Beginnings are difficult, some subjects have no easily discernable start or finish even. For example, what is the beginning of good? Well the letter G obviously, but that's beside the point. I've been considering for some time several issues that tie together in various ways. The complexity of the issue(s) in question made starting a discourse inherently difficult. And so, I decided to begin (for reasons that will I hope later become apparent) with the word "fan".
Merriam Webster defines the word as follows:
1 : an enthusiastic devotee (as of a sport or a performing art) usually as a spectator.
2 : an ardent admirer or enthusiast (as of a celebrity or a pursuit).
The first known use of this word in this way dates back to 1682 and is most likely a abbreviation of the word fanatic.
Yes, I know a fan is also a device or action used to move air and/or cool an area, but that's irrelevant for our discussion.
This is precisely why one should have care when applying the term either to oneself or others, there is an important distinction between a fan and a supporter. A supporter has the ability to hold that which they support accountable, to be critical of mistakes. Fans on the other hand may throw their lot in with the target of their adoration, excusing any mistakes and denying accountability at every turn. Of course, there's a breaking point. And once it's reached the "fan" will feel betrayed and then things can get very ugly, very quickly. Which brings me to my first point, things getting ugly...
March 3rd, 1991
On that day four Los Angeles Police Officers beat Rodney King on camera. The four officers were acquitted sparking the 92 Los Angeles Riots. Afterward, Federal Authorities sought to indict the officers on Civil Rights charges. 2 of the four officers were found guilty and sentenced to 30 months in prison. For many this was a tragic, though isolated incident of racially motivated violence and excessive use of force against minorities. And it was left forgotten for many years, until last year we were reminded with a long string of isolated incidents...
Michael Brown who was accused of stealing a box of cigarillos from convenience store was shot multiple times by Missouri Police Officer Darren Wilson. Wilson at the time of this writing is still unemployed, but alive and a free man living off of donations made by totally not racist supporters. Tamir Rice was shot by a cop for having a toy gun in a park. Meanwhile, the ongoing criminal investigation continues to mount increasing financial hardship on the mother of the long since deceased boy, killed before he could comply. Yes, Rice's mother was in a homeless shelter before the shooter was officially interviewed it's a situation my grandfather would only be able to refer to as FUBAR.
In fact, just in the past year there's been so many that it's hard to keep up. And much like the Rodney King incident we have video, sometimes multiple videos of the officers. Only now, they're skipping the beating with batons. They're skipping the tasers and going straight to deadly force. Though for women of color they've added public body cavity searches to their repertoire of awful. If there's anything surprising about the conversation to me, it's that the conversation is taking place at all. That it's continued past Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, past the AME shooting in South Carolina, and on and on.
It's a depressing litany of violence, and every name is a reminder of the violation of trust between the American Justice System and the People. By now, you're probably wondering why I started with the word fan then went directly into a discussion about violence and violations of authority figures against members of the communities they are sworn to protect...
The Sanders Incidents
Ah, so... we finally circumspectly arrive at the original point. I am not a fan of Bernie Sanders. I am not a fan of Hillary Clinton. I am not a fan of any presidential candidate actually, I am however a supporter of Sanders. I see him as the most likely candidate to work for the people, the most likely to effect positive change. So why should BLM protestors target Sanders?
As I see it, there's two reasons. The first, that it might have been a calculated move to discredit a candidate that some people are afraid of. The second, if you'll allow me to take off my tinfoil hat from the first is the more likely scenario: Bernie is more likely to listen than any other candidate. He's more likely to not only listen, but take action in a meaningful way. It's a risk, assuredly. On the one hand this move has the real potential to alienate a lot of people who support the cause of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. It runs the risk of causing the one great hope in the candidacy to turn completely against them.
In a way, this was people holding the candidates feet to the fire. Challenging him to put up or shut up, if he really cares so much for the people, let him prove it. The problem comes after, really. When you further chide him with #BowDownBernie hashtags and the like, that's problematic if not downright childish. If you want him to speak on a particular subject, you have to then let him speak.
So, to say that I am of a divided mind on the subject would be an understatement, but in essence: I think they've handled the situation somewhat poorly. I think they had every right to call him out, to demand he make a stance on the subject. The only way to have better candidates is demand better of them, expecting them to do better out of the goodness of their hearts is naive at best.
Being a Good Ally
I still support Sanders, that doesn't give him a pass. The events in Seattle present a difficult situation for white liberal allies of the BLM movement. For many this may represent a crisis of conviction, is BLM bad for calling out Bernie? Is Bernie bad for not speaking to the BLM movement more openly, earlier in his bid? No, and no basically. But I understand the conflict.
My initial reaction after the first incident at the NetRoots Nation event was indignant, I'll admit. But I bit my tongue. For those that know me personally, you can imagine I have to bite a bit harder than most to keep the words from spilling out. But hold my tongue I did, because I needed time to really think about the subject. I needed to give myself some space to consider the event objectively. Whereas some of my fellow progressive turned sadly to Kanye Memes, to which I found myself responding with Piccard Face Palm memes. Because that is how political debate on grave issues is carried out in 2015.
My friend Dr. Kelly Jennings had the best advice I could think of in this situation, "when I don't know what the right action is, I think the best thing I can do is to shut up and listen to those who are directly involved. Since I'm not part of the group that is being shot down on the streets, in this case, I'm shutting up and listening." It made me laugh when I first read it, because of all of the people I know Dr Jennings is by far the least likely to be quiet on matters of social justice, civil rights, etc. In all seriousness though, she's right. It's hard, because what we feel in response to these protests is a complex set of emotions and being quiet, absorbing the message. And giving it serious thought is difficult, it's an uncomfortable place to be. And the initial urge is to defend our candidate, how dare they?! For me, it was important to understand that if I were to go shouting my harumphs from the rooftops I'd not actually be defending my candidate, I'd be defending my choice in candidate.
But still, why Bernie?!
Having taken the time, I've come to the conclusion that Sanders was really the only logical option for such a direct action. Why you ask? Let's look at the alternatives. First, there's our current president, Obama is a strong contender. Not only is he already in a position to make a meaningful effort toward the goals of the BLM movement as he is already president, he's also black himself. Trouble is, he can't blow his nose without Republicans decrying his use of Kleenex as un American. So, unless your goal is to make Republicans look more racist he's not a good option.
Besides, Obama's on the way out of office. The efforts are best made addressing the next president. At this early stage of the process it's impossible to know who will be elected, it is however possible to find the one most likely to by sympathetic to the cause and to work toward positive change. On the twenty kids and counting side of the isle there's not much sympathy, so the Republicans are out. O'Malley, does anyone besides him think he has a fart in the wind's chance of winning? Good, moving on...
That leaves Hillary and Bernie.
Sanders has provided his bona fides, he walked with MLK. He was arrested for protesting segregation, etc. So, at face value he definitely seems sympathetic to the cause. And unlike Clinton and O'Malley he has yet to utter the "all lives matter" line, seriously stop it with that phrase. So, if I were making a case for someone to get talking about the issue, it'd be Sanders. The trouble is, how to do it?
Reaching him through social media is unreliable, as busy as the candidates are they almost certainly don't even look at their official Twitter pages. Let alone have time to read the thousands of messages they receive there daily. No, the most reliable way to reach him would be in person. But we've already touched on how busy all of the candidates are with being candidates (seriously it's a full time job, but the pay is nice). But assuming you do manage to get some facetime with him, is his assurance face to face enough?
So, the action taken by these protesters got the message out to Bernie in a way he can't ignore. He can't pretend he's never heard of you. He has absolutely zero plausible deniability in this scenario, and that's what every candidate needs. And since then he has appeared to broach the subject. I'm still disappointed in him, I expect better of him. And from the standpoint of someone who fully intends to vote for him, he's blown a serious opportunity to be the statesman I believe him capable of being as was pointed out in this article for the Nation. I'm still disappointed in Obama for the way he handled questions about decriminalizing marijuana, doesn't mean I'm less a supporter. Just means I'm not a fan. And that's a good thing.
Regards,
K
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