African American
In reply to the discussion: They are getting close to silencing 1StrongBlackMan [View all]imthevicar
(811 posts)Last edited Tue Jul 7, 2015, 10:32 AM - Edit history (1)
However, Both King and at the Million Man March, they were touted as one subject, Why do you have a Higher expectation for Sanders than these instances?
Interview from The Nation: A criticism directed toward you early in the campaign was that you were very focused on economics, but not sufficiently focused on critical issues such as police brutality and mass incarceration. Isnt this something you have to address?
Sanders: Clearly, police brutality and what goes on in African-American communities and other communities is a huge issue
. The question is: How do you have police departments in this country that are part of their communities, not oppressors in their communities? How do you have police officers who, when they commit acts of crime, are held accountable and are indicted? How do you have police officers receiving the proper training that they need? How do we demilitarize our police departments? All of these are important issues. The good news is that, as a country, we are paying far more attention to this issue than we previously did. If anyone thinks that the kind of police brutality that were seeing now is something new, they are sorely mistaken. The good news, in a sense, is that its now becoming public and were seeing it and talking about it.
There has to be, I think, a significant change in police culture in terms of . That is a major issue that has to be dealt with. And we will deal with it, period.
The other thing, to be frank, that does trouble me is that there is so little discussion about African-American youth unemployment. How do you discuss Ferguson and not know that, in that particular community, unemployment is off the charts? How do you discuss Baltimore and not know that, in that particular community, unemployment is off the charts? African-American youth unemployment in this country is 50 percent, and one out of three African-American males born today stands the possibility of ending up in jail if present trends continue. This is a disaster. So, of course, weve got to talk about police brutality; of course, weve got to talk about reforming our criminal-justice system; of course, weve got to make sure that we are educating our kids and giving them job training and not sending them to jail. But I get a little distressed that people are not talking about what I consider to be a huge problem: How do you not talk about African-American youth unemployment at 50 percent?
The Nation: That focus on employment goes back to the historic message of the civil-rights movement. Civil-rights organizing was one of the ways into political activism for you, wasnt it?
Sanders: Civil rights was a very important part of it. I was very active in the Congress of Racial Equality at the University of Chicago. I got arrested in trying to desegregate Chicagos school system. I was very active in demanding that the University of Chicago not run segregated housing, which it was doing at that time. We were active in working with our brothers and sisters in SNCC
at that point helping them with some very modest financial help. So, yes, I was active. And I do not separate the civil-rights issue from the fact that 50 percent of African-American young people are either unemployed or underemployed. Remember the March on Washingtonwhat was it about? Jobs and Freedom. The issue that Dr. King raised all the time was: This is great if we want to desegregate restaurants or hotels, but what does it matter if people cant afford to go to them? Thats still the issue today.
...SNIP...
Full interview here~
http://www.thenation.com/article/bernie-sanders-speaks/