Still,
Sanders’ candidacy has become something of a movement. But two times in
recent weeks, Sanders’ appearances at events have been disrupted by
supporters of another movement: Black Lives Matter.
Sanders’ candidacy has become something of a movement. But two times in
recent weeks, Sanders’ appearances at events have been disrupted by
supporters of another movement: Black Lives Matter.
The
most recent disruption came at an event in Seattle last weekend, where
two female Black Lives Matter supporters prevented Sanders from
speaking. Sanders has responded well to the most recent disruption,
issuing a thorough and utterly impressive “Racial Justice” agenda
that liberally quotes from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and
even includes the line: “We need a societal transformation to make it
clear that black lives matter, and racism cannot be accepted in a
civilized country.” Further reiterating his commitment, he said at a
rally in Los Angeles, “There is no president that will fight harder to
end institutional racism.”
most recent disruption came at an event in Seattle last weekend, where
two female Black Lives Matter supporters prevented Sanders from
speaking. Sanders has responded well to the most recent disruption,
issuing a thorough and utterly impressive “Racial Justice” agenda
that liberally quotes from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and
even includes the line: “We need a societal transformation to make it
clear that black lives matter, and racism cannot be accepted in a
civilized country.” Further reiterating his commitment, he said at a
rally in Los Angeles, “There is no president that will fight harder to
end institutional racism.”
But,
not all of Sanders’ supporters could muster his magnanimity. Some were
outraged. The protesters were seen as disrespectful and indecorous.
Sanders was not only seen as a bad target, he was one of the worst
targets because he has a long history of civil rights activism,
including participating in the 1963 March on Washington and hearing the
King himself.
not all of Sanders’ supporters could muster his magnanimity. Some were
outraged. The protesters were seen as disrespectful and indecorous.
Sanders was not only seen as a bad target, he was one of the worst
targets because he has a long history of civil rights activism,
including participating in the 1963 March on Washington and hearing the
King himself.
Some
irritation was understandable. But some went too far, repaying what
they saw as rudeness with what I saw as crudeness. The conspiracy
theories began to swirl
and the invectives — including some racist and sexist ones — began to
flow. It exposed something that isn’t discussed nearly enough: a racial
friction on the left.
irritation was understandable. But some went too far, repaying what
they saw as rudeness with what I saw as crudeness. The conspiracy
theories began to swirl
and the invectives — including some racist and sexist ones — began to
flow. It exposed something that isn’t discussed nearly enough: a racial
friction on the left.
There
were sweeping condemnations of the Black Lives Matter movement itself, a
sense that benevolence had been rebuffed, that allies had been
alienated. Some people sympathetic to the protesters responded by making
a King reference of their own, pointing to this passage from his 1963 “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”:
were sweeping condemnations of the Black Lives Matter movement itself, a
sense that benevolence had been rebuffed, that allies had been
alienated. Some people sympathetic to the protesters responded by making
a King reference of their own, pointing to this passage from his 1963 “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”:
“I
must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely
disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the
regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his
stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku
Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to ‘order’
than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of
tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who
constantly says: ‘I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot
agree with your methods of direct action’; who paternalistically
believes he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives
by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to
wait for a ‘more convenient season.’ Shallow understanding from people
of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from
people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than
outright rejection.”
must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely
disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the
regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his
stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku
Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to ‘order’
than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of
tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who
constantly says: ‘I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot
agree with your methods of direct action’; who paternalistically
believes he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives
by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to
wait for a ‘more convenient season.’ Shallow understanding from people
of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from
people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than
outright rejection.”
It all quickly became an arms race of overheated accusations.
But, I must say that I, too, found some of the responses to the protesters troubling.
Activists ‘Feel the Bern?’ - The New York Times
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