Dr. Corrnel West on Bernie Sanders...

[Playinghardball]

People For Bernie ?@People4Bernie · 4h4 hours ago
Join @CornelWest and @BernieSanders in anti-oppression work. The people United will never be defeated #FeelTheBern

[merrily]

1. The people divided serves the 1% very well, though.

[2banon]

2. Indeed! n/t

[SoapBox]

3. Dear Dr. West...

[Plucketeer]

4. Ya gotta love the guy!

Straight and true as can be.

[840high]

23. Always. Luv the guy.

[AzDar]

5. Bernie!!

[jtuck004]

6. Thank you sir. n/t

[JDPriestly]

7. That's the issue. We have to give ourselves the opportunity to unite on the issue

of Black Lives Matter.

Because they do. And because just because many of us and Bernie are white does not mean that we don't understand that fact.

We who are white may not fully understand the suffering that Black people experience in their lives. That is especially true of those of us who are older (me) and who may not have had, as our children do, close relationships, even family relationships with people of color when we were children.

But we can read the news. We do hear and say the names. We do care. We do have compassion. And Black people need to distinguish between friend and foe. Because right now, when it comes to police oppression, Black people need friends. And so do white people, but we just don't realize that fact yet.

Black people are the ready scapegoat. But once the police state mentality finishes subjugating people in Black and Hispanic and Asian communities, it will move on to minority groups within the white community. Because that is what the police state mentality does.

Black Lives Matter. But that issue is too important for its advocates to pick fights with their friends. Their imperfect friends, but their friends.

Hey, to have a friend like Bernie Sanders who speaks eloquently and forthrightly about race issues and who backs up his speech with stubborn advocacy for what he believes in is really worth a lot. I hope that the BLM recognizes what Bernie is about and what a strong friend he is and will be and get on board with his campaign.

The Black Lives Matter movement would do well to take advantage of Bernie's long and steady support of the cause of people of color and his moral integrity which is unmatched by any other candidate for the presidency.

Thanks to Cornel West for speaking out.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

8. From BLM's performance at Netroots, I won't hold my breath.

They seem to want to shout down their potential friends, like Bernie is the cause of all their troubles. At least that's the way it came over to me. If you invite someone to speak, let them speak. It seemed like Netroots and BLM were in cahoots to try to embarrass both Bern and O'Malley.

[JDPriestly]

9. Netroots Nation should apologize. They should foster dialogue and discussion, not

confrontation and dissension.

A roundtable at which BLM was represented following the candidates' speeches would have been great.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

10. It was a great opportunity to get Bernies thoughts but they just wanted to hear their own chants.

I suppose after they spent that much time memorizing, they kind of had to do it, but its really unfortunate, and they came off as serious about BLM, but not much else.

[blackspade]

31. As disruptive as it was, it changed the conversation

You have to understand the desperation that underlies actions like this.
Black people are killed every day by cops and the justice system.
Their 'traditional' efforts have not worked in our corporate news media cycle.
It was time to break the mould.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

42. I understand all that. I still think it could have been done less rudely.

[JDPriestly]

37. I agree. But the facts on the incarceration of Blacks are compelling.

This is a huge challenge, and we need to do what is right about it.

Here are the shocking numbers.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026997305

[Hiraeth]

43. Truth.

[LuckyLib]

12. Very well said. This needs to be its own post.

Thank you!

[blackspade]

30. +1

[DrBulldog]

11. So are african-americans actually listening to Cornell West?

But apparently many of them are not listening at all - against their own best interest - judging by their loud negative disruptive interference at the NetRoots conference.

[PotatoChip]

13. Some are, some are not. There have been some dust-ups of late.

I'll just say that *it's complicated* and leave it at that...

[nxylas]

16. Well, this is in the Bernie Sanders group

I'm sure that if it gets posted in GD: P, we'll be told that Dr West is " not within the mainstream of black thought".

[azmom]

19. He is not liked because he criticized Obama.

[840high]

24. So what. It's not like

Obama is perfect.

[azmom]

28. He is not perfect. I personally like West, but I'm latina.

[awoke_in_2003]

33. More like he was thrown under the bus. nt

[turbinetree]

14. West and thousands of others were ..................

at the Occupy movements and they got the issues at hand and they saw the "LINK" to what is happening to this country based on the divide and conqueror mentality and how trade and greed are destroying democracy in this country------------and Sanders got it a longtime ago right along with West and many others-----------and people are finally seeing and understanding it now

Thank you ---------- Dr. West --------Thank you



Honk -----------for a political revolution Bernie 2016

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

25. Dr. West, Bernie Sanders and myself

all went to different schools together.

But the message is the same.

Now is the time for a real progressive populist movement, the message needs to be clear and not overly complex and it needs to be repeated over and over to drive it home into the minds of the people.

Then Bernie will win

[heaven05]

15. No argument

#Black Lives Matter

[uhnope]

17. I remember how West turned on Obama after not getting enough attention

so beware the onset of Disappointment/Narcissism Syndrome when Sanders says or does something that is not 100% exactly as West sees fit

West further retracted his support for Obama in an April 2011 interview, stating that Obama is "a black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs and a black puppet of corporate plutocrats. And now he has become head of the American killing machine and is proud of it."[70][71][72] In November 2012, West said in an interview that he considered Obama a "Rockefeller Republican in blackface."[73][74]

Melissa Harris-Perry, a professor of political science at Tulane University, criticized what she described as the "utter hilarity" of West's statements, writing that his comments are a "classic projection of his own comfortably ensconced life at Harvard and Princeton Universities" and that West "offers thin criticism of president Obama and stunning insight into the delicate ego of the self-appointed black leadership class".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornel_West#Views_on_Barack_Obama

[azmom]

20. West has been critical of Sanders because

Of Sanders' stance on Israel.

[Enthusiast]

22. It had nothing to do with attention. Dr. West was correct in his critcism of Obama.

Melissa Harris-Perry doesn't have any special insight. She is often inaccurate in what she says.

[yikes1]

35. melissa harris-perry

I would never take any host on a show seriously that wears tampons as earrings. Never liked her.

[ORjohn]

46. MLP, you noticed

No outcry from men...seems like a Freudian drive issue is evident in the thinking; objectified rather oddly.

[GoneFishin]

34. West is correct on the President's economic policies. I don't see any narcissism.

And the President self identifies with Republican Ronald Reagan.

[TM99]

39. I remember when Obama turned on West

just like he did Rev. Wright.

When you use your friends and allies but then only abandon them, don't be surprised if some get pissed.

[Qutzupalotl]

18. Wait a minute ... how black is Cornel?

[Enthusiast]

21. Kicked and recommended! I'm a fan of Cornel West anyway.

Thank you, Dr. West.

[TheKentuckian]

26. West is right as rain on this one.

[MightyMax]

27. Bernie has to reach out specifically to Minorities ASAP

As much as I want Bernie Sanders to be our next president, I already see a Big challenge that his campaign must address ASAP.
We have to get out of the mentality that it's early in the campaign and that it's Hillary that should be worried. First of all, Super Tuesday is March 1st. On that day, 12 major states will vote for the nominee, and that's after 4 states voted in February (Iowa, NH, SC, NV). The Primary race could essentially be over in March. That means Bernie has about 6 months to build a LARGE following of African-Americans & Hispanics because THEIR votes can be the deciding factor in this primary. Unfortunately for Bernie, Hillary already has a Huge following among Minorities; no thanks to her record but thanks to the Clinton brand. Minorities still have fond memories of America under a Clinton presidency. They feel it's a safe choice, especially now that Hillary is suddenly sounding so Liberal talking about Voting Rights, Racism, & income inequality.
Those of us who love Bernie believe that his message, his passion, and his political record are so strong and genuine that Hillary should be worried about Bernie's momentum. But actually, Hillary will continue to hold a significant advantage in 3 Key areas during most of this Primary campaign: Money, Minority appeal, and Name recognition. For obvious reasons, Obama was able to overtake Hillary in 2 of these 3 areas. I doubt Bernie will catch Hillary in fundraising (because of her SuperPAC) or name recognition, but if he can find ways to reach out Directly to Minority voters, he won't have to. We can't expect that the debates alone will shift Minority voters from Hillary to Bernie. It's also not wise for his campaign to expect that his speeches, delivered to mostly white crowds, will resonate with minorities enough to bring them to his side. Bernie has to go on Several media outlets and give multiple interviews to Hispanic & Black hosts/personalities. He should be doing that NOW to ensure that the his minority support is Large enough in time for Super Tuesday because he will not beat Hillary without it.

[Fearless]

36. Plesae count the number of months between July and March.

Just saying.

[FairWinds]

29. It is mind-numbingly dumb . .

For Harris-Perry or the poster above to dismiss Dr. West's
points by claiming he thinks he did not get "enough attention."

How is she able to read his mind? How could anyone be persuaded
by such a junior high level nonsensical argument?

I have met Cornel West, and most unlike H-P (or the poster above, in all likelihood)
he really walks the talk.

[navarth]

32. You are correct.

And I recommend you ignore both of the people you mentioned.

[secondwind]

38. FEEL THE BERN! GO BERNIE!

[cantbeserious]

40. Settling For The Lesser Of Two Corporate Evils Is No Longer The Only Option - Go Bernie Go

eom

[raouldukelives]

41. K&R The far, far too few. nt

[ORjohn]

44. Bernie, the poor, and WAR.

Bernie sees the link between war, and the exploitation, oppression, and marginalization of many for the gains of the elite. Some say there is no difference between Bernie and Clinton but how quickly it seems forgotten he voted against the Iraq war. This election may be decided by the poor made homeless by banksters and flight of corporate capital, jobs overseas, and war, all linked. Many now see political action and unions as the gatekeepers to a workable social democracy. It may be that Bernie may bridge progressive and left politics in a way only a true and wise elder can---by experience, ethics, and courage to take on the Goliath's.

[NealK]

45. K&R