2016 Postmortem
Showing Original Post only (View all)On Twitter, Bernie Sanders’s supporters are becoming one of his biggest problems [View all]
Sanderss predominately white backers are targeting black activists or journalists who dare question the candidates civil rights record.
Earlier this month, I announced on Twitter that I planned to report on the disconnect between Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and black voters. Immediately, some of Sanderss self-described supporters raided my mentions with patronizing tweets.
Of course, its not fair to blame Sanders for the vitriol of trolls. But at a time when hes trying to build a relationship with black voters, his supporters can have a significant effect on his image.
Political consultant L. Joy Williams says Sanders could have won the allegiance of some black voters by responding to his supporters combative and patronizing comments and distancing himself from them. It would have been a good opportunity for the candidate to interact with black press and connect with black Americans, she said. Its not as if he went on NewsOne Now or did an interview with black press and said, I am dismayed by the way some of those who support me are treating us (black voters). That never happened.
The go-to defense for Sanderss supporters is to mention the candidates involvement in civil rights protests in the 1960s. The implication is that black Americans owe their votes to Sanders today because he did the right thing by support black Americans rights 60 years ago. This patronizing position not only assumes that black Americans are one-issue voters, but also that their one issue has been solved for five decades.
more.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/09/23/on-twitter-bernie-sanderss-supporters-are-becoming-one-of-his-biggest-problems/