The treatment of Elijah Cummings was bad optics, but I'm not moved over it.

[Renaissance Man]

There are two reasons why I am not moved over it -- democracy and politics.

Note to Jury: This post is not meant to refight the primaries. It is meant to explain why some of the hecklers at this year's convention may be treating DNC officials and speakers in the manner they are being treated.

Democracy

This is democracy, and honestly, what happened last night to Elijah Cummings is a result of 20+ years of the Democratic Party triangulating and moving the party to pro-corporate positions to get Democrats elected (via campaign contributions from corporate lobbyists that favor trade deals that allow them to ship jobs to places where labor laws are either lax or non-existent). It was an open rebuke of the party's platform, which includes being "neutral" regarding the Trans Pacific Partnership.

Unfortunately, our party's track record (vis a vis NAFTA, CAFTA, and a TPP in the balance) hasn't been favorable for working and working poor people, and this has caused a rift in some supporters who have no faith in Hillary Clinton because of her public support (and subsequent switching positions) for these same trade deals (whether she was serving in elected office or not).

So, while I think that the optics were bad, I'm not going to be distressed over it, because party officials earned it. I'm a native of a rural area, and I've been able to see, first-hand, what one bad trade deal (NAFTA) did to textile workers at two textile mills close to where I'm from. Those one-industry towns that would support working class and working poor communities were decimated because of NAFTA.

Is that (stripping these working poor and poor towns of jobs) OK because a Democrat is publicly supporting those trade deals? Seriously, do some soul-searching and let me know how that looks on a party that used to care about the poor and working poor?

Elijah Cummings was the physical target of that angst, considering he was the Platform Committee Chairman. Our platform is officially now neutral on the TPP (though our nominee called it the "gold standard" and lobbied for support of it as Secretary of State). Therefore, who better to receive the angst about a platform that includes a neutral-TPP position than the platform committee chairman. Poor optics, but let's not pretend that our party leadership hasn't earned that angst. I honestly believe, as a black male, that if a Hispanic female that was the platform committee chairwoman, she'd receive the same response.

Politics

Some of this is leftover angst from the primaries, particularly for members of the Congressional Black Caucus. John Lewis' outright dismissal of Senator Sanders' record on Civil Rights issues and his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement (when there is literal video evidence of him being arrested as a CORE member) was unfair. Moreover, considering Jonathan Capehart's repeat lying and failure to correct the record in the Washington Post concerning this same issue, if I were a delegate, I can honestly say that I don't know if I would remain silent about this to any of the CBC members in attendance. Juxtapose that to Bill Clinton's behavior during the 2008 primaries leading up to the South Carolina Primary, and there is a bit of hypocrisy there.

Take into account also Delores Huerta ginning up controversy on Sanders' supporters at the Nevada Caucus by outright lying and saying that Sanders' supporters were intimidating caucus participants during the Nevada caucuses by requesting that Hispanic caucus participants speak in English.

I can honestly say, as a black male, and knowing what Hillary's positions were on the 1994 Crime Bill, her support for Welfare Reform, her "super predator comments," and her behavior during the 2008 primaries, that I was completely confused as to why so many CBC members offered their support (as surrogates and super delegates) for her. Even if they offered her support, to attack Senator Sanders' record on this was outright lying and astroturf, and Democrats should be above these tactics.

So, while I agree that Senator Sanders has moved on from this, we would do well to listen to these delegates, stop insulting them, stop denying the history of what our primary was, and try to be a more small (d) Democratic Party. We ignore these voters at our peril.

[geek tragedy]

1. shorter explanation: SOME Sanders delegates are obnoxious punks

who are Green Party types who impersonated Democrats in order to smuggle themselves into the convention.

And, yes, you are relitigating the primaries by essentially saying it was open season on black pols on that stage, because they failed to embrace the candidate you think they should have embraced.

Those people are not on our side, they never will be on our side, they have always been a thorn in our side (see Nader, Ralph).

[Renaissance Man]

5. No, I'm not re-litigating the primaries.

I'm over the primaries, and I'm voting for Hillary.

What I'm saying is that there are alternative perspectives as to why these politicians were being heckled. The history of our primary this year supports that they should have been open to rebuke, as well. Rebuke, dissent, and differing opinions are often a part of democracy.

[geek tragedy]

11. Yes, some delegates were bitter because they felt

black voters and leaders owed Sanders their support and betrayed all Sanders supporters everywhere by lining up behind Clinton.

Notably, the two civil rights legends you named as villiains--John Lewis and Dolores Huerta--were not on that stage. (Not that they deserve to be booed--Dolores Huerta has done more in her life to help oppressed people than every single heckler in that audience combined have done or will ever do in their entire lives).

So, they went ahead and took a whack at the first black people they saw--that's your defense?

You are not being persuasive.

[Hekate]

17. +1000, geek

[Cal Carpenter]

21. This is so dishonest, divisive and nasty

I don't even know where to start. He is not saying it was 'open season on black pols on that stage'. God forbid the Platform Committee Chair is taken to task by those who disagree with the direction of the platform...

Did you even read the OP? Your reactionary post implies that you did not.

[geek tragedy]

24. You mean how the punks jeered Cummings while he talked

about his sharecropper parents?

Or repeatedly taunted and heckled Elizabeth Warren--who is outspoken in her opposition to the TPP?

Heaven forbid they learn the concept of respectful disagreement rather than acting like babies with soiled diapers.


Bernie Sanders and most of his supporters are mature adults who grasp reality.

But there are exceptions.

Most people--after they move out of mom and dad's house--realize that sanctimony is not a license to act like a raging asshole.

Funny thing is the pasty white privileged kids launching those jeers probably have no idea--none--why their movement remained predominantly a white male one.

[BeyondGeography]

2. I heard a Bernie supporter on MSNBC this AM

She was more direct: We worked hard, Bernie was the main speaker last night, so we thought the evening should have been all about him and us.

I think that was a lot closer to the mark than your tortured explanation. A for effort though.

[geek tragedy]

3. maybe they should have handed out gold stars and "I'm Thumbody"

kits to help boost her self-esteem

[BeyondGeography]

4. As soon as Marcia Fudge said Hillary's name that gave them license to boo the prayer

and Cummings was collateral damage because their feewings were so hurt.

[auntpurl]

8. So incredibly self-absorbed.

Like nobody in the Hillary campaign worked hard.

[Renaissance Man]

9. Ignore the explanation at your own peril.

These are voters that we'll need in November. My explanation offered actual reasons for why they should have expected that treatment yesterday, and it's backed up by history.

Feel free to address the merits of the post whenever you're compelled to do so.

[LanternWaste]

23. More accurately, "ignore my rationalization at your own peril"

More accurately, "ignore my rationalization at your own peril..." as the two have wholly separate and distinct meanings, and yours was less an explanation, and much more a simple rationalization lacking any objective evidence to support your premise.

[sufrommich]

16. Yep. nt

[NCTraveler]

6. Could have shortened it up by rightfully calling them low life pieces of shit.....

Who are insignificant to any positive change in society.

That's how I write the dolts off.

[Loki Liesmith]

7. "We ignore these voters at our peril."

Do you mean the 12 people who were heckling last night?

If so I won't ignore them. I'll happily call them assholes to their face.

See? Didn't ignore them.

[bluedye33139]

10. On the 1994 crime bill concern, wouldn't that shut out people who actually voted for it?

[pkdu]

12. Care to expand on the John Lewis critique?

You mention Sanders arrest as student in Chicago...what did he do after that that John Lewis should have remembered?

[procon]

13. Hogwash.

I sprained my back trying to get through all those twisted excuses. You're trying to make Elijah Cummings responsible for everything that every Democratic politician has ever done over the past 50 years so lets apply the same yardstick to trounce Bernie Sanders and all of his rude, self-centered, immature supporters.

Your whole premise is flawed from the start. Look here, you contend that Elijah Cummings deserved to be attacked and shouted down because he was the Platform Committee Chairman. But the committees have met and both sides came to an agreement, so the issues were officially settled... they're done, there is no argument. Now you want a do-over to re-litigate everything because a bunch of crybabies are having problems resolving their whiny emotional 'angst' over losing? No! That's not how it works.

Politics is about winners and losers. You're advocating for Bernie supporters, saying they are entitled to use the Democratic nominating convention to settle old scores from decades past, and get even for all the perceived slights and insults that are SOP in any political contest. Again, this is politics 101, not a wedding.

Sanders delegates need to get over themselves and start supporting our nominee, Hillary, or just go home and join whatever party they're more closely aligned with because that sure isn't the Democrats.

[Florencenj2point0]

15. soon they will be pulled off the floor

right after the nomination I am guessing unless they start behaving themselves. They are not going to be allowed to boo Obama Hillary and Kaine.

[Florencenj2point0]

14. He was talking about his share cropper parents

Just stop! not one of those childish booers has a story or life like his.....assholes

[renate]

18. personally, I think booing was out of order at the Democratic convention, but

... while I think any Bernie supporter who doesn't vote for Hillary in November will be handing their vote to Trump, it's asking a little too much to expect them to magically forget their objections to her, especially in light of the emails.

But the booing and anti-Hillary comments are genuinely unhelpful at this point, even to their own cause, not because they're wrong but because the only logical alternative to supporting Hillary--a President Trump--could really signal the end of the United States of America as anything but a banana republic.

[MFM008]

19. Commen courtesy

Period.

[cynatnite]

20. THIS!! n/t

[Starry Messenger]

22. I can say, as a white female, that that kind of vitriol

is absolutely about privilege being threatened.

And anyone who screamed at Dolores Huerta is also a stain.

Norman Solomon is not a poor Black kid or a factory worker who lost his job to outsourcing. Neither is Susan Sarandon.

While there is certainly justified disatisfaction over income inequality in this country, to lay all of that on the shoulders of some of the most stalwart organizers and activists of color is personally repugnant to me.

The privileged white activists who are making this Convention all about their hurt feelings are the ones losing potential allies with their shitty behavior.