General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Bernie admits need to get schooled on African-American incarceration* [View all]EffieBlack
(14,249 posts)A grown-assed man who has been on earth for 70+ years, lived through and participated in the civil rights movement, should have a range of exposure, experience and understanding. His age IS relevant.
"How many times have I heard senators bring this up?" Are you serious?
LOTS of times. Senators and representatives and local politicians and activists talk about this issue FREQUENTLY. Hell, even some Republican Senators have taken up the cause of incarceration.
How a man of Bernie's age and experience AND a U.S. Senator AND a supposed progressive AND who goes around lecturing everyone else about civil rights didn't know this is beyond me. The only way he couldn't know is if he is totally not paying attention.
Hell, in 2016, we were bombarded with Bernie supporters quoting Michelle Alexander's criticism of Hillary Clinton as proof that African Americans shouldn't support Hillary but should switch to Bernie because he was SO much better than Hillary on these issues. Alexander's book, "The New Jim Crow" is all about the discrimination that black men face in the criminal justice system, including how African American men are incarcerated without trial for because they can't make bail. How in the hell did Bernie - and his supporters - not know any of this? He never even bothered to read her book, the seminal work on African American incarceration and discrimination that was one of THE major talking points surrounding his campaign?
Really?
I'm sorry, but if this is the first time you're hearing about any of this, it's because you just haven't been paying attention. That's fine.
But for a U.S. senator not know any of it is political and social malpractice, demonstrating that he is not ready for prime time.
And your excuse-making for him, frankly, just makes him look even more pathetic. He's SUPPOSED to know these things. And claiming that "well, no one ELSE was talking about hit {which isn't even true} so how could BERNIE be expected to know anything about it" is just laughable.