2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Why I NEVER want to hear another word about BERNIE BROS on DU again [View all]JonLeibowitz
(6,282 posts)understanding where BLM comes from, including, yes, liberals. I think both candidates had severe issues relating to them, and there were conflicts. Because Sanders is a lot more open to the people than Clinton, I think he performed worse. Ultimately though, I think liberals came away having learned some lessons, and BLM's message is one I support. I wasn't entirely clear what it was at first, because at first it appeared (to this white person, fwiw) as if they were protesting politicians rather than politicians to talk about the issues. The antagonism made me think they were doing the former rather than the latter. Some of the protests were not especially productive it seemed, but ultimately some candidates (MOM, SBS) developed strong platforms in response to the BLM supporters. I thought that was positive. Hillary still doesn't have a strong platform (see: telling a black man (and I sure you don't need me to remind you how they are more likely to be sentenced to death) who was falsely put to death row that she still supports the death penalty) on many issues. And she still disappoints and is protested by BLM.
If there were a candidate that I thought would be stronger than Sanders on the issues (not claims of intersectionality or general election language -- actual policy) for minorities (all minorities: blacks, LGBT, native americans, hispanics, women) then I would back that candidate. There simply is not. That is not saying that PoC are "voting wrong" -- it is what it is. Obviously I disagree with them and think 95% of Democratic voter should have chosen between MOM and SBS. They did not.
Yes, white people are tone deaf and I can assure you that I will say something tone deaf in the future. I do mean well, but my privilege is that I haven't lived the life that others have.
bravenak: Here's the real problem I have on DU (I only know hispanics and asians in real life, I am in SoCal so yeah ) -- it isn't about the issues for African Americans anymore. African Americans' preferences on DU are being used as a wedge and used to imply that Sanders himself and his supporters are racist (they are not, arguably tone deaf, but not racist). Or instead the claim is his proposals are not better for the country as a whole and for PoC in general. It is fucking insulting. On DU the constant message is that AAs are voting against our candidate (and that's fine; I still think they are voting against their best interests, but it's their right); that's fine, but the problem is what comes next: the proposed explanation is that Bernie's proposals and his supporters are horrible people. I have a big problem with that.
That's about all I'll say on the subject. I hope that you will not dismiss it. In fact if you respond, I urge you to PM me so you can be candid and don't have to worry about others reading.