POST where you marched & if Cong. John Lewis KNOWS YOU

[Land Shark]

I marched against the Iraq War.

I don't think Cong. JOHN LEWIS remembers me.

I don't think that means I didn't march, though, does it?

Where did you march? Does Cong. JOHN LEWIS know you, or did he see you there at the march? Please post replies.

I think Cong. LEWIS is great but I don't think his remarks should be taken to mean that if he doesn't remember you then you didn't march or do anything.

[onehandle]

1. I'm going to be at Hillary's Inauguration in January. nt

[Land Shark]

4. Bought your tickets already? Nt

[SheenaR]

8. Going to be disappointed when you get there n/t

[cali]

30. No. You'll be mourning her loss.

I'll be mourning to. For the country, for those who will suffer. I'll be blaming it on part on the party and Hillary.

She cannot win.

[retrowire]

88. XD

salty.

[thereismore]

2. Better yet, post where Hillary Clinton marched and when she met John Lewis. nt

[bvar22]

22. ^This^

Well Done.

[Fred Drum]

63. she was a republican back then

they dont march

[mmonk]

85. Master stroke.

[boston bean]

3. Oh lordy.

[kath]

5. I marched in DC against the stolen election in May 2001.

John Lewis doesn't know me.

Will Pitt spoke that day (yay, Will!), but he doesn't know me either.

IIRC, (memory might be faulty) Bernie was the the only white member of either House to stand with the Congressional Black Caucus in speaking out against disenfranchisement and fraud during the 2000 election debacle.

[Dragonfli]

19. You remember correctly if I do as well. /nt

[Empowerer]

6. Sanders supporters keep telling us that "Bernie marched with Dr. King"-often saying he was in Selma

not just that he participated in civil rights marches (and actually, he did neither). This story has been spread around so much that it's found its way to Snopes. Given the pervasiveness of this falsehood, the question and answer were perfectly logical. Had Bernie REALLY marched with Dr. King - at Selma or anywhere else - John Lewis likely would have known it and would have met him.

Perhaps people are just upset because Lewis has blown away one of the most common, but false, stories being thrown around about Sanders?

[Land Shark]

9. No, I don't think anyone can recite everyone at any specific march.

If I had marched with Dr. KING at any March I would be sure to say so a d also confideNt I would not be remembered by John Lewis. There would be an issue only if it were known every name of who marched or if a claim were made that Sanders organized a march with Dr. KING or some other verb that gave him a major role.

[SheenaR]

10. By your thesis

John Lewis would have known every single marcher.

And he did not "blow away" any false stories. He did a friend a favor.

[Qutzupalotl]

11. Bullshit.

Last edited Thu Feb 11, 2016, 10:06 PM - Edit history (1)

Snopes debunked the PHOTO that people OTHER THAN SANDERS claimed LOOKED LIKE HIM. No one can prove Sanders didn't march with King, because he did.

[pinebox]

20. last I heard it was inconclusive

[Qutzupalotl]

23. OK.

It's worth restating that Bernie has never claimed that photo is of him. I actually don't think that's him. Some overzealous fan thought it looked like him, and it spread over social media.

Tensions are high this primary cycle and a lot of misinformation gets tangled up with the truth. But Bernie did march, and Snopes does not disagree with that.

[Empowerer]

25. Sanders did not march at Selma

[Qutzupalotl]

55. You're right, my mistake. It was the March on Washington.

[kath]

26. I thought he was in the March on Washington, not Selma??

[Qutzupalotl]

54. You're right, my mistake.

Will try to edit.

[HooptieWagon]

31. Sanders never said he marched to Selma.

He said he marched in DC.

[Empowerer]

36. I know he's never said that. But many of his supporters insist he did

[HooptieWagon]

39. Link?

[Jarqui]

45. They chartered about 2,000 "freedom buses" and a bunch of "freedom trains" and

promoted it with posters like this:


Bernie got on a "freedom bus" in Chicago and went to Washington to support them.

Once he bought his ticket and got on that bus, he was going with the flow of what they wanted him to do for this protest.

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/marchonwashington.html

But on August 28, 1963, an estimated quarter of a million people—about a quarter of whom were white—marched from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial, in what turned out to be both a protest and a communal celebration.

Here's some footage of the march at the start of this video

http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=96

The event began with a rally at the Washington Monument featuring several celebrities and musicians. Participants then marched the mile-long National Mall to the Memorial. The three-hour long program at the Lincoln Memorial included speeches from prominent civil rights and religious leaders.

Ever hear of "Where's Waldo?" Let's play "Where's Bernie?" in the March on Washington?


Hint: Bernie said he was near the back when MLK spoke - on the march route between the Lincoln Memorial where King spoke and the Washington Monument where the march started.

Did Bernie make the walk all the way to the Lincoln Memorial? I have no idea. But on that day, he demonstrated his solidarity with the civil rights movement by hoping on a "freedom bus" in Chicago and going all the way to Washington to support them as they asked.

As such, at the very least, figuratively, Bernie "marched" with MLK for civil rights and economic equality.

[Empowerer]

46. It's great that Bernie "figuratively marched with Dr. King"

But surely you don't expect black voters to give a candidate a Civil Rights Champion of the Decade award because he "figuratively" did something that a whole lot of people they know - and often they themselves - ACTUALLY did, usually more than once and at great risk and sacrifice.

[Fred Drum]

65. and you know "black voters"

please continue

[Jarqui]

76. I don't. I nor Bernie seeks "a Civil Rights Champion of the Decade award "

Bernie has been very humble about his efforts.

3/4s of the people who protested in the March on Washington were blacks. Only 25% were whites. But 90% of the US population was white. If there were 200,000 blacks there, there should have been close to 2,000,000 whites. But only 50,000 whites showed up (2.5% proportional representation). Bernie was one of that 2.5% of whites at the time who stood up for black civil rights in 1963.

And that was not his only act doing so at that time nor since.

For that, I think he deserves some credit. No "Civil Rights Champion of the Decade award". Just acknowledgement that he's been on the side of minorities and beyond civil rights to include economic injustice all of his adult life. He's not pandering for black votes like Hillary's actions of yesterday suggest.

[Empowerer]

77. I don't think he seeks it either and he has been very humble about it. His supporters, not so much..

[Jarqui]

80. In light of the cheap shots yesterday, someone had to stand up

If you lived through those times, as I did, he did a little more than he's being recognized for today in my opinion. I don't think it's a bad thing to point that out.

I also think that when someone is considering his candidacy, it doesn't hurt to show how consistent he's been on these issues over the last 50+ years. There's been a lot of BS promised and not delivered to Americans over the years. He may not get the mandate in congress to do what he wants but his record indicates that he's sincere and will fight for what he promises and at the very least, veto anything that would cause minorities to lose ground. At the very least, he should be able to arrest the decline of the middle class and he's the only candidate who can say that with any credibility.

[Empowerer]

81. I've repeatedly asked for examples of what he's done to fight for these issues in the past 50 years

besides simply voting, since that's his job. I got no solid examples and people were so upset with the question that the OP was alerted and hidden.

It's interesting that people here constantly tell us that Sanders has done so much to fight for civil rights in the last 50 years but when we ask for details, we're told to shut up, as if it's blasphemy to actually expect to be told more than "Bernie marched with Dr. King 50 years ago and he's been fighting for civil rights ever since."

But if you could provide more details about what he's been doing since he left Chicago and moved to Vermont in 1968, that would be great.

[jfern]

93. Here are some

http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/20-examples-bernie-sanders-powerful-record-civil-and-human-rights-1950s

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251437633

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/9/18/1422450/-Bernie-Sanders-The-Only-White-Guy-to-Show-Up

[Empowerer]

94. Thanks for responding

Last edited Sun Feb 14, 2016, 10:40 AM - Edit history (1)

Sanders had been on the right side of and has a strong voting record on most civil rights issues. For example, he did good work for the Imakolee workers.

But Palast's claim is very misleading. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/9/18/1422680/-Greg-Palast-did-not-do-due-diligence-in-his-Facebook-Post

There's no question that Sanders has a good record of supporting civil rights. But it's a stretch to say, as many of his supporters keep telling us, that he's been "fighting for civil rights for 50 years" - especially for blacks. Fighting for racial justice means more than saying the right things, voting the right way and showing up at an occasional rally or meeting. It's hard, grueling, dirty, unsexy work that involves risk and sacrifice. Sanders' record shows few examples of actions that Sanders has taken since the mid-1960s to fight for civil rights for African Americans that required him to invest any serious political capital, take a political risk or go against the popular view of his constituents or his base. As admirable as Sanders' support has been over the years, he has not built a record as a fighter for civil rights for blacks.

As for the frequently-cited list you linked to, I will address each item:

1. Raising Money For Korean Orphans - this is really great, but it doesn't count as fighting for anything and certainly didn't involve any political risk or capital.

2. Being Arrested For Desegregation - he was arrested in a sit-in during the early 60s, but not in the past 50 years

3. Marching In March On Washington - a really great thing to do, but this was in 1963, not in the last 50 years

4. Calling For Full Gay Equality - admirable. But "calling for" the abolition of discrimination against homosexuals while running on the Liberty Union Party doesn't constitute a fight

5. Standing Up For Victims Of U.S. Imperialism In Latin America - he clearly took a position but this doesn't involve fighting for civil riights.

6. Condemned And Opposed Welfare Reform and Dog Whistle Politics - Voting against something isn't "fighting" for (or against) something - voting is part of his job.

7. Vocally Condemned and Opposed Death Penalty and Prisons His Entire Political Career - again, props to Sanders for opposing and voting against the death penalty and tough on crime policies, he does not seem to have done much more than vote against them and give floor speeches condemning them. That's a good thing, but it's not a fight.

8. Voted Against Cutting Off Prisoners From Federal Education Funds - voting us nice, but it's not a fight.

9. Took IMF To Task For Oppressing Developing World Workers - this is great, but saying something in a committee hearing is not a "fight."

10. Achieved High Ratings From Leading Civil Rights Organizations - getting a rating is not fighting for anything. Not sure why this is on a list detailing things he did to fight for civil rights.

11. Voted Against the PATRIOT Act - It doesn't count since this is a vote

12. Opposed Both Iraq Wars on Moral Grounds - This is a vote and also not a civil rights issue

13. Traveled to Costa Rica to Defend Exploited Workers - great move, but not a civil rights issue.

14. Endorsed Jesse Jackson, Spoke Up For Palestinians - I'll count this, even though endorsing a candidate isn't a fight.

15. Strongly Condemned Police Violence Over the Past Year - glad he's condemning police violence, but this is hardly a tough call and is not a risky proposition for Sanders to do now. And he doesn't seem to have done anything other than talk about it.

16. Embraced Immigrants When Hillary Clinton Refused To Talk To Them - Agreeing to talk to immigrant activists and saying he agrees with their call for executive action is not "fighting for" civil rights.

17. Defended Voting Rights Against Voter Suppression Efforts - see above.

18. Fought Against Employment Discrimination - Supporting legislation as a Senator is not difficult and does not constitute fighting for it.

19. Called For End to War On Drugs, For-Profit Prisons and Migrant Detention Quotas: Saying he supports these measures, condemning the war on drugs and promising to end for-profit prisons and detention quotas once he becomes president is not fighting for civil rights.

20. Put Out Detailed Plan to End Economic Crisis in Minority Communities - Putting out a plan is not a fight.

I think this helps explain why he's having trouble getting blacks to flock to him. He hasn't been a familar face or name in our communities - which one would expect him to be if he were fighting for our civil rights in the way his supporters are trying to convince us he has been. And many people are turned off by those who claim to be "holier than thou" on these issues without a record to support the claim.

Sanders is a good man and a staunch supporter of civil rights for blacks. Props to him for that. But a fighter for the cause of racial justice? No.

[Qutzupalotl]

57. Sorry, my mistake.

My Mom died today and I'm a little scattered. It was the March on Washington.

[Autumn]

59. I'm sorry for your loss Qutzupalotl.

That's a wound that never heals.

[Qutzupalotl]

66. Thank you, Autumn.

Tough day.

[Art_from_Ark]

62. Please accept my condolences for your loss

[Qutzupalotl]

67. Thanks, Art. I appreciate that.

[Land Shark]

72. Sorry to hear that. Sending you heart

[Empowerer]

78. I'm so sorry.

[JudyM]

87. Very sorry, would hug you if I could.

Wishing you comfort... and softening of the pain.

[Qutzupalotl]

89. Thank you.

I have to say, DUers are the best! If I had said something like this at Free Republic, they'd be like, "What do you want, a cookie?"

[JudyM]

90. Oomph, yeah. Glad you're here and safe.

[Roy Ellefson]

38. time for SwiftBoating

more right wing tactics from HRC supporters...shades of "swift boating"

[Fawke Em]

82. No Bernie supporter says he was at Selma because he wasn't.

He marched on Washington DC.

Someone once posted a picture of a guy who looked like him in the Selma crowd, but it turned out not to be him.

[Empowerer]

83. That picture wasn't posted just once. Numerous people have claimed that he marched in Selma - enough

that it ended up on Snopes.

But, as I said, much more prevalent is the claim that "Bernie marched with Dr. King" - which is very misleading.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. I marched for civil rights and was a member of SNCC.

I never met John Lewis.

[Land Shark]

12. Thank you for your marching!!!

I knew there would be some like you in DU and I'm so glad to hear that you marched.

[Empowerer]

27. But you probably would have met him if you'd marched with Dr. King

[HooptieWagon]

33. Where did you march?

[cherokeeprogressive]

47. So everyone who was at a march attended by Dr. King has met John Lewis?

What utter bullshit.

[Empowerer]

50. If they "marched with Dr. King," they probably did.

Let me put it this way - No one I know who actually participated in any of these marches EVER says they "marched with Dr. King" - unless they actually DID march with him, i.e., they were part of the smaller group of people who helped to organize the march and were a part of the small group at the front of march walking alongside or directly behind Dr. King.

So, in the semantics used for decades to discuss these marches and other activities in the civil rights movement, "marching with Dr. King" does NOT mean attending a march that Dr. King participated in. And, yes, anyone who actually marched with Dr. King would have met John Lewis.

[cherokeeprogressive]

52. "No one I know..." That's some fucking awesome plausible deniability right there.

Your post is one of the tallest steaming piles of bullshit I've ever read.

[Curmudgeoness]

64. FYI

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

This post attacks a DUer, accuses them of lying, and the language is obscene and inappropriate. This is the very definition of rude, over-the-top and inappropriate.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Thu Feb 11, 2016, 09:44 PM, and the Jury voted 2-5 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: This is GDP. Get over it or get out of it. I can't stomach this place and never read here unless I am pulled in for a jury because of all the alert stalking between the two sides. Besides, the post this was replying to deserved it. They didn't know what they were talking about.
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: This post attacks a DU post, not a DUer.
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Let Them Play
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: I saw, I read, I voted, Well put poster, Vote to leave!
Juror #7 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given

[Art_from_Ark]

73. "Your post is one of the tallest steaming piles of bullshit I've ever read."

And given all the bullshit that's been dished out around here like chili at a Texas cookoff, THAT is saying a lot!

[Duckhunter935]

53. FYI

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511205912

[swilton]

13. I marched against the Iraq War January 2003

I believe it was MLK day - will never forget the 17 degree temp. I was with many members of Veterans for Peace who were chanting a cadence. There were Buddhist monks marching and chanting next to us.

No I didn't see John Lewis there - if I had he probably would not remember me.

[Land Shark]

14. I for one believe you were there!

[Kalidurga]

15. Minneapolis 1990

Protest against the School of Americas. I am pretty sure John Lewis was not there. But, I could have missed him there were over 100 people there and it was getting dark at one point and that's when we lit candles.

[Land Shark]

18. Your fair-mindedness is truly and honestly impressive

[jillan]

16. I marched in the 70s several times for gender equality, I wonder if Gloria knows me?

[Land Shark]

17. Maybe you should ask? JK. Nt

[EvolveOrConvolve]

48. Oh you were probably just there for the boys

(this is sarcasm for the sarcastically challenged).

[DamnYankeeInHouston]

21. I marched in Washington against our attacking Vietnam

and I protested in Houston against our attacking Iraq.
This is such a cheap shot against Bernie. I wish politicians had to wear body cameras. There is some serious arm twisting and dealing going on.

[KamaAina]

24. New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward, in one of the early MLK Day parades.

Right past Fats Domino's house. You can tell it's Fats' because of the huge "FD" and star out front.

I doubt that John Lewis was there. If he was, he surely would have remembered me, as I believe I was the only Caucasian participant, which drew me some sidelong glances on the bus over there.

[upaloopa]

29. I marched in a Civil Rights demonstration in

Yellow Springs Ohio in 1963. John Lewis wasn't there but I don't use that experience to prove I support POC.

[cyberswede]

35. But it does prove it. nt

[angstlessk]

32. Lewis may support whomever he wants...but to say he does not remember Sanders

says to me he thought he knew EVERY person who was a part of the civil right movement is disingenuous at least.

[Kurovski]

34. I love ya' Land Shark, but I don't want to play this.

You know how the system works, he has to pay a favor. this isn't the way to break it down.

Besides, Mr. Lewis might eventually toss Ms. Clinton under the bus for a second time.

[Land Shark]

40. I don't really want to play that game either

It just put me in a existential crisis: did it really happen if somebody doesn't remember me? I'm feeling more sure that my own memory serves well enough by the replies here.

[Kurovski]

42. Point taken.

I'm so glad I'm not in politics. Per se.

[leftofcool]

37. Another one?

[starroute]

41. I marched against the Vietnam War in New York in 1967

According to this video, Martin Luther King led the march and addressed the crowd, but I was 100,000 people or so further back in line and never even got close enough to catch a glimpse of the speakers before it started to rain and I gave up and went home. I don't believe John Lewis was there, but if he had been, he certainly wouldn't have seen me.

[Jarqui]

43. I protested the Vietnam War and Streaked in protest of Nixon

I did other efforts in the early 70s, around the same time like low income housing (I got a front page story in the paper), got some funding for a gay rights issue, etc.

Some people I saw at protests, I never saw before or since. A bunch were thoroughly wasted and might be guys I saw on Venice beach a few years back, still looking for their minds. Acid was fairly popular ... Lots of folks went by nicknames. To this day, I don't know their real names.

Imagine going to a concert. Lots of people around you. You know the people you came with and might run into a few you know. Then you go home knowing a tiny fraction of people who attended. Protests I attended, though dramatically smaller in attendance, weren't much different in that regard. Why would they be that different? If anyone was taking names, it was law enforcement.

Like Kennedy and others, I watched MLK speaking at the March on Washington on TV and followed it some. I was too young to go. I don't mean to insult but MLK, Malcolm X and the other Big Four, Randolph, Belafonte, Poitier, Robinson were names that were prominent in the media. Rosa Parks too. At that point in time, I wasn't aware of John Lewis. I know his history now but didn't know it then. He was involved with SNCC and Bernie was involved with CORE and sometimes CORE did joint protests/efforts with SNCC in Chicago. But that's the only other overlap.

I think Lewis' claim that he never saw or met Bernie back then is am unprovoked cheap shot.

[Land Shark]

44. Interesting thoughts

If I had labored my whole life in a movement, then served decades in congress and one of the regular marchers and more minor organizers in SNCC is suddenly a rock star candidate for President, I would have to deal with some feelings of jealousy.

But perhaps the Congressman is above that. But it sire seems like there is an attempt to put someone else in their place here. That's the real issue. But it is what any type of establishment does, it demands some genuflection and it almost always gets it.

[Live and Learn]

75. STREAKERS, I remember those!! K&R nt

[wildeyed]

49. I march and participate in support of all sorts

of causes, but don't try to appropriate them or overstate my involvement to flog a political campaign.

[Squinch]

51. Then tell us if you have been a member of Congress for decades and are now claiming to be

a civil rights leader, and if John Lewis has said that none of your civil rights efforts for all those years registered on his radar. Even though you are a member of Congress.

If you are a civil rights leader, then sometime in the past two decades as a member of Congress, you would have crossed paths in a significant way with John Lewis, given that he is a true civil right leader and an American hero.

[Bonobo]

56. I marched in Washington D.C in 1991 in opposition to the first Gulf War.

I don't think I saw John Lewis there. Or maybe he just doesn't remember me.

Pretty sure I didn't see him when I was arrested at the University of Iowa in a protest to get the administration divest from S. Africa in 1985 either.

[bklyncowgirl]

58. I marched lots of places in support of lots of causes.

I marched against nuclear power in New York, Harrisburg and DC.
I marched against Reagans war against the people Central America.
I marched against nuclear weapons in DC and almost got arrested in Al D'Amato' office when his staff decided that they weren't taking any more petitions and called the Capital police.
I marched against the first Gulf War.
I marched for abortion rights in DC.
I marched against the Iraq war several times.

During the last Iraq war demonstration, my husband and I took a wrong turn and actually ended up, somehow, near the front, I took a glance at the guy next to me and thought "Holy Crap that's Jesse Jackson!" and that the tall white guy next to Reverend Jackson was (oh be still my beating heart) Tim Robbins.

We marched side by side for about a half mile. This being the pre-selfie era and me being a New Yorker who believes that even celebrities deserve to be left alone I have no proof I was walking with them and I'm pretty damn sure that neither of these gentlemen could pick me out of a lineup.

Bernie Sanders civil rights activism seems to have been local and fairly low level--it's not surprising that Rep. Lewis didn't know him. That doesn't mean he wasn't there.

[Fred Drum]

60. i marched against the afghan war

where were you

[tokenlib]

61. My hope is that John Lewis would amend his comment...because..

..this is not a positive dialogue that has resulted.. Ok, so he supports Hillary..but I don't want to believe he was attacking Bernie's record.

[Land Shark]

69. The more I think the more it was ugly moment for Cong. LEWIS

Maybe I will just move on. As beautiful as the Garner ad is its got to make some other leaders steaming mad that Bernie gets the respect that they also deserve but he is getting it in a big way so they want to put it in perspective, to put it delicately

[John Poet]

68. I marched on the Pentagon in May 1981,

against Reagan's war budget and central American policies in El Salvador and Nicaragua;
"Money for the children of Atlanta, and not for war". (This was back during the period when there were a large number of black children disappearing in Atlanta in presumed abductions.)

I never saw John Lewis there, so I think he must have skipped it. I mean, it was only about 50 to 100,000 people, so I'm sure I would have seen him, had he been there... <sarcasm>

[Land Shark]

70. You deserve a heart so here you go :)

[John Poet]

91. THANK you! eom

[Bobbie Jo]

71. Keep it up...

This dismissive stuff is awesome!

[Live and Learn]

74. I've particpated in many demonstrations but I have no proof.

I don't even have any pictures proving the the ones this year even with all the smart phone (including my own) around.

I never suspected we would need proof of admitting to do something that wasn't eve popular at the time. And, yes the majority of other marchers have always been strangers whom I doubt would remember me.

[KingFlorez]

79. I've actually spoken with John Lewis

He took time to speak with me after I received a racist email from someone who didn't like it that I was running for council in a mostly white city.

[Land Shark]

86. A thank you and a heart for you! nt

[MineralMan]

84. I was at MLK's "How long" speech in 1965.

I saw John Lewis there. I'm sure he didn't see me. I was a 19 year old white boy standing way back in the crowd. But, I saw him and learned who he was and why I should listen to him.

I marched at the Pentagon, in my USAF uniform in 1969. I saw lots of people there and got arrested, but was never charged. None of the prominent people I saw probably saw me. But, I saw them, and listened to them.

It was never a matter of whether anyone remembered me. I wasn't there to be remembered as an individual. I was there to show my support and to listen.

I'm not running for any office. Nobody knows me. I don't care. I'm still listening and showing up when I feel strongly about something.

[olddots]

92. I respect the man enough to give him a break

even with my dislike of the Clintons and people who go along with their bullshit .I give John Lewis a break and I feel Bernie does too .