2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Harrop: The intolerance of Bernie Sanders [View all]Armstead
(47,803 posts)And if Sanders supporters (myself included) get obnoxious, it is a visceral response to the obnoxious tone of much of those who initiated this "discussion" or whatever you want to call it.
That idiot columnist is just one particularly noxious example. A poor kid from Brooklyn falls in love with Vermont, and its called "white flight" because he can't deal with uppity Negroes...That's total bullshit, and a total distortion.
The way these "issues" have been raised and exploited is totally of the beam. Yeah, perhaps Sanders had to broaden his message to address those racial issues more specifically -- AND HE HAS. And it comes from an honest place.
And yeah, Sanders has to work hard to court POC and seek their support. But as someone who was unknown by most of the country until a few months ago, that is totally understandable. But the distortions being thrown around about him is not helpful.
Bernie had a snappish moment in response to being shouted down at a public appearance (Netroots) and he is instantly tarred as "unsympathetic" and "Insensitive" to the issues facing Blacks.....And even though his campaign immediately made adjustments to address their concerns, that totally wrong meme was deliberately perpetuated...And it was expanded to his "privileged white progressive racist" supporters, despite the fact that many of those supporters are among the whites who have been most traditionally sympathetic and supportive of racial justice.
...Then he gets hijacked again by a couple of obnoxious "activists" who stood in his face yelling "We're gonna shut you down" and even though Sanders responded with total dignity, the meme was further inflamed.
Sanders has handled this with great restraint. But us followers -- who are just average humans with emotions -- got pissed off, and still get pissed off. And yeah, we express that anger -- especially when it keeps being dragged on and on.