Unfortunately, saying that these people should have a face full of pepper spray is the kind of thing that will ensure this keeps happening. In the video, it looks like Sanders himself is ready to listen on this issue. It's a shame that the other white guy who took over the mic instead of just letting that gal speak for a little while didn't handle it better. From what I've read, some people in the crowd weren't particularly cool, either. I think Sanders and many of his supporters are well-meaning and angry about injustice as well. But I think the solution here is listening until they (we -- I support both Sanders and Black Lives Matter as well) can convince folks they've been heard, rather than fighting against people who are on the same side.
That's not how I read it. The argument I'd make, and the argument I think Heathen is making, is that the Sanders campaign is the only one where protesters could storm the stage. You gonna take the mic from Hillary Clinton? I don't think so. Huckabee? Be real. I totally get the frustration - white folx be psyched that there might be a viable alternative to the Bush/Clinton reboot. Black folx be outraged that white folx are ignoring that whole "murdering them in the streets" thing because the news cycle turned. I'd love to see Sanders make some headway but I'd love to see the police demilitarized more. There's a limited amount of attention span in the public consciousness and it will go to whoever fights harder for it. I'll bet Bernie hits Seattle again. And honestly? I'll bet he gets more media coverage the second time.Unfortunately, saying that these people should have a face full of pepper spray is the kind of thing that will ensure this keeps happening.
What do you make of this statement I was extremely, extremely impressed with the level-headed response from the Sanders people on the stage. They seemed extremely calm and accommodating, offering first the ability to have them speak after the senator and then allowing them to have the mic. How was that handled poorly j4d3? Edit: to be clear, I have only seen the video posted in OP and don't know anything about the backstory etc. It's a shame that the other white guy who took over the mic instead of just letting that gal speak for a little while didn't handle it better.
I just hope the outcomes are more positive than negative.
Me too.
I read more about it and apparently they just kept the mic for 30 minutes. My assumption was that they wanted to speak for a few minutes and letting them go on would have been better than a big shouting match, but that was wrong. They just seemed to want to shut up Bernie Sanders, not add their own thing.
I think everybody is talking about their actual message far more than if they grabbed and held the mic from any other candidate. The argument has been made that they miscalculated by taking over the stage of arguably their best ally (which may or may not be saying much) running for POTUS. I am not sure that I agree. My gut tells me that this was a comparative win for their message, including taking into account all of the liberal rage at their choice of stage.I read more about it and apparently they just kept the mic for 30 minutes. My assumption was that they wanted to speak for a few minutes and letting them go on would have been better than a big shouting match, but that was wrong.
Pretty sad, since the ACLU, HRC, and NAACP love Sanders. I don't think these folks did their research.
My whole concern was over safety, the racial issues just highlighted that. I don't know if other people are volunteering with people who are racist, but I think the entire controversy is manufactured. A voting records decades long, in the best interest of people, make Bernies life, mean a great deal to me.
I think he was pretty respectful. He said he had nothing to say, and to shut it down. So they could not say they were in control. The people I am volunteering for, are all 'Black Lives Matter' activists. They told him they wanted paid and he paid them before security. I would be so fucking pissed, if all the time I put into volunteering was derailed by a crazy person. What about all the small donors, who went without to rent that equipment. All off their hope for a sane future, derailed by a crazy person. Any other candidate would have used force, long before they got on stage, and verbally assaulted them.
I didn't watch to the end -- yuck, fighting. I think Sanders himself gets it on race. I just think he needs to be leading more on that, so both his white supporters and, ideally, black supporters know they don't need to either steal the mic or shout down black people trying to speak.
http://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justice/black-lives-matter-win-over-bernie-sanders-20150807
He is running for president, not to be a slam poetry host. That is Trump's gig anyway.