I wrote this on my Facebook feed the other day, so the one or two DKers who follow me may have already seen this. Nonetheless:
I have a simple method to apply to the Bernie-Not Bernie situation. Most people who support Bernie's candidacy are good and decent people. They get to be called "Bernie supporters." The few hatemongers who want to rip the party in half using his candidacy to do so are called "assholes." Same with the other side. Most people who prefer someone other than Bernie are good and decent people. They get to be called "Harris supporters," or "Klobuchar supporters," or whatever. The few hatemongers who would rather tear the party apart than accept Bernie as the candidate can be called "assholes." Simple and to the point.
They’re not “Bernie Bots” or “Clintonistas” or “crazed leftists” or “corporate whores” or “Commies” or “neoliberals” or whatever the slur of the moment is. They’re just assholes. They’d rather lose another presidential election than budge an inch from their insistence that we all back their selected candidate and/or accept their ideological slate. Treat them accordingly.
I’ll add this from the FB comments, from a friend and ardent Bernie supporter who is not, I believe, a DKer:
1) dem candidates should not go negative on each other before primaries
2) post primaries we all rally around the candidate no matter who they are, cause fucking politics and not warm and fuzzies
3) ignore divisive propaganda from Russia
4) Vote!
5) Win.
States it about as cleanly as it can be stated.
Thursday, Feb 21, 2019 · 4:11:10 AM +00:00
·
Black Max
Let me state pre-emptively: No one is saying you can’t discuss negatives about candidates, objectively and constructively. No one is trying to muzzle you or deny you your right to speak. I am saying that if you decide you can best support your candidate by taking a big ugly dump on another candidate or her/his supporters, then you are engaging in asshole behavior. Sad that I feel I have to point this out.