Guest Post- Genossin Sophie: Black Lives Matter AND Bernie Sanders: How the Media creates separation

The Media would like you, and everyone else to think that the Black Lives Matter movement is against Bernie Sanders.  And unfortunately they played right into the hands of this media perception by being somewhat rude at one of his speeches.  But what they fail to realize is that the Black Lives Matter movement is hard on Bernie, not because he is their enemy but because he is their ally. As he should be.  The overenthusiastic protesters should of course keep in mind that Bernie Sanders is saying far more about issues that matter to black Americans than any other candidate ever has, or ever will.  But this is precisely why they keep nudging him to push the envelope even farther.  One must never rest on one's laurels.  It is of course understandable that Sanders would want to be careful, especially this early in the game.  He wants to prove that he is a viable candidate, especially since Clinton is under investigation, and it's not completely impossible that Sanders will end up as the nominee by virtue of being the one left in the race (which is the only way he'll end up as nominee).
But the Black Lives Matter activists should be patient too: it is still half a year before the general election begins in earnest.  You should not be expecting anyone to say anything important.

Furthermore it is rude to force a candidate from the stage.  One newspaper said "Bernie Sanders should turn over the microphone to those who need to be heard more".  If he were not a candidate then I would agree: and in former times Sanders has sometimes forgone a speech in order to allow a comrade to be heard.  But that was when he wasn't running for anything.   It is good that they are keeping him honest, and encouraging to push the envelope: but it is not good for them to compete with him for stage time.  Go ahead, show up at his speech with posters: chant before his speech or after he is done.  But for goodness sakes let the poor man speak his piece.  You want the right to speak? then show that you can listen.  And I don't mean stand around bored while someone speaks: I mean actually consider what they are saying.  Believe me I'm guilty of the former myself: for many years I refused to listen to politicians of any stripe, largely because they all sounded the same.  But for that reason I also believe even more strongly that really listening with care and politeness is extremely important when it comes to politicians.

Bernie Sanders is hardly likely to deny your right to free speech, being not only a socialist but also a Vermonter.  No person, no matter how uneducated, no matter how angry, no matter their race, creed, gender or other situation at a New England town meeting would ever dream of forcing a fellow villager off the stage.  Yes, even if this person was telling blatant lies.  This is what the first amendment was all about, indeed this custom was it's origin: That "without censor" part applies not only to what is said, but to what cannot be said because of intimidation.  Without trying to, that is what the Black Lives matter activists did that day: they intimidated Sanders, his staff and his supporters.  Now none of those people will turn out at the polls guaranteed.  Not a single one.  They were angered not because they do not like the Black Lives Matter movement, but because it was not what they came to the event to hear about: they came to hear Sanders speak.  Anyone who supports Sanders would not be caught dead admitting that they don't like the Black Lives Matter movement: but when people are told they are hearing a speech by Sanders they expect to hear a speech by Sanders, not a speech by some other person.

I am no stranger to impassioned arguments, nor to being forced because of my gender, age, sexual orientation and address to wait for others more privileged than me.  But I also know that what matters is what I say when my turn comes, not that I speak first.  Indeed, the mistakes of the other orators can become the platform upon which I stand: their discarded stones can form the base for my masterpiece.  This is the art of debate, and it is an art well worth learning.  Nor is it difficult to learn, for those with the patience to listen carefully and fully.  Anyone who wants to be an activist should first cultivate that skill: it is essential for many reasons but this is one of them.

But ultimately, the good progressive must remember that Sanders is being targeted by the Black Lives Matter activists because he is a progressive, and thus a sympathetic ear.  His audience is being targeted because it is also their audience.  They should remember this even when newspapers run headlines like "The Black Lives Matter Movement vs. Bernie Sanders" which attempts to discredit Sanders by portraying him as the enemy of the Black Lives Matter Movement.  This is because this movement, even though it is only a year old, has become a symbol for progressives, and a barometer by which they can measure their progressiveness.  Thus by saying that they are "against" Sanders the newspapers are attempting to discredit Sanders by suggesting that he will not uphold progressive ideals.

This is because, as many voters have realized, the primaries of today (especially in the Democratic party) are simply a circus act.  The party has already chosen Clinton.  And the party is in control of the papers, indirectly, but no less concretely.  For many of the people who are calling the shots in the party are the same people who own the newspapers,  who have surely informed their editors of the party's preferences.  The editor of course chooses the title for the article.  This is fine actually, assuming that there are equally well respected papers which are unaffiliated with the party: but there are not any more.  They have been forced out of business by those same Democratic shot-callers.  How? remember in the late 90s when everyone suddenly discovered the internet? well, remember how much those people, the Democratic shot-callers were pushing the use of this technology.  Why? because while the New York Times can continue printing even if it's subscriber base falls, the Berkshire Eagle cannot.  And no, for cases like this, iBerkshires does not fill the void because that isn't political.

But websites like Daily Kos are not considered official (and therefore reliable) sources: especially because "just anyone" (read: the proletariat) can write an article.  A socialist may consider this a plus, but it is decidedly not socially approved.  And thus when you tell someone that "oh I read on Kos the other day that..." they go, "yeah, well that's Kos, you can't believe everything you read there".  You might as well say you found it on Wikipedia, or Reddit.  But a newspaper is printed, and thus reliable (even when it contains obvious typos).  While this bias still exists in our culture, and it will for quite some time because there is simply no way to get rid of it quickly: this will continue to be a problem for progressive candidates.  But I know that this blog (unlike my own) gets a lot of readers and so I am entrusting you to spread the word across the internet.  Sanders is an ally of the Black Lives Matter Movement, and they could not ask for a better one: his record as mayor of Burlington and as a Senator leaves little doubt of that.

They push him hard, because he is their friend, not because they think he is the enemy.  He will speak of the issues when they become pertinent, and act on them as soon as he is elected: but at this moment he is walking on a knife edge over Niagara Falls if he falls right he dies and so too if he falls left.  Furthermore, the rightist nut-jobs blathering about the liberal media are not completely off the mark: there are in fact entrenched interests in our media which we must combat in order for the plain and simple truths to be heard, but this is hardly an impossible task indeed compared to the one that Bernie has shouldered it is easy.  And above all else all activists everywhere must remember that it is not when you speak, but what you say that will make the difference: so choose your words and your actions carefully, the future of this country is hanging in the balance.  Yes, we can take a whack at the overstuffed piñata that is Donald Trump (somebody, please, make a piñata shaped like him!) but we also know we cannot hit too hard.  Do not be the person who does.  Do not be that guy.
Solidarity,
Comrade Sophie