Black lives like my father’s should matter. That’s why I’m endorsing Bernie Sanders.

[n2doc]

By Erica Garner January 29 at 6:00 AM
Erica Garner is the eldest daughter of the late Eric Garner. She is an activist, mother and founder of the Garner Way Foundation.


When I talk to other black voters about this year’s presidential election, some seem ready to dismiss it. Why, they ask, should we continue to put our faith in a system that continues to fail us? And why trust leaders who don’t care about our lives?

I understand.

A year and a half ago, New York City police officer Daniel Pantaleo barbarically choked my father, Eric Garner, on a Staten Island sidewalk in broad daylight. My father died that day. His death was ruled a homicide. Despite viral video footage of the incident, international media attention and widespread protests, our justice system failed to find Officer Pantaleo guilty of any crime. In fact, until a few weeks ago, the only person indicted in relation to the case was Ramsey Orta, the man who filmed it all.

As a daughter, I was devastated. As a citizen, I remain outraged — my father’s death was an absolute injustice, but not an uncommon one. By now, we know many of the other names all too well: Sandra Bland, Freddie Gray, Laquan McDonald, Tamir Rice, Mike Brown, Rekia Boyd. But it’s only thanks to the tireless work of organizers and protesters, who take to the streets and disrupt business as usual, that we know their names at all.

more

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/01/29/black-lives-like-my-fathers-should-matter-in-america-thats-why-im-endorsing-bernie-sanders/?postshare=3961454060394076&tid=ss_tw

[PatrickforO]

1. That is a very powerful article

[ErisDiscordia]

2. Bernie is the only candidate I'd trust to address this ongoing outrage of

police racism/murder and all the lesser things they do.

[CharlotteVale]

3. K&R

[me b zola]

4. Recommended

[mountain grammy]

5. K&R.

[FailureToCommunicate]

6. K&R

[bread_and_roses]

7. Eloquent and powerful

This:

I trusted establishment Democrats who claimed to represent me, only to later watch them ignore and explain away the injustice of my father’s death. I trusted the system; then I watched as politicians on both sides of the aisle — from Chicago’s Democratic Mayor Rahm Emanuel to Michigan’s Republican Gov. Rick Snyder — disregard the will of the people they were elected to represent and abdicate their responsibility to protect them. I’ve watched as our system criminalizes blackness while allowing Wall Street to bilk the American people with impunity.

... The answer is someone who started this work well before campaign season, who understands our deaths as tragedies — not political talking points — and someone who will speak out against the wars being waged against our communities. Not someone who only pays attention to our concerns when it’s time to collect our votes. Not someone who gives us bread crumbs and expects us to be full.

Emphasis added

TPTB in the Democratic establishment just don't get it. Crumbs may be better than a scraped plate, but we still starve in the end. People are sick of it. Both literally and physically.

[daleanime]

8. Amen.....

[GummyBearz]

14. Damn strait

Come on Iowans, start this ball rolling and lets not let it be stopped

[nyabingi]

9. Great article and a powerful endorsement

Erica Garner recognizes what many people recognize about Bernie - he actually listens and he is genuinely concerned.

[appalachiablue]

10. K & R. Amen and thank you.

[geardaddy]

11. K & R

Excellent article.

[creatives4innovation]

12. Excellent article, must read

the only person indicted in relation to the case was Ramsey Orta, the man who filmed it all.

This is too wrong for words. We need real change.

[The Traveler]

13. If you like what you've been getting ...

... then keep doing what you're doing.

This eloquent woman has a powerful reason for not liking what she and other people of color have been getting for a long, long time now. She suggests we try something different for all our sakes. This is not the expression of a naive belief in political unicorns. It an expression of sanity and reason because, as Einstein famously observed, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Race is used to divide us. If we can unite to take on this problem, and make a just solution stick, we will have dealt a mighty blow to this soulless machine that is transforming America into cash. And it is just the right thing to do.

I support Bernie Sanders because he understands that, and a great many related things. And we need a spokesperson and executive who gets that deep in his or her gut. Because fixing this is NOT going to come easy or quick. We need someone who has the heart for this fight.

Because you see, if we rally to elect Sanders and win, we will not have won a political revolution. We will have just started one. We need to be in for the long haul. Sanders clearly is up to it. Let's be like him.

Trav

[gregcrawford]

15. The "Broken Windows" policing strategy...

... was a bullshit concept from the git-go, and was interpreted by the psychopaths on the street as open season on anyone who looked at them sideways. Not to mention the completely illegal quota system the brass demanded of beat cops.

De Blasio made a big mistake bringing Bratton back.

[WillyT]

16. HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!!

[Akicita]

17. Great article. I have been disappointed with President Obama's lack of progress for AAs during his

administration. With his background as a community organizer I hoped and expected much more focus and results on issues that would lift AA lives. My hope now is he will focus on these issues in his post presidency.

[blackspade]

18. K&R!

[Enthusiast]

19. Kicked and recommended to the Max!

[SMC22307]

20. K&R