https://www.dailykos.com/news/CrossoversforBernie News Community Action Copyright 2005 - Steal what you want Sun, 26 Jan 2020 22:29:02 +0000 Sun, 26 Jan 2020 22:29:02 +0000 Daily Kos rss@dailykos.com (Daily Kos) Daily Kos rss@dailykos.com (Daily Kos) https://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/2/10/1483105/-Bernie-is-my-Rock-Star <h2>Bernie is my New Rock Star!</h2> <p>Recent declarations by <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/feb/06/bernie-sanders-gloria-steinem-women-voters-men-hillary-clinton" target="_blank">Gloria Steinem</a> and <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/feb/06/madeleine-albright-campaigns-for-hillary-clinton" target="_blank" title="">Madeleine Albright</a> denigrating Bernie Sanders' supporter constituencies have raised my ire!!!!</p> <p>I was flabbergasted to read Steinem’s quote, and even more taken aback to read the full context, seeing that Bill Maher actually gave Steinem an opportunity to recant her statement, or to, in the least, clarify it in a manner which may have seemed reasonable. But no, Gloria Steinem simply chose to flush her entire legacy down the proverbial toilet with perhaps the most anti feminist, casually hetero sexist, generational assault she could have mustered. In a naked fear based defense against a perceived loss of political power she firmly aligned herself with entrenched interests, those of Hillary.</p> <p>By Albright's logic, I may as well have voted for Sarah Palin.</p> <p>I recognize democracy is not a spectator sport, and that participation at the local level is what builds true movements which ensure a healthy, functioning governing system. I participated in peace marches in Washington in my college days, and I have served on a few boards in my small New England town. I show up for gay pride, sometimes volunteering on planning committees. I stand up against war. I march for women's rights for sovereignty over our own bodies, ever aware of the encroachment against our bodily sovereignty in general by the money motives of western medicine, pharmaceutical interests, and bankers.</p> <p>My activism has waned over time, however, as my metabolism and drive has diminished with age and the pressing concerns of daily life. I have considered attending more demonstrations in recent years, and have made a showing from time to time as necessity and urgency has peaked, particularly concerning the Black Lives Matter movement. And climate change notwithstanding, I have succumbed to the temptation to "let the younger folks do the work this time around" more often than I want to admit.</p> <p>So it's a bit ironic that the catalysts who have moved me from my sofa back onto the street, waving political signs, crossing state lines to campaign for Bernie, to reach beyond the comfortable and predictable demographic of my local academic community, are my former heroines:  Gloria Steinem and Madeleine Albright.<em><strong> They were my rock stars.</strong></em></p> rss@dailykos.com (BeekeeperRorie) 2016 BernieSanders Clinton CrossoversforBernie HillaryClinton NewHampshire sanders _1483105 Wed, 10 Feb 2016 22:34:14 +0000