What The Bernie Sanders Unelectable Argument Says About Black Lives

[votesparks]

There is something belittling about the language of the “Bernie Sanders is unelectable” fallacy—something that is subliminally dismissive.

How is it possible that we live in a time when progressives say #blacklivesmatter, but call the ideas of Bernie Sanders too “radical” to implement, and conclude his “radical” ideas make him unelectable?

When people say Bernie Sanders’ ideas are not politically viable, what they are really saying is:

Satisfying the needs of the people his policies would support is not politically viable, therefore, we should not vote for him.

Not only does this language illegitimize the needs of those people, but the language implies there is something unviable about those people—at least politically.

Sanders’ proposals of providing health care to all Americans, making public colleges tuition free, and decriminalizing marijuana are all initiatives that would positively impact black Americans, and help close the equality gap in America.

In 2013, 42 percent of African Americans ages 25 to 55 had student loan debt, compared to 28 percent of white Americans.

In Iowa, an African American was 8.34 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana position than white Americans, according to a 2013 study by the ACLU .

According to the 2014 National Healthcare Quality & Disparities Report, African Americans and Hispanic Americans still have higher uninsured rates than white Americans.

If addressing the needs of black Americans and minorities in this country is too radical, whose needs are politically viable?

More: http://blackandwordy.com/2016/02/01/what-the-bernie-sanders-what-the-bernie-sanders-unelectability-argument-says-about-black-lives/

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. Good article, but even the fact that the original author was AA won't save it from the

attacks that it's a bunch of hot air, and that Sanders' supporters are the 'truly' racist ones, despite wanting to do things that give many AAs a much needed boost, raise them out of poverty, and give them the time to support themselves and direct racial justice issues more fully.