I doubt there is anyone on Daily Kos more partisan than me. I am a hardcore partisan Democrat through and through. I hate Republicans with a passion. I know that’s a strong word to use, but it accurately describes how I feel about them.
I wrote the #HillaryOrBust diary out of frustration with the direction the Sanders campaign has taken recently. It was an act of protest because I feel like I am been pushed to my limits. The Democratic party has a once in a lifetime shot to cripple the GOP for a generation or more, but I feel like this opportunity is been squandered for the stupidest of reasons by the Sanders camp.
I am tired of my party been trashed and I am tired of the smears on Hillary, our presumptive nominee. We get enough of that bullshit from the right. Every time you do that a Teabagger gets it wings (OK I totally made that up... but you get the drift).
One thing that really bothers me about Sanders and his supporters is their general dismissive attitude towards Hillary supporters. The arrogance and aloofness. The suggestion that only they have enthusiasm and passion for their candidate. That only their votes should matter in the primary. As a minority and first time voter who enthusiastically supports Hillary, I find this very insulting.
Kos perfectly captures my sentiments when he offered this as one of the reasons why Sanders lost the nomination:
2. He may want to disenfranchise them, but communities of color voted against Sanders
Take another moment to savor what that would mean—a party establishment ignoring the choice of the communities of color, who have heavily chosen a woman, to undemocratically hand the nomination to yet another white guy. That, my friends, is the essence of white privilege. It’s EXHIBIT A, and in case you are wondering, yes it fucking pisses me off.
I get that it’s really hard for the old guard to surrender power, but this is a new party, and one that gives voice to more people than ever before. You want someone with Bernie’s politics to get the nomination, perhaps find someone who isn’t from the whitest state in the union, unable or unwilling to deal with the communities that drive our modern party.
Fact is, Clinton won people of color by massive margins. Sanders won white people. Sanders thinks the election results should be tossed aside in his favor. Whose votes would be disenfranchised in that scenario? This is simple extrapolation, and don’t think us people of color aren’t noticing.
Please understand that I do not hate Bernie Sanders. At one of the most vulnerable points early in his campaign, when he faced BLM protesters, I wrote a diary defending him strongly. That diary was recommended hundreds of times. I’ve said time and time again that I would wholeheartedly support him if he becomes the nominee. However it’s become increasingly clear that he will not be our nominee.
I am appalled at the direction his campaign has taken lately. I fear the damage his scorched earth tactics against Hillary may cause in the general election. This is an election that we MUST WIN. The alternative is unimaginable.
My #HillaryOrBust diary is a warning to Sanders supporters, not a threat. Of course I am not that stupid and spiteful to hand the evil Republicans an assist (unlike some Bernie supporters) in an election as critical as this. I know this election is much bigger than any one candidate.
As a black Hillary supporter, I just want my vote to be respected and my voice to be heard as any white supporter of Bernie. Please understand that support for Hillary is real. We are not just some zombies out there that you can toss aside or dismiss. When you try to tear her down and deny her the nomination through undemocratic means you are indirectly waging a war on us.
