Now Hear This: Bernie Sanders is Not a Racist or a Sexist!

[MineralMan]

He never has been either, actually. His record is one of support for both POC and women. I'm not sure where the meme started that declares that supporters of Hillary Clinton think he is a sexist or racist. I've seen almost no statements to that effect.

I am a Clinton supporter. I admire Bernie Sanders a great deal, and if he winds up being the Democratic nominee, I will campaign just as hard for him as I would for Hillary. All of the Clinton supporters I know will do the same.

I do not think he will be the nominee, however, and hope he will continue his important work in the Senate, where he regularly acts as the conscience of that body.

That is all. As you were.

[virtualobserver]

1. Hillary won't leave any unused tools in the toolbox.....

but thank you for your kind OP.

[MADem]

2. I see you wasted no time in showing up with your toolbox.

smh.

[virtualobserver]

8. my toolbox.....just the hammer of truth

[MineralMan]

9. A workman with only a hammer as a tool

is more likely to destroy than to build. I think you need better tools and a larger assortment of them, frankly.

I suggest something like this:

[virtualobserver]

10. truth is all that I have to work with

anything that is not truthful is not a useful tool.

[MineralMan]

13. Yes, well, I'll leave you to your work.

Good luck with that.

[virtualobserver]

18. You utilize the hammer of truth as well

[yuiyoshida]

44. Wait... doesn't a true

Mineralman need chemicals in his tool box as well? How else can you distinguish one mineral from another?

[MADem]

24. I think there's poop on that sledge hammer.

You shouldn't use it to stir.

[virtualobserver]

33. the poop is the truth that I expose about the Hillary method of electioneering

[luvspeas]

3. I completely agree with you...

But there are supporters of his that have said and posted terribly racist things, have attacked POC and allies on this board, openly mocked other DUers and have been very hurtful. There are also a few Hillary supporters that have been doing similar things but these last few days anyway, the BSers have way outnumbered them. In number of hideous attack posts and alert stalking at least. It makes me sick and I'm certain Bernie would be appalled.

[Agschmid]

4. Yup.

But man the divide is deep... See post #1

[Evergreen Emerald]

5. He just uses those dog whistles to win an election

I agree that he is not a racist. I am not so sure about sexist, based on what I have read about his history. But, certainly in the midst of a close campaign, he has made it evident that he is not opposed to whistle like a dog, if it helps him.

[MineralMan]

6. No, he doesn't. Some of his supporters might have,

but he is not responsible for what his supporters say. No candidate is responsible for random supporters and their comments.

There are differences between the two Democratic candidates who have the vast majority of supporters. We can focus on those and have a worthwhile discussion.

Or, we can continue to resort to name-calling and turn the campaign into a bitter-tasting soup. I choose not to do that.

[Evergreen Emerald]

22. Funny you should say that. When a Clinton supporter said something about Sanders, DU cried

that she was sending out her surrogates to attack Sanders and when she apologized, they said that she did not mean it.

Yet, when Sanders' surrogates say sexist things, he cannot help what they say....and he did apologize. Double standards abound.

[MineralMan]

23. I speak only for myself.

My statement is in the opening post of this thread.

I do not speak for others. I cannot. I will not.

[Evergreen Emerald]

25. I am not necessarily talking about you...just conversing in general.

about the double standards here on DU. I am searching DU for your thread defending Hillary against the same charges.

[Bluenorthwest]

27. And we all know that you, a 'Hillary Supporter' have a perfect and sterling history of

posting on the internet. I don't want to get into all of that but MM, many Hillary supporters here are riding stolen high horses. I am very close to posting a long review of the past which sure won't do any of those people any favors.
This morning alone, I have seen a Hillary supporter whining about those evil Bernie supporters who has said gay people 'have plenty of rights already'. Another who has said 'gay marriage is to me unthinkable, the Bible speaks negatively about homosexuality after all' also complaining about Bernie supporters. It's a bit much. I do not want to link and call them all out, but I also can't have openly bigoted homophobes striding around here affecting that they are fit to judge others as bigots. That is not acceptable, it has been going on for weeks and my advice is that many here need to consider the wisdom of picking fights they are not likely to win.

Don't forget, we don't forget.

[Evergreen Emerald]

29. Lol

[artislife]

14. Oh no...you cannot lay this behavior on Bernie.

Very Rovian of you.

His supporters are a mixed bag, though. I will grant you that, but Bernie isn't what you are portraying.

[frylock]

28. I know this will be a waste of my time, but could you provide examples of Sanders' dog whistles?

I know you can't provide them, but I just wanted to get this in the public record.

[whatchamacallit]

11. Your score - 0

+1 for stating the truth. Bernie is neither racist nor sexist and never has been.

-1 for willful ignorance. You'd have to be blind to not notice the mountain of OPs and posts aimed at insinuating he is.

+1 for pledging your support, should he be the nominee.

-1 for ending with the patronizing "we need him in the senate" bull.

[MineralMan]

12. Thanks for kicking the thread.

I don't believe you are the official DU scorekeeper, though.

[artislife]

17. On point

But I would give him an extra 1 because it was pretty short with only one or two qualififyers. That is pretty good.

[whatchamacallit]

20. Haha indeed!

+1 for brevity.

Final score: 1

*** Congratulations MineralMan! ***

[Scootaloo]

15. No?

He's just a clueless white guy from clueless white Vermont, who was part of "white flight" to Vermont from Brooklyn because he hated black people who is only supported by white supremacist white men (in their gingham shirts and fedoras) who doesn't talk about racism and brushes over the needs of black people to talk about what white people want. he's also Jewish and well, you know what Jews think about black people.

But no, no one has said, quote unquote, "Bernie Sanders is a racist."

In a similar vein, while people are calling Sanders "a republican man with his head between women's legs" And talking about how he has rape fantasies and he gets to shout but women don't and his staffers are sexist for talking about Hillary as VP, no one, I suppose, has stated quote unquote,, "Bernie Sadners is sexist."

[font color=green] >> Implying

[MineralMan]

16. Well, I've certainly never said anything even similar to those things.

Who has? Show me a link for each of them here on DU, with someone saying that, and I'll condemn those statements here on DU.

You say "people" are saying these things. What people? Show me.

[Scootaloo]

19. Are you unable to see links for some reason? 'Cause that post has more than a few

[MineralMan]

21. Some of those links lead to hidden posts.

Others lead simply to threads quoting people not on DU. I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing DUers voicing opinions that Sanders is either sexist or racist. I don't read every thread on DU, of course. Nobody does.

What I can do, however, is voice my opinion, which you will find in the opening post of this thread. Please be clear on this: I am stating outright that Bernie Sanders is neither racist nor sexist. I know that to be true. If I fail to comment in some thread where someone implies otherwise, that does not in any way diminish my statement.

You have my opinion. That opinion will not change. I know Sanders' record.

[Scootaloo]

26. Despite your name, I don't believe you're that rock-headed.

Hidden posts are still expressed opinions - and the people who sad 'em are still around saying their shit. People very rarely put forth articles they do not agree with and wish to spread around - and those that do usually offer disclaimers and don't spend gigantic threads defending and expanding the articles' premise.

Your laser focus on "but on one has said "Sanders is a racist!" actually works as evidence that you know damn well what is being constantly implied against him.

But congratulations on not buying that.

[frylock]

30. You'd have to be "Too stupid to be President" to not see it being implied.

[luvspeas]

31. or maybe they'll get sprayed with a hose...

[frylock]

34. 2 messages and 2 replies today..

haven't you got anything better to do with yourself than follow me around? I'm waiting for the Charger game myself.

[zappaman]

32. Of course he isn't.

[postatomic]

35. Well, there is some History

Hillary Clinton accused Bernie Sanders of sexism. She's not the first one.

Clinton and her supporters aren't alone in their accusations, however. Politico recalls that in 1986, when Sanders ran and lost against Madeleine Kunin in the race for Vermont governor, he made a point of suggesting that because his opponent was a woman, that was not a good enough reason to vote for her. "He tried to be more of a feminist than I was to appeal to the women's vote," Kunin told Politico. "I found that very difficult."

Sanders also got into hot water when he was running against Diane Gallagher for mayor of Burlington in 1985. "He is setting me up to the rich bitch, the girl with the pearls, Lady Di," Gallagher told the Burlington Free Press at the time.

None of this has escaped feminists keeping watch on the current campaign. "I'm stunned that a man like Bernie Sanders, who has clearly committed his life to making the country a better place, would get sucked into this very dangerous rhetoric, which perpetuates sexist and misogynistic stereotypes," former New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, now a Clinton supporter, told Politico. "The candidate is supposed to set the tone, set the agenda. If Bernie Sanders does not want to be seen as someone who uses sexist language and perpetuates a dangerous sexist stereotype of strong women, then he should tell his people to stop. And if they don't stop, he should fire them." Jeva Lange

http://theweek.com/speedreads/586156/hillary-clinton-accused-bernie-sanders-sexism-not-first

I think that these two events were quite some time ago and shouldn't carry too much weight. However, I could see how this might cause a few Clinton Supporters to question his sincerity.

[MineralMan]

36. When did Hillary Clinton call him a sexist?

Give me the quote and link to it, please. I do not believe she ever has called him a sexist. So, if you know of a time when she did, please provide the information. Otherwise, please stop saying that she called him a sexist. Thank you.

[postatomic]

37. I never said she called him a sexist

I was pointing out how there is some history that might cause others to feel this way.

Read. Comprehend. Understand.

[MineralMan]

38. The first sentence of your post reads:

"Hillary Clinton accused Bernie Sanders of sexism. She's not the first one."

When did she accuse him of sexism? Give me the quote and link, please. If someone "accuses someone of sexism" that person is calling the someone a sexist.

I understand that you cannot produce a link or quote, because she did nothing of the sort.

[postatomic]

39. It's the title of the Article

But you knew that. Right?

[MineralMan]

40. The article contains nothing about Hillary accusing Sanders

of sexism. That's because she has never done that. Yes, that's the title of the article you copied and pasted into DU. The title is untrue, though. It is unsupported in the article. So, if the title is incorrect, why should I bother with the article at all?

You select the things you copy and paste into DU messages. If you disagree with them, you can say so.

Hillary Clinton has not accused Bernie Sanders of sexism. Period. That is an untruth.

[aikoaiko]

41. Actually, you are one of the perpetrators of the meme.

Don't you remember how you linked withdrawing support for Bernie with supporting black lives.

Black Lives Matter! Period. Therefore I Have Altered my Primary Intentions.

Recent attacks on people who insist that attention be paid to the wholesale killing of unarmed black people by official government law enforcement officers has convinced me that my support for Bernie Sanders in the primaries was misplaced. When I align myself with a candidate and pledge support for that candidate, I am aligning myself with that candidate's supporters.

I can no longer do that in good faith. Due to actions by supporters of Senator Sanders, I am withdrawing my support for him at our caucuses in Minnesota. I cannot be aligned any longer with his supporters, which has cost that candidate my own support. His insistence that economic changes will produce the kind of social change that is so much needed no longer can be supported, either.

Perhaps he will change that line of thinking, and perhaps not. He appears to be convinced of it. Yes, he has supported civil rights issues throughout his career, but his current campaign focuses too much on economics and not enough on redressing the real and continuing racial inequality in the United States. Both are critically important, and focusing only on one will not result in the changes that are desperately needed.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251507197

Message received: Bernie and his supporters don't care about black people.

[MineralMan]

42. Actually, my decision was based on his supporters,

not Bernie Sanders himself. I determined that they would lead to his inability to get the nomination or be elected. Bernie, himself, is a good guy who would make a good President. However, he will not get the nomination.

That's in part due to his supporters. They are alienating other Democrats on a daily basis. That cannot lead to a winning candidacy.

I cannot support a candidate whose supporters openly declare that they will not vote for another candidate in the General Election if he is not the nominee. I have not seen any such declaration from supporters of Hillary Clinton. In fact, just the opposite. Like me, they will enthusiastically support the Democratic nominee, whoever it turns out to be.

I am a Democrat. I want a Democrat to win. That will take solidarity. That is all.

[aikoaiko]

43. Actually, if you read what you wrote...

... You'll see that you started to drift away from the issue of his supporters and named Bernie himself as not addressing black lives.

Again, your OP is inconvenient for you.

[Bluenorthwest]

45. It's a transparent raft of horseshit that presumes all of DU has forgotten your own history of

mendacious and extremely bigoted posting all over the internet. You did big drama series OP's about how deeply sorry you were to have said those racist, homophobic things. And yet you have never made amends and constantly present yourself as a worthy judge of others. Like Hillary on DOMA, you revise history and think no one is going to call it out.

Blech. It's fine when you don't pull shit like this, but when you do it is time to remind readers that you spent years saying racist, homophobic stuff all over the internet for your own pleasure.

You also said Hillary was too stupid to hold office. But you are the standard for us all!!!!