Copyright 2016 by Lori-Ann Willey
DISCLOSURE - These are my personal thoughts and opinions. No one has to agree or disagree. I simply ask that you show the same respect that I show you. Thank you.
DNC = Democratic National Convention
RNC = Republican National Convention
"Poor Bernie", and I meant it when I said that many days ago. However, since then, I’ve had somewhat a change of heart. I watched and heard Bernie’s passion magnify through the microphone during his speeches over the past few months. He was very passionate about his beliefs, and he had many supporters that believed in his passion as well. The man said all along that the political system is rigged. Donald Trump insists the same, as did a few other candidates.
WikiLeaks proved that both men, who were the most ardent in their accusations, are correct. The system IS rigged, or at least to a certain extent. I think it quite ironic, that yet another email system, was broken into, and not just recently, but at least for the past year or so. That, on top of the “loss” of so many of Mrs. Clinton’s emails, it appears that the hacker(s) may have been perpetrated, not by Americans, but by another country -a communistic country at that.
Honestly, at first, after the WikiLeaks, I felt bad for Mr. Sanders and his supporters. Though I did not support all that he stood for, I could see why he won over so many of our American’s. He had passion. The same type of passion that Mr. Trump displays. Though some may disagree, to me, their styles were quite similar …their words, not so much. Either way, in today’s world, it seems if someone has passion then that means they must be “angry”. Both Mr. Sanders and Mr. Trump were/are both considered “angry” people. Why, because they display passion? Stop the labels!
It is very sad and unfortunate that the self-proclaimed “outsider”, Mr. Sanders, was shoved out the system as he was. Who helped push him out? The same DNC committee that is supposed to be unbiased to all Democratic Presidential hopefuls. Case in point, a corrupt system. It is not just the chairwoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz who was at fault, I guess there were emails from several others within the committee as well. Emails about religion, race, etc. I find it all a huge disgrace to all Americans, not just Mr. Sanders and his supporters, though they were directly targeted.
What somewhat confuses me, is that I found myself surprised that Mr. Sanders left the Presidential race so quickly and easily as he did. He knew the system was corrupt. He had proof. The world had proof, but he did not continue to fight against the corrupt system. Instead, he caved and left the presidential race. I have to wonder just what “someone” held over his head that he did not want exposed?
What I don’t understand either, is that after learning that he was indeed pushed (helped) out the door by corruptness, he turned his support to Mrs. Clinton, an obvious favorite in the DNC Committee. He supported Mrs. Clinton despite knowing that she hired Senator Debbie Wasserman Schultz as an honorary chairman of her 50-State program. She is the same Senator Schultz that was fired from the DNC Committee for corruptness against Mr. Sanders himself! Not to mention the 250 Sanders Delegates that walked away from the convention that evening. For some reason, he is a more gracious, more forgiving, more accepting, and a ‘bigger man’ than I would be. It would be interesting to learn just why he stepped down so easily. I thought he was against all the corruption? I thought he was passionate in his beliefs?
When, in a public arena, with media attending, Mr. Sanders asked his supporters to turn their support to Mrs. Clinton. As expected, his supporters outraged. They had every right to be angry. For months, Bernie reminded about the corruptness, now, he asked them to support it …to be a part of it? I’d be outraged if I were asked to be a part of a corrupt system, too!
If Mr. Bernie Sanders chose not to stand up against a corrupt system, how can he stand up for his supporters? I can understand, somewhat, Bernie’s stance, ‘for a better cause’, for a “unified party”, blah, blah, blah, but to condone the corruptness he so adamantly scorned? Maybe, I just don’t get it.
Then, if that was not shocking enough, a few days later, Mr. Sanders reclaimed his Independence title again? So, he actually left the Democratic Party after literally handing over all his votes to Mrs. Clinton? To me, that is a wicked sell-out of all his supporters. They had a very good reason to be upset. What a slap in the face! I say that and I wasn’t even one of his handed-off supporters.
I have questions …a lot of them. What actually took place “behind the scenes” is anyone’s guess, but eventually, the truth will come emerge. I heard some of his supporters speculate that maybe Bernie was diagnosed with an illness. Maybe he was threatened. Maybe he was paid off. Maybe, like Mr. Trump states, he was tired. The maybes could go on forever, and it is not fair for any of us to suggest any one of them as fact. Maybe, we will never know. I guess it doesn’t matter much now anyways. Bernie left the race, left his supporters, and then, left the Democratic Party. In the end, Mr. Sanders chose what he considers, the better of two evils, Clinton over Trump. That seemed to be his bottom line.
The word “defeat” is not one that is readily available in my vocabulary. So, a supporter of Mr. Sanders or not, I am greatly disappointed.
Like so many of you, I stand for what is right, moral and just. So many brave men and women died, and will continue to die for the sake of our freedom and constitutional rights. That (our) freedom does not always come in a pretty bag or from coddling words. Nor does it stem from lies so easily sewn by some, or by their cover ups. That freedom comes from not only the delivery of the cold, harsh facts but from trusted words of courage and encouragement to seek change, to have the yearning that all are held accountable for upholding the laws of our great Constitution. Not to mention moral guidelines. The fact that no one person, or persons, no matter whom they are, is exempt from the laws is supposed to govern each and every one of us the same. No Mattah, No Mattah!
Democracy means equality and fairness. It means we all have a voice and we should all use that voice to help this country more forward to better days. It is, however, not a permission to use corruption to scheme ahead in the world. Unfortunately, that kind of stuff is what democracy represents to so many people. The mentality of too many is, “If I can get away with it, I will, and if I can’t, then I will lie”. Democracy is a great thing when morals are considered! I have a voice. You have a voice. We all have a voice. We all have a right to use those voices and make choices, yes, but not for selfish reasons, but for the good of all. Not to slander each other or to see who can be the most degrading and get the loudest applause for those words! That is how I think anyways.
With all that said, if I were a Mr. Sanders fan when he gave his votes away to Mrs. Clinton, I would have been upset that he dictated my vote for me. That was wrong. Instead, in his speech, he should have encouraged his supporters to vote with their hearts and mind, but he didn’t. I mean, he already gave his votes away, therefore dictating their choice for them. I didn’t like that, but maybe you see it differently than I do.
I understand Mr. Trump’s passion. I understood Mr. Sander’s passion, too. So many American’s are mistaking PASSION as anger and that frustrates me. Is that a fair assumption to make? No. It isn’t. Passion to me is determination and a heartfelt want to do better, to be better, to exceed expectations of yourself and of others. For, if this country, our Flag, as well as our citizens and non-citizens, are not worth the fight, or the passion, then what is? Who is? It is not an I nation, but a We nation.
Mr. Sanders turned to the idea of a ‘greater cause’ -to have another Democrat in the White House. What happened to your fight against corruption? You fought hard to expose it, to rid it, now you support it? Huh? For the sake of “unification” of the Democratic party? Staunch is staunch, but that is just it. Bernie is NOT staunch enough to keep that Democrat party label after turning over his own supporters! Especially not if he so quickly adopted the Independence label again. So, why dictate your votes to the Democratic party? Do you despise, or fear, Trump that much? Is it because he, too, is an “outsider”, just not as much of an outsider as you say you were? Or is it because he does not have the political experience you do? Sometimes, lack of experience is a HUGE advantage, not a disadvantage. Lack of experience does NOT mean lack of effort or knowledge. Don’t so quickly dismiss that underdog until he, or she, dismisses themselves first.
My hope is that all the Mr. Sanders supporters actually realize WHY he so quickly adopted the Independence party again while still supporting the Democrats and the same ol’ system. By doing that, what is he REALLY saying? Is it, his own way of saying, “Don’t vote Democrat or Republican”? I don’t know the man, but that is what I take out of his quickness to claim Independent party. Again, I’m not a politician or political analyzer, but, I do have my own opinions and ponderings just as you do, but I bet a lot of self-proclaimed experts will jump all over this writing and tell me just how ignorant I am. Case in Point once again.
Back to the DNC Committee scandal for a moment. One woman at the DNC rally actually kept her hands, as if tied, behind her back and put a piece of tape over her mouth that read, "Silenced". She was upset that the Bernie Delegates went through the DNC attendees and told them to tone down the “Boo’s” when Mrs. Clinton’s name was mentioned. They were also told not to spew "Lock her up”. I understand the show of integrity, but where was that integrity when Bernie supporters had all those riots that went awry? Where was his dignity then, when he should have put a stop to it all, or at least tried? Aside from that, Mr. Sanders supporters were not only silenced, but they were cheated by the DNC committee. If that was not bad enough, their leader asked them to vote for corruption that helped push him out of the race, too?
Are you saying, Mr. Sanders, that you do not want your supporters heard unless they agreed to support Mrs. Clinton? To not have a voice of their own? To not fight for you? Do as I say and do as I do? I am not a pawn of any political party, and if I were a Bernie supporter, I’d be quite upset. I believe that the act of silencing the supporters, for integrity purposes or not, lost him a great deal of respect in other ways, too. It is all a political game, and I’m afraid that Mr. Sanders is just another example of that. I guess, in a way, I can appreciate that, but in so many ways, I don’t. It just goes to show the corruptness all around. Yes, I am constantly shaking my head over this entire presidential campaign. I just don’t understand the moral aspects of their doings thus far. Maybe, I never will.
Don’t worry, I will voice my unhappiness about Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton, too, but neither will be today.
