Please check your privilege – and consider voting with those who have none –
At the beginning of this presidential campaign and for several months thereafter, I was undecided whether to support Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders. It was Bernie’s progressive platform that captivated me and I vied for the revolution. He won. He shifted the Democrats and Hillary Clinton to the left and made deals that will set the stage for an ongoing Sander’s revolution. I am so grateful for this. Now Hillary has my 100% attention and I will do all I can to contribute to her election as the next President of the United States. I do believe that the ‘behind scenes’ negotiations have resulted in a progressive platform that can be implemented with the right make up in Congress and a Hillary Clinton presidency.
I hope to be able to influence those Bernie supporters who are digging their heals in to avoid voting out Trump through a Hillary vote and some have indicated they will vote for Jill Stein, the third party Green candidate. I do not believe there is a viable effective third party and hence such a vote is a wasted one that will result in zero change.
Bernie supporters trusted Bernie enough to follow his lead on his platform issues. If one trusted him then – one must surely still trust him now – much of his platform has been adopted. It’s crucial to hear him and continue to follow his lead. Therein lies one’s loyalty.
Switching to a Jill Stein is not being loyal to Bernie or his principles. He has navigated the messed up system and succeeded in bringing onto platform that which you helped him fight for, during the primary season. And if Bernie says you MUST vote for Hillary (note he did not pull a Ted Cruz and say “vote your conscience”) then surely you see that his HUGE compromise is critical to the best interest of America. Lest we forget her compromise – a big shuffle to the left.
If you trusted Bernie then, you can trust that he does not think Jill Stein is an option for America at this time – because if he did, he would not have stood up at the Democratic National Convention, warning you of the dangers of a Trump led America, and categorically stated his support for Hillary, while asking you to follow his lead.
Bernie worked so hard to get his ideals into the Democratic platform and he did it. The least us Bernie supporters can do now is to continue to follow him and not give up on him. Bernie and Elizabeth Warren will continue to lead us toward change and to this end we must elect many progressives to Congress. Hand in hand, a Hillary Clinton presidency can accomplish a lot of the change that the Bernie campaign sought – it’s a process and it can happen.
So to my Bernie buddies, insisting on voting for Jill Stein: You are betraying Bernie. You are betraying all the minorities who are directly threatened by Donald Trump. I ask you to kindly check your privilege before you vote. Are you a CIS white male or even a gay white man – because you are the ones who need to check yourselves and ask how and if Trump’s policies impact you personally and directly and if they do not, then consider those who they do impact directly – such as Alice Anderson who wrote this on Facebook:
“I’m taking it personally. Every friend I have who is willing to “Bern” down the DNC in Philly is white, able-bodied, living (sometimes far) above the poverty line, and straight. Congratulations on putting your “ideals” above ACTUAL HUMAN LIVES. Your “statement” won’t keep me, a person with traumatic brain injury whose life depends on ACA, insured in a Trump presidency. Your “ethics” won’t make it legal for me to marry whom I love. Your “morals” won’t keep 11 million immigrants safe from deportation. And on (women’s bodies) and on (Muslims) and on (rubber stamping racism.) It’s clear you’re willing to Bern it all down despite the actual harm a Trump presidency would inflict. I have never seen such selfish immaturity in my life. As your beloved leader said today, “BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THIS IS THE REAL WORLD WE LIVE IN. Trump must be defeated.” Sanders and Warren can effect change under a Clinton presidency. Under Trump, I guess we’re all on our own while you pat yourself on the back. Who of you will pay for my medication when ACA is dismantled? Oh, that’s right. No one.”
While I agree our system is rigged and the two party system is not working, now is NOT THE TIME to go third party – because NEVER before in history have so many of our minorities or our democracy been so directly threatened. Here is a response I wrote to a Bernie supporters comment that he plans to vote for Jill Stein – quoting self:
Here is the problem with the third party Jill Stein. They raise their heads every four years to grandstand when all seems to fail us – yet in between we never hear from them. They barely make a dent or do anything to earn their positioning. What has Jill Stein actually done? The Green party has proved to be ineffective. Why are they not in Congress? Why are they hardly appearing in City Councils and local government. BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT READY – bad timing pal!
Please dont throw your vote away….
Especially to those of you who are CIS white male who vote for Stein this is what you are saying to us:
“Look at me – I can afford to vote for Jill Stein – I am a CIS white male – Hey – I look like Donald Trump and his hunter sons. I will be okay. But to hell with those undocumented immigrants and those women and those Muslims. I am NOT going to use my VOTE for them. I supported Bernie – but now – I am Donald Trump.”
#Democrats #BERNIE #Mensch #DemsinPhilly #DemConvention
Melanie Nathan
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Tweet: @Melanienathan1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LGBTIadvocate/
You have no idea what you are talking about. The Obama/Clinton establishment have deported more immigrants than any other presidency.
Hillary is a danger to the planet with her support of fossil fuel/fracking.
Hillary is a danger to the planet in her hawkish war mongering. She supported the Iraq War and the Libya war. She threatens Iran and Russia with nuclear responses. She threatens a war with Russia over Syria. She keeps supporting the arming of Israel in their illegal occupation of Palestine. She’s possibly more dangerous than Trump.
Jill Stein will prioritize health care, education, a clean planet and sound infrastructure. Anyone with progressive values needs to support Jill getting into the debates so that she can push the progressive agenda to the American public, They can always vote for someone else on election day if Jill didn’t get enough traction.
hehe I must chuckle here – Jill Stein WON’T because she has zero infrastructire No Congressional support and she may get 300 votes. Focus on the glass half full – thats all we got buddy. With trump you have water running down the side street and not even a half full glass. Grow up and smell the drought.
Are you serious? Western females are the most privileged class of people that ever walked the face of the earth.
They can even purposefully create a gender pay gap by being lazy as hell, and then blame it on men.
such a stupid statement for you my friend you must be short on words and truth – dementia?
Great post! Oh, how I would love to vote for Jill Stein! What real Progressive doesn’t want Clinton to fall flat on her face and to apply tough love to that out-of-control Democratic Party? But I am going to be responsible. While I have agonized over how to vote in November, and flip-flopped several times, I always come back to Bernie Sanders. I always liked and admired Bernie. But his campaign has opened my eyes — he isn’t just one of the “good guys,” he is brilliant! And strong! As the worthless mainstream media is now saying, ‘he may have lost the nomination, but he won on the issues.’ Bernie strategized so there was a win, no matter who is President. Is the fight over? No. But Bernie Sanders is a warrior. He isn’t afraid to do anything, if he thinks it will work. His actions now are strategic to win the end prize — democracy restored, so all Americans can live a decent life. I trust his judgement in this.
I also believe that Bernie is more or less running the country from this point on. Hillary may be President, but she will not have free reign. She claimed nearly every point in Bernie’s campaign platform as her own, just to stay in the race. So when we are hearing Bernie say, “Hillary understands… Hillary supports… Hillary agrees…,” he isn’t endorsing her. He is challenging her. He is instructing her. Hillary’s reputation has fallen greatly in the past year, but Bernie’s public stature has grown immensely. He plans to hold her feet to the fire. He, and we, together can do it. He knows this.
But… the caveat… Bernie’s strategy only works if Hillary is President. He, and we, have no great hand to play, no leverage, if Trump is President. Even the Republican Party fears him. We are bound to lose some of the rights and privileges we now have, with Trump as President.
We are all in this together. Middle class, working class, poor class, and any demographic you can think of — if you aren’t independently wealthy — a Trump presidency is going to clobber you, as the middle class disappears even faster. Like you say, Melanie, we must stand together. I hope people hear your plea, and take a page from Bernie’s play book. We need to remember those who are less fortunate. It’s the right thing to do. But if principle and ethics don’t float one’s boat, remember — we rise and fall together.
Thanks, there’s still time to decide. I’m glad of that. Things could and probably will change. We’ll see. -Jeanne
From: O-blog-dee-o-blog-da To: Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2016 2:52 PM Subject: [New post] To Bernie Supporters Who Say They Will Vote for Jill Stein #yiv6917270011 a:hover {color:red;}#yiv6917270011 a {text-decoration:none;color:#0088cc;}#yiv6917270011 a.yiv6917270011primaryactionlink:link, #yiv6917270011 a.yiv6917270011primaryactionlink:visited {background-color:#2585B2;color:#fff;}#yiv6917270011 a.yiv6917270011primaryactionlink:hover, #yiv6917270011 a.yiv6917270011primaryactionlink:active {background-color:#11729E;color:#fff;}#yiv6917270011 WordPress.com | Melanie Nathan posted: “Please check your privilege – and consider voting with those who have none -At the beginning of this presidential campaign and for several months thereafter, I was undecided whether to support Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders. It was Bernie’s pr” | |