. Here's a "policy initiative" that's huge stretch ... telling the banks to cut it out.

[1StrongBlackMan]

68. Okay. Nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

44. Subautobus Coatesque

[1StrongBlackMan]

50. His whole opinion on this matter is apologetic deflection ...

TNC's argument made sense to him, until he strapped on his "I Bernie" persona.

He cites to the argument that not a single candidate has supported reparations, so why should Bernie be held to account?

TNC explained in the article, exactly why he addressed this to Bernie ... and not the other Democratic candidates.

And, as TNC has said: "Asking where HRC (or anyone else) is on a subject; does not, answer the question."

But that said, I can see why this was posted to DU.

[kenfrequed]

55. Why is it Dixon unreasonable about this?

He wants all the candidates to have to answer this question or the question to be put aside.

Why does Bernie get singled out for this question?

It seems the only reason is because Bernie is pushing for more progressive revolutionary policy. This would be like waiting until august and going to Hillary in the general election and demanding why a progressive isn't in favor of single payer universal health care and refusing to bother asking the republicans. Why would anyone run a purity test on ONLY the most progressive candidate?

[1StrongBlackMan]

61. Bernie is being singled out, as you note, because he is the only candidate campaigning on ...

a platform of Revolution.

[Autumn]

64. Political Revolution. Not Revolution.

Political Revolution. Twist it all you want it's transparent as hell.

[1StrongBlackMan]

71. Okay POLITICAL Revolution ... and ...? eom.

[Autumn]

73. One word has meaning, two words can provide context. Political Revolution n/t

[1StrongBlackMan]

75. So "political revolution" allows for selective progress? eom.

[kenfrequed]

69. That is unreasonable standard.

I find it particularly ironic since many of the conservative democrats here are fond of attacking the progressives here for excessive purism.

[1StrongBlackMan]

70. I'm not understanding your point ...

"many of the conservative democrats here are fond of attacking the progressives here for excessive purism."

Isn't this an example of selective purism?

[kenfrequed]

72. Therein lies the tragedy

To conservative democrats we progressives cannot win.

Examples:
This particular instance where there are different standards applied to the progressive candidate

Conservative democrats complaining about Sanders supporters accepting his vote for military action in Serbia.


But yeah... go ahead and continue to feign obtuseness to an obvious argument. It really sells people on your position.

[1StrongBlackMan]

74. That's the 'tragedy" of how "progressives" operate ...

You are inconsistent in your "purity". And, get upset, i.E , want to complain about double standards being applied, when you are called on it.

Yes, I caught your little poke at the end.

[Autumn]

52. I read the OP you gave me the link to. Fantastic

[appalachiablue]

54. That's great, Mike's an incredible, gifted man courageous enough to call out bull whe he sees it.

[Autumn]

56. Killer Mike really called out the bullshit on this.

He is such an asset to the Sanders team. Thank you for the link and for posting both OPs. The threads cleared up so much.

[appalachiablue]

57. Mike and others like Nina Turner and Symone Sanders are treasures for the campaign

as you say. It was great to do these OPs which helped clarify matters. Credit to votesparks for the video of the Benj. Dixon Show discussion that was awesome for noting the attack on Bernie but not other candidates.

[Autumn]

58. I really like this Benjamin Dixon.

Such strong, brilliant people are on Bernie's team.