The optics of Senator Bernie Sanders walking off another stage when protested by Black Lives Matter (assume the Seattle trio were truly Black Lives Matter) is just bad optics. I feel BLM has a right to protest Bernie and anyone else. But Bernie is looking bad and not capable of handling this. Walking away not only looks bad but it hasn't worked so far for him.
But what can he do? He can't snatch the mic away from the rude people? Or can he?
I'd like to see Bernie Sanders to stop ceding this ground. Stand up for yourself and the thousands that came to hear the primary speech. Shout to be heard. Yell back to be heard. I want to see Bernie Sanders demand respect for his so-called civil rights activities. I want to see him to address the demands of Black Lives Matter and what he can do.
So,
Bernie can dialogue on stage even if that means shouting. He can nod. "I hear you and I have heard you. I need the mic back to address what you have said. I appreciate your coming here. I am your ally. No excuses and no conditions. I want the chance . . . no I DEMAND the chance . . . to address what you have so strongly said here today."
And if the protesters do not give that respect, have their mic turned down and have them removed politely and gently . . . but removed. Tells folks you're going to take a break and perhaps to even talk to the angry people when there is no so much pressure. In fact, invite the protesters to stay around to talk with you AFTER the speech. Tell folks you're having them removed from the stage but not from the conversation.
Then, apologize for making that removal necessary but say that YOU have a right to speak too and then speak on the BLM issues (even if repeating), saying the nation is facing a crisis in the deaths of people at the hands of the police. Cite some statistics like here http://www.theguardian.com/...
Talk about how Blacks, Native Americans and Hispanics of all ages are being killed and injured by cops. Say that this is what Black Lives Matter means . . . that Blacks are disprorportionately killed by cops. Talk about how, certainly, other races and ages are also being killed and injured by police, but these people of color communities are disproportionately impacted and that has to stop. http://www.dailykos.com/...
Say what you will do about it as part of your campaign (but he has to actually have ideas and he doesn't seem to).
And then go on. Thousands of people have come to hear Bernie and he's not doing enough to educate them about Black Lives Matter. He's not doing enough to make his audience less hostile about BLM and he must. So, Senator Sanders, when protested by BLM, talk about BLM and those issues and THEN . . . Talk about income equality or Medicare or Social Security or whatever your original speech was about. That is why thousands came to see Bernie. Keep talking and do not cede the stage. Ceding the stage serves no one and hurts everyone.
Walking away to me says weakness and lack of preparedness. It says he cannot handle disagreement. Bernie will not always have polite conversations with our enemies or other leaders. He is also a seasoned civil rights activist, calling for revolution. He has to learn the skill of handling these protesters while getting his other messages out.
Now, he knows they will be rude, disruptive and won't give the mic back. They may chant and come on stage. Deal with that and make sure the facility has a plan. He needs a plan. He doesn't seem to have a plan and needs one. Let's help him out. Here's my contribution.
Bernie can address the demands of Black Lives Matter
There is actually a website for Black Lives Matter with demands on it. http://blacklivesmatter.com/... Bernie can address some or all such demands specifically, especially when he is protested. Some of what he stands for are part of their demands, e.g., income equality.
He can go through their demands and talk about what he has done. Part of Bernie's problem, IMHO, is messaging. He has to stop assuming people of color, especially BLM, know what he has done, is doing and intends to do. Use the protests to educate! Don't abdicate, man. Educate.
Bernie can also address what he will do as President.
If Bernie feels that he will have more power as President to stop these deaths by the State (cops), say that. Say what he will do as President. And THEN, call Obama out for not doing those exact things now. If there are things Bernie can do as President that Obama is not doing, speak it and make it happen. Bernie can even say he will put pressure on the Black Caucus and the President and the DOJ to do x or y or z . . . reminding people of his civil rights roots as an activist who actually does something.
Bernie can also address what he can do NOW as a sitting US Senator.
Bernie is not a helpless lamb. He was in the House of Representatives for 16 years. He has been a sitting US Senator for 9 years. He has 50 years of civil rights experience. What can he do NOW that he can use to convince BLM that he's paying attention? My few ideas are:
1. A resolution like he just did with election day and the Pope on climate change.
2. Raise the issue with the Black Caucus to see if they can get with him on this issue and to see what they have done or will do . . . together.
3. Communicate (preferably in writing) to the President who happens to be Black. Whatever the President can do that has not been done, I'd like to see Bernie demand that it be done. Bernie has the gravitas as a civil rights warrior, yes?
4. Work on putting forth legislation to address what can be addressed at the federal level. Even if the bill does not go anywhere given the GOPers, put it out there anyway. It could be a HUGE rallying point for people of color and others being killed by police . . . a rallying point that could change the face of the Congress.
5. Demand information and statistics from the Department of Justice.
6. Demand information and reports on why the DOJ and the FBI and Homeland Security, etc. are not tracking rogue killer cops and why there aren't more federal charges. For instance, request the Michael Brown report where the DOJ decided not to pursue.
7. He can demand that the Homeland Security people start tracking police officers who kill, especially minorities, rather than tracking BLM.
So, there are things that Bernie Sanders can do because he's a sitting US Senator. And won't take away from his message and won't neuter him with his white progressives who want BLM to shut up and be less messy. It may also give him some gravitas from BLM's protests, showing them he's on their side truly.
If he's uncomfortable with the messy, loud and rude young Black people all up in his face, then work with the ACLU, NAACP and other traditional civil rights organizations to address this issue, by doing all of the above or more. Bernie is supposedly one of them. Time for him to use them to help him move the BLM matter issue forward.
Bernie has done well with the words so far. Speeches, Facebook, and Twitter after Netroot Nations. But still there was another protest. There are likely to be others.
Fine, saying her name (Sandra Bland) matters but doing something in her name is even better.
As I understand it there are two pieces of "legislation" that Black Lives Matters are proposing. See this Kos diary for more information: http://www.dailykos.com/...
My point: If folks are right and Bernie is being targeted, he can turn it to his favor by educating, engaging, and acting. Stop walking away and face it head on. Dialogue. Shout back. This issue is ugly and urgent enough that it deserves a shout back. Not a scream like Howard Dean, but a righteous shout from a civil rights activist, saying he also understand the primal scream, the anger, the daily fear and he hears it, understands it and wants to help.
US Senator and Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders has to do more. That's my bottom line. Why? He claims to be a civil rights activist with 50 years of experience. He claims to want a revolution. He wants to be President. He's running as a Democrat. He's been in the Senate for 9 years and previously in the House for 16. If it can be done, he can start it, can't he?
Why can't Hillary do more? She can but not as much as a sitting US Senator. Everything Bernie can do, she can do as well and I'll be looking for her to have a plan to deal with protesters as well. I'm not letting her off. BUT . . . Bernie is the only Democrat in this position (Democrat, running for president, sitting senator).
My goal was to try to take this and suggest it to Senator Sanders. I think too many of us go round and round here on Kos and Bernie (or Hillary or O'Malley) does not get the benefit of our ideas on how to deal with this. Yet, the website for his campaign and his Facebook page do not have any space for someone to communicate with him (or I missed it). So, here it is.
I believe Senator Sanders and all the others Democrats can do better in dealing with BLM protests. I'd like to see Bernie not walk away again, ceding the stage and ignoring those who came to hear him. I do not advocate for him ignoring or silencing the protesters. I advocate for him to treat them respectfully and to demand the same.
If anyone has ins with Sanders or Clinton or anyone and think my ideas have merit to him, pass them on (but by God, edit them first).
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PS: Saw this wonderful new diary about new personnel and this may be very help for Senator Sanders. http://www.dailykos.com/...