Bernie Sanders vs. Black Lives Matter?

 

Sanders v BLM KIRO TV screen capture

Allegedly the #BlackLivesMatter (BLM) movement derailed a Bernie Sanders speaking event yesterday in Seattle. Allegedly as I don't believe movement organizers sanctioned the interruption. I further believe the rally heist may have been hired out with paid plants. Let's look a little deeper into this ...

First, Sanders was a Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) officer in 1962. That January he led students in a multi-week student sit-in to oppose segregation in off campus housing owned by the University of Chicago. Clearly, Sanders has been on the right side of history with regard to racial equality.

So why would BLM want to trip up Sanders? I have no answer to this. I sent a message to BLM:
"Dear Leadership,
I'm writing as a concerned citizen and long time supporter of equality for all. Your movement would be well served to foremost back off of Bernie Sanders'' campaign. He has publicly been on the right side of racial equality, likely since longer than you have been alive. In fact, no better candidate to further equality could be running for the 2016 presidential election than Bernie. If your organization was not either directly represented or involved in yesterday's incident, you would be wise to investigate and find out who is behind the disruption(s). While you may be getting a little press play from this now, if you cannot manage your organization, your movement risks perishing into illegitimacy. Your cause is much too important to allow rebels without a clue to disenfranchise what you've been working so hard to achieve."

Here's my list of people and organizations that could be responsible for Sanders' recent campaign rally disruptions:
Hillary Clinton
The GOP
The Koch Bros.
The Federal Reserve
Wall Street

Here's the thing. The press had a heyday with this story. Sanders could not have hoped for better coverage and media play (mainstream as well as social).

In publicity there is no such thing as bad press. It appears Sanders' campaign has even leveraged the incidents to add capital to its platform on police reforms.

"I witnessed the disruption and the leaders' reaction to it," Seattlite James Burkman said. "They handled a confrontational and delicate situation very well. Allowing disruption in a peaceful way opened a door for Mr. Sanders to address race relations in a compassionate way. It's an issue he needs to win on, and I think he will."

To me the BLM incident is so "rebel without a clue." The people's advocate's campaign matters. #Respect

Who knows, maybe even Sanders' campaign orchestrated these interruptions to further both causes. If that's the case I'd say it's quite genius. Certainly people, and the media, are talking ...

Bernie Sanders, senator from Vermont and presidential candidate, and Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant at a rally held at Westlake Center on Saturday evening.

KUOW Photo/Hannah Burn