As a follow up to my earlier diary on Bernie’s new strategy of visiting barbershops, prayer meetings and Black Colleges. I saw this article and wanted to share it.
SC’s primary isn’t until end of Feb and Bernie is focusing on the Black Community hardcore; here’s the article
Some key quotes:
“We know it’s an uphill climb,” said Chris Covert, the Sanders campaign’s South Carolina state director. “But we’re taking a very pragmatic approach. We know it’s going to take some time, and rather than rush to build an infrastructure, we’re working to build long-lasting relationships across the state, not only with party activists, but with students and within the African-American community in more rural areas. We’re aggressively trying to build strong relationships.”
The campaign has 40 field staff in the state, part of a total team of 60 people, Mr. Covert said. There are another 120 paid part-time canvassers traveling the state, and in the three months they’ve been on the job they’ve made more half a million attempts at voter contacts, he said.
The campaign has also opened six offices across South Carolina — more than Mrs. Clinton or presidential contender and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley.
Bryanta Maxwell, who is the unpaid chair of Young Leaders for Bernie in South Carolina, and who was until November supporting Mrs. Clinton as well.
“You know, I was supporting Hillary at first, but then Bernie came and spoke at Allen University and addressed criminal justice reform and the Black Lives Matter movement, and his words resonated with me,” said Ms. Maxwell, 31 and black. “It was a matter of words and passion and the passion he spoke about when he addressed criminal justice reform — well, I think he will be a major champion of it.”
Ms. Maxwell is traveling to universities across the state to help mobilize students to vote for Mr. Sanders — a key demographic Mr. Sanders is relying on in other states as well.
Ms. Maxwell said her first challenge is to introduce students to Mr. Sanders and his message — his name recognition and policy positions are much less known than Mrs. Clinton‘s.
“I want a president for all of the people,” she (Mrs. Thomas) said. “How many small towns has Hillary been to? How many people in rural communities has she spoken with? Does she support $15 minimum wage? What really are her positions? She says a lot, but really nothing at all.
“What I’m looking for as a President Bernie Sanders has already said and it’s a consistent message with him,” Mrs. Thomas said.
So here’s a Black female Millenial in SC, who, until Nov, was for Hillary and is now working her ass off for Bernie. Do you think she is the only one? Not likely.
What blows my mind about much of the commentary here is how people keep disregarding the growing and steady interest in Bernie. Killer Mike’s interview, the first segment alone has garnered over half a million views since Dec 15th, that’s less than a month.
I have also found a vid showcasing Black leaders dropping Hillary for Bernie, over 25,000 views since Dec 13th
There is an African American’s For Sanders youtube channel, opened on 11/22 that has posted their own vid as to why African Americans are on Fire for Bernie 3 weeks ago that has had over 10,000 views
And I can see the dismissals now, “Oh he should have done this earlier,” “The Polls!” , “It’s Just some kids on youtube who cares.” “Millenials don’t vote.”
Well I watched an interesting documentary on Netflix last night about Tiny Houses, (link to a Tiny House Blog), houses that are less than 300 square feet, often on trailers, that people are building and most of the people that are building them that were in the show, well they were Millenials, and all of them stated environmental, social and political awareness as reasons they decided to go Tiny.
They are tired of the consumer culture, they are tired of getting screwed by the corporate lifestyle and they want to make an impact on the world, and, by a VERY wide margin, these are the people that are backing Bernie. So before you dismiss the largest voting bloc, you may want to talk to them, listen to what they have to say and how pissed off they are. They see Bernie as the guy that actually gives a shit about them, they do their research and more and more of them are backing him.
And here’s one more thing, they have coinciding concerns with minorities, income inequality, lack of opportunity and feeling frustrated at the world around them. Put the two segments together, that’s pretty much the majority of voters percentage wise. Think about it.