Twice now, huge campaign events for presidential candidate Bernie Sanders have been disrupted by individuals from the organization known as “Black Lives Matter” — even to the point of causing the recent rally of thousands of his supporters in Seattle to be called off.
The silliness of these tactics is evident by three things:
First, why would they bully their way onto the stage and shout down a candidate’s efforts to speak — if they are a movement wanting support? It seems to me that all they’re doing is satisfying their own ego that they’re “doing something” when in reality their boorish conduct is turning off people. These tactics are NOT in the tradition of the civil-rights movement.
Secondly, why are they targeting Bernie Sanders — and nobody else? He is an ally! He has spoken out about police misconduct and racial injustice.
Thirdly, and I think this shows the shallowness of the protests, they would never THINK of pulling these tactics on a Republican candidate, let alone Hillary Clinton. That’s because Bernie Sanders has a more open campaign style — populist and accessible.
With Hillary Clinton, any attempt to disrupt a campaign appearance would be put down immediately by the Secret Service.
With a Republican candidate, any attempt to disrupt a campaign appearance would be put down immediately — the agitators would be booed until they couldn’t be heard, and they would be escorted off the stage by security.
So why are they targeting Bernie Sanders? He’s the easiest one to interrupt!
Whoever is thinking up these tactics by the various chapters of Black Lives Matter would do well to read a few books about the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. — and learn how to recognize allies and ask for their support, rather than blundering and bullying and souring opinions that normally would be sympathetic.
johnzingaro 