Never have we had someone focused on economic inequity the way that Bernie Sanders is. He has based his entire campaign on this, and rightly so. And he has been focused on this since the early 70's. Now he wants to reverse American's 40 year legacy of moving to the Right and of increasing the wealth gap and the federal deficit. He does not make timid and placating statements, he makes bold confident statements.
Not Adlai Stevenson, and not George McGovern, ever posed this kind of threat to the economic power structures which harvest our populace.
In Dec 1967 Martin Luther King Jr. called for a Poor People's Campaign, no longer confined to racial issues, and now speaking directly against the war in Vietnam.
King had faced continual death threats for over a decade. He had survived a chest stabbing. And in Memphis there had been suspicious sorts making inquiries, and claiming to be advance men. King never used advance men. So likely he knew, but this did not deter him.
And then announcing the killing to a crowd in Indianapolis, Robert Kennedy reminded the audience that he had lost a brother. Kennedy assumed the slain King's mantle, and for his remaining 63 days, Kennedy adopted King's message and speaking style, finally winning the largest of the primaries, California's. Not before or since has this country come as close as it did to an electoral revolution.
For everyone who challenges this economic power structure, there will come a time when they are tempted with the idea that they should back down, protect themselves, and let things settle. Its they idea that they are more important than the message and the movement. They will be told that they should not go up to Jerusalem.
This country has long been ruled by powerful and sinister forces. They pander to racial prejudice, and to every other kind of prejudice. They use conservative cultural messages and themes to try and keep people in their assigned places. For anyone who challenges the rule of these sinister forces, the danger and the temptation will be real.
We need to be brave ourselves and get the very highest possible voter turn out for these primaries and in November. We have a chance, which though risky, we must not let slip by.
SJG
King at Stanford, "The Other America" 1967 youtube.com
King on Universal Basic Income, Work, & Human Value (August 16, 1967) youtube.com
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr: The Unfiltered Radical youtube.com
Robert F. Kennedy primary campaign address at Ball State University, 1968-04-04 youtube.com
Kennedy Accepting King's Mantle in Indianapolis youtube.com
Tom Brokaw Reflects on Kennedy's Campaign youtube.com
Bernie Sanders outlines his vision of ‘democratic socialism’ 6/12/19 youtube.com
Bernie Sanders and Rev William Barber II, Poor Peoples Campaign Presidential Forum youtube.com
