Last week, Michelle Alexander, author of the seminal work "The New Jim Crow" published a methodically scathing critique of Democratic Primary candidate former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham-Clinton. By no means, was this piece an endorsement of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, but it was refreshing to hear from a respected African-American scholar on the legacy of the Clinton's. She, along with others, recounts the history of their reimagination of the Democratic Party, molded after the success of Ronald Reagan's administration for middle-class whites, and how this history has negatively impacted African-Americans. Not long after, Hector Luis Alamo chose to follow in her footsteps with his own take, surely anticipating the upcoming Nevada primary (shout-out to my former state) on February 20, where the race is about heat up.
Alamo and Alexander have already done an excellent job of laying out the policies and issues on which HRC stands, that may dissuade blacks, Latinos, and all manner of intersecting identities affected by the Clinton administration from voting for the former Secretary. That's not what we're here for. Their scholarship speaks volumes and you all can come to your own conclusions what to make of their evidence. I'd like to talk Bernie -- what he stands for in regards to Latinos specifically, and where he needs to go as a candidate to take on the establishment in Nevada and beyond.
With the recent passing of the #BlackForumMN where the old Senator from Vermont seemed tone-deaf to race-specific issues (see next week's coverage), I thought this might also be especially prudent to take a look at what Bernie's appeal to Latinx folks in the United States might be, and give you all the moment that decided my vote for Mr. Sanders.
Immigration reform is at the top of the list for many Latinos and Latinas, many of whom are undocumented or have undocumented family members themselves, myself included. Clinton attempted to snark on Sanders' immigration record at the last Democratic debate, hitting him from the left. However, for many Latinos watching the humanitarian crisis surrounding the mass deportations of children fleeing violence in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, her noted lack of concern was disturbing, to say the least. Additionally, for myself and my father, Senator Sanders is the only one who seems interested in rolling back the American imperialist machine, even only for a little bit -- he acknowledged our history of regime change and remains the only living presidential candidate to note the sabotage of Guatemalan democracy in 1954, a crime of United States foreign policy that we will never forget. And if maybe that wasn't evidence enough that Bernie has Latin issues on his political agenda, the fact that his racist opposition takes such offense to his voting record is a welcoming sign.
In a nutshell, I trust in what the Senator represents himself to be. I can't speak for all Latin people, and I respect our many and diverse voices, but I encourage my compañeros to take a long, scrutinizing look at this frazzled Jewish man from Brooklyn.
