#berniesoblack

In the days after Bernie’s successful rally here in Houston, my mind goes back to what happened with the #BlackLivesMatter protesters in Phoenix and the response by #WhiteProgressives.

#BernieSoBlack was started because White Progressives kept motioning back to Bernie’s history as a civil rights activist and his platform of economic reform as if it is proof that he understands the current struggle of Black Americans.

I can’t help but think this is a little bit like an obtuse lover who, instead of listening to your problems and sympathizing, keeps trying to offer solutions to make you feel better. And, when you ask if he loves you, he points to that one time he said so two years ago.

The way I see it, the crux of the problem is communication - Black Americans are asking for our hearts and we White Progressives are giving them their brains.

We should be giving them both.

When we see or hear of an incident involving a PoC being beaten or killed by a LEO, we think “we should pass a law where cops have to wear body cameras.” But we also need to be taking action. Anytime we see a PoC stopped on the side of the road by a cop, we should be stopping with the cameras on our phones at the ready and prepared to defend our fellow Americans - our brothers and sisters - with our lives.

The Era of Black Oppression is not some long forgotten dark chapter in our nation’s history, as we like to pretend. There is still a war going on and there are still slaves. We mistake the exchange of labor for basic necessities as freedom just because the transaction now includes the medium of capital and our owners are many instead of one. But when so many of us are still unable to feed our families and so many of us are still dying at the hands of men in power - where is the freedom in that?

I admit, my support of this movement is somewhat selfish. I am tired of being sick with worry and grief every day. Because, in this country, it is every day that PoC are killed without any consequences - by the police and by other members of our community. Hell, I was somewhat relieved when my nephew Tony was deployed to Afghanistan because I knew he would be safer there.

Do not mistake me. I know this affects poor White Americans as well. It affects everyone who is too poor to pay for a voice - that is what happens when you live in a society that equates money with speech - but it is Black Americans who are disproportionately affected by this pandemic. And I am tired of seeing people killed with the same level of apathy and antipathy as when one crushes a cockroach while we as a country look upon it as some mechanical function of policy.

It is great that we White Progressives want to fix our nation’s policies, but this isn’t just about politics. This is about people. This is about my family.  That is what is at stake here. So, please - keep doing what you’re doing - but also learn when to be quiet and listen.

"#BernieSoBlack creator explains why he's so frustrated with Sanders's supporters

" - http://www.vox.com/2015/7/20/9005855/black-twitter-bernie-sanders

so some context, bernie sanders is a politician aiming to be the next democrat president. he indeed has a past wherein he fought for civil rights, fought against segregation and yes he even marched with dr king. however during his campaign, he’s been more than condescending to young black voters in not addressing their specific concerns and issues brought up by those of us in the #blacklivematter movement. there have even been moments when it very much seemed like he was more concerned with white accolades concerning his past civil right work than actually talking to and about black concerns.

however what gave rise to #berniesoblack was (and is) white liberals and progressives who believe that because of his past work in the civil rights movement, bernie sanders is above reproach, above being questioned, above criticism and black people should just shut up and see him as their own. big fucking mistake. this is once again, white people wanting to dictate terms to black people and expecting black people to curl up in a fetal position and say “yes massta.” fuck you.

so of course, black people went on twitter to mock the notion that bernie sanders has someone how gain this “black pass” or “hood pass” with #berniesoblack