I’m fixing to deal with some grown up truth right now and I’d appreciate it if you’d hear me out.
Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders is my friend and my candidate for President of the United States. Even if I didn’t know him, he would still be my candidate for president.
He is as honest as the day is long. He says what he means and means what he says. He stands up for you and me every time he has a chance. He stands up for people who will never vote, because he believes in loving your brother and sister. He is fearless, honorable, and American to the marrow of his bones.
You will hear his enemies and those who are trying learn about who he really is call him a “socialist.” Bernie will not deny it.
Give me a minute to say what that means. EVERYTHING that has ever been good for average Americans has been called socialism, and those who promoted it were called socialists and often deported.
Dr. WEB DuBois
Dr. WEB DuBois was the first African-American to earn a doctorate from Harvard. He spearheaded the founding of the NAACP. His lifelong advocacy of civil rights earned him the title of socialist and deportation to Ghana in West Africa. The BULK of his IDEAS were incorporated in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. All Americans speak of him with respect now.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was called a socialist by the entire Financial Elite for his policies that helped the American people, and lifted America out of the Great Depression.
Social Security was labelled socialism when first introduced.
Industrial Workers of the World
President Woodrow Wilson and Attorney General John Palmer arrested almost 4000 activists, most of them members of the Industrial Workers of the World and deported many of them for being socialists, because they went on strike repeatedly for the 8 hour day (we now call that overtime). They fought for the right to organize or join a union, which became law in 1935, and for free speech, the First Amendment to the Constitution.
The 8 hour day was once considered socialism.
All trade unionists were once considered socialists.
• Dr. King was hounded by the FBI and called a socialist.
• The Tennessee Valley Authority, which built a series of dams on the Tennessee River in the Depression to provide electricity to the Southern United States was called socialist.
• The Rural Electric Administration brought electricity into the homes of Southerners — which is why my grandfather had electricity but no indoor plumbing — was called socialist.
• Upton Sinclair and his famous novel about conditions in meat packing plants were called socialists.
• Health and safety for workers and consumers were called socialism.
• Medicare and Medicaid were called socialism.
• The Voting Right Act and the Civil Rights Act were called socialism.
Since Bernie entered the public fray as a political candidate for average Americans, we have seen passage of the Affordable Care Act which was called socialism, the Federal Medical Leave Act which was called socialism, and President Obama — who is often loudly called a socialist.
By the standards of the radical right-wing, Bernie Sanders is a socialist. By my standards he’s a great American who wants to improve the lives of all Americans, and in that way strengthen the core of America.
I reckon someone will call this Christian, Bible believing, Jesus worshiping, Tennessee poor boy who’s daddy was a Baptist preacher a socialist now.
Image sources: public domain, Labor411 and Bernie Sanders
