In order for all lives to matter, black lives have to matter

I think Hillary is starting to get the message of the "black lives matter movement." But I'm not sure that my former Governor O'Malley and Bernie understood what was going on. Looking at the tape I thought they were being Breitbarted by Republicans. But what the "Black Lives Matter" folks are doing, is what we all should be doing. Indeed it's what Bernie Sanders has been doing on the Liberty and Economic Justice issues around our Privateering Financial vulture so-called "capitalists."

In order to get what we want we have to be loud and let folks know loudly that our agenda needs to be on the agenda. But I can understand where they are coming from having watched the insane police and political responses of my fellow white folks in Ferguson, New York, Cincinnati, etc... It's pretty obvious that we need some major changes in Policy, Training, Discipline and Culture in our society still.

Plus I know my history and am more than a little ashamed of it. Crazy KKK folks might bring their Virginia Battle Flag to Black neighborhoods to start fights, but they've been bullying and oppressing anyone who is different, and especially what used to be called "colored folks", for centuries. Thomas Jefferson promised "Liberty and Justice" for all, and he broke (or couldn't keep) his promise. Racism, for anyone who knows black folks personally, is stupid. But the prejudices involved are baked into our culture. And tempting.

Bernie is right that there is an economic dimension to black oppression. But there is also a history of the wrong kind of color blindness on the subject from reformers. They might be good on the abstracts, but then the communist leader or the socialist leader, would have a lily white entourage and without even being aware he was doing it, be doing it himself. Misogyny and Racism, Class Warfare and all sorts of discrimination are the ways folks try to get ahead and climb the social hierarchy pyramid so they can get to the top and crow like a Rooster. Fighting Racism and Black Lives Matter needs to be on the Common plank. And I applaud the movement for cornering people on it.

This is a plank issue and it needs to be part of the policies that Democrats across the country commit to. And it's time to purge our party of Democrats who covertly support racism, racial discrimination and police bullying of black folks. What really embarrassed me the most about Ferguson was that the criminal prosecutor and Governor there were Democrats. That is where primary Challenges are needed. And a lot of education.

Need to include "Black Lives Matter" in our Unified Plank

Common Plank Updated

Invest in Infrastructure: Schools, roads, bridges, airports, mass transit, upgraded grid Spend a minimum of 50 billion per year for 10 years to do this. Create an Infrastructure Bank to support these projects. Transition from fossil fuels to renewables Invest in Wind, Solar, Tide/wave, geothermal energy & renewables. Worker rights to workplace democracy and Union membership. Raise the minimum wage Equal Pay regardless of sex, gender, race. Reform Trade policies to keep jobs at home. Make college affordable for all people Break up the big banks and restore regulations Make Healthcare available to all Expand Social Security, Medicaid and Food stamps Reform Tax Code, close corporate loopholes Restore Voting and civil Rights, reform Police policy, guidance & Training so that black lives matter

And activists need to fight to get these concerns put into concrete policies in this election. Not only at the National Level but States and down to County and Township level politics.

Post Script

Like I said I thought it was a Breitbart stunt when I witnessed it:

http://thefederalist.com/2015/07/20/fear-and-loathing-at-netroots-nation/

Indeed, The activists kind of came out of the woodwork with criticisms of Bernie and O'Malley that neither were entirely prepared for. And the article I cited is pretty much a Right Wing Point of View on Bernie. He expresses my fear for what will happen if the left doesn't have the sense to convince the rest of the nation of the things they take for granted "everyone knows." Most folks don't know that Larry Summers, Rubin and Greenspan weren't Godlike Mavens. And a lot of folks are still convinced that Ronald Reagan was a World War II hero who flew bombers, blew up trains and rescued fair maidens in the Old West. The above article expresses my fears for this campaign. I remember both Eugene McCarthy and McGovern. I don't recall the other McCarthy so well, but I've read about him enough.

Bernie spoke out on Sandra Bland, almost right after the hazing incident at the Net Roots convention.

http://www.salon.com/2015/07/22/bernie_sanders_becomes_the_first_candidate_to_speak_out_on_sandra_bland_we_need_real_police_reform/