The other day I watched an enlightening video about a couple of ladies interjecting at a Bernie Sanders event. Personally, I was kind offended by it because...well, Bernie is a crazy-haired, sweet old dude with nothing but compassion for an entire nation in his oversized heart. This truly couldn’t have happened to anyone less deserving.
Go interrupt Hillary Clinton, or the chief chump himself, Donald Trump. Not Senator Sanders. While it is super important to speak on how these women have justified anger and what they are screaming about should by no means be overlooked, I feel like most people would agree that it is almost humanly impossible to listen to what someone is saying when that person is screaming in your face. As someone who could not fathom the feelings these two ladies have experienced, I asked my good friend, Celena Dixon, to shed some light on the situation. Her words are as follows.
“The black community is just centered on trying to make police brutality cease. It’s not even 'police brutality' anymore, it's just straight up murder, and that's why #blacklivesmatter movements are kicking and screaming to be heard. They don't want to take a backseat to all that Bernie Sanders wants to make change of. They want to remind everyone that black lives are truly endangered; that this NEEDS to be addressed and brought to life every single chance they can. It is literally a life or death situation out here for black people, yet everyone keeps saying, 'Oh, those people are just angry, stupid protestors.' Yes, Bernie has been about the betterment of minorities and the system that oppresses them, but someone needs to keep the eye still trained on the movement that #blacklivesmatter conducts and to remind Mr. Sanders what is important as well.”
Whether you’re for or against the #blacklivesmatter shutdown in Seattle, everyone seems to be in consensus on the fact that Bernie is bringing up a lot of issues that most of the other candidates seem to not notice, and in turn is creating a lot of turbulence in the political realm of America.
However, just because I think he is an awesome person -- and overall the most worthy candidate -- doesn't mean anybody reading this should simply trust my judgment about Senator Sanders. I strongly encourage everyone to formulate their own opinions, all the time, about everything. It makes life more interesting. Let me tell you why I think Bernie Sanders is not just a good person, but a great person, and why it is important to let the man have his time in the media’s light.
The American people would benefit from listening to Bernie Sanders and supporting his movement, more so than they would by listening to and supporting the customarily belligerent people we have all over the news lately. Bernie is not sending scandalous emails and Bernie is not making remarks about Rosie O’ Donnell. Bernie did not even attempt to fight the ladies on his stage the other day at Westlake Park. After realizing that they were not going to back down, he let them have the stage.
Yes, he let them have the stage.
I don’t believe they won anything that day, besides the backwards looks from a lot of #blacklivesmatter supporters and a boat load of publicity. Bernie Sanders served as a CORE officer back in the 1960s, and stood up against the oppression and inequality that was brought about by segregational Jim Crow laws. Senator Sanders stood in the crowds on the 28th of August, 1963, and heard Martin Luther King Jr. give his eternal "I Have A Dream" speech.
The man I have seen throughout this entire campaign has been the same humbled, honest man since day one. He has been campaigning for equal justice to be served since he was young, and that is something folks from “my generation” really like -- consistency and loyalty. Plus the crazy hair, Bernie is more like us, guys. He has a 12-point plan, available to anyone 24/7 online at http://www.sanders.senate.gov/agenda, that keynotes his plan of reform in America. Many people believe his weakness lies in his foreign policies and might see his “sweet, old dude-ness” as his inability to be a strong, fearless leader. Maybe he really is the tree-hugging hippie candidate of my dreams. I think it's wiser to follow someone who knows there are some battles not worth fighting than someone who is charging head on toward anything threatening.
I could continue writing for a while about Bernie’s ideas and standpoints on the issues currently being debated about, but you could read up more about these things yourself. Whether these topics interest you or not, it is your job as a citizen to get involved in these matters and to immerse yourself in conversations about politics with your friends, despite your political differences. Get uncomfortable. My goal is not to convert you to be a Democrat, or even to tell you who to vote for. I earnestly believe with every fiber of my being that this guy is the real deal, and we could all do ourselves favors by getting to know who he really is. Take a moment for yourself sometime this week and get to know Bernie Sanders, https://berniesanders.com/.
