"Bernie Sanders anti-political correctness rant proves the left is learning the wrong lessons"

[Fast Walker 52]

Last edited Sat Dec 17, 2016, 02:25 PM - Edit history (1)

http://qz.com/865263/bernie-sanders-and-political-correctness-democrats-are-learning-all-the-wrong-lessons-from-donald-trump-election-win/

At a town hall in Wisconsin this week with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, Bernie Sanders made a powerful case for why the American dream has been eroded by a wealthy corporate assault on the middle class. In a forum that included both conservative and independent voters, Sanders deftly and empathetically answered concerns about raising the minimum wage and free college tuition. He reminded me, again, why I voted for him.

Unfortunately, he also reminded me why many others didn’t. Early in the evening, Chris Hayes asked Sanders why he thought Donald Trump had been so successful. Sanders responded with a rather confusing endorsement of Trump’s attack on political correctness. “I think he said he will not be politically correct,” Sanders explained. “I think he said some outrageous and painful things, but I think people are tired of the same old politically correct rhetoric, and they believe that he was speaking from his heart and willing to take on everybody.”

Sanders then, and also bizarrely, defined political correctness as a phrase describing political double-speak. “It means you have a set of talking points which have been poll-tested and focus-group-tested and that’s what you say rather than what’s really going on. And often, what you are not allowed to say are things which offend very powerful people.”

Apparently he also linked political correctness to talking about trade policy.

Political correctness is mainly about not being a bigot in public.

I saw some where else say that as a Marxist, Sanders really doesn't really like to talk about race (he prefers to talk about class), and he doesn't realize how racist so many people are. I don't know how true that is, but it's an interesting thought.

[Zambero]

1. Different definitions for different people

The term was actually coined on the left side if the spectrum to describe a pervasive filtration system through which no one would be offended as a result of public discourse. In recent years, the far right has taken up the term as a point of contention against their right to engage in free speech, which could be also described as hate speech.

[bettyellen]

5. None of the definitions have to do with not offending "powerful people" -in fact that's pretty much

The opposite meaning, being PC means not piling on the disenfranchised among us . And using it to relate to anything trade related is bullshit. He maybe still very hesitant or afraid to address the blatant sexism and racism we all saw all year- but to provide this kind of bullshit cover story about "PC" is unforgivable at this juncture. Self promoting ass.

[Fast Walker 52]

9. yes, I thought he's made a number of weird comments post-election, like this one

[bettyellen]

10. He's made the weirdest gaffes around racial issues .... Mike brown should have been going to college

Was a dumb one. Not knowing months after Ferguson was in the news that people were being jailed for not being able to pay fines, not originally having a plan to bolster lower education so his "free college" wouldn't be a discriminatory program. Using words like "wedge issues" and "set aside" when discussing issues that effect women and POC. I saw Coates talking about this latest gaffe and he said he'd hoped he improved since the primary but it looks like critics are right- he doesn't want to get it.

[Fast Walker 52]

12. yes, I didn't really see his weakness on racial issues before but it seems more obvious now

it does help explain why he did poorly overall with minorities.

[bettyellen]

13. Well it was similar w women's issues - not one word on his site or while stumping and when I brought

It up here (and it was the day he put up his site) I was accused of being a shill spewing talking points by people here. And I have been here forever and always been outspoken about women's rights, so I didn't take that too well. POC here were alert stalked till they were silenced and accused of worse. People who love Sanders have to admit that they had many among them that sucked at being part of a coalition and they need to get it out of their system sooner rather than later. Or they will not be paid any mind to. No more holding us hostage.

[R B Garr]

14. +1, strange gaffes, indeed, like when he said his campaign was moving up North

where the smart people were. That comment came after he took a beating in the South. wtf. It's unmistakable what he was saying, especially since he spelled it out right there. Right again, bettyellen, he doesn't want to get it. His message is very divisive.

[uponit7771]

17. +1

[think]

2. Deleted. Thank you for clarifying.

Last edited Sat Dec 17, 2016, 03:44 PM - Edit history (1)

[lastone]

4. To rationalize their dislike for Sanders

Imo

[Fast Walker 52]

8. I actually like Sanders and voted for him

Sorry, I should've made it clear but I heard a commentator saying that line, it wasn't mine.

[QC]

6. deleted in response to new info ;-)

Last edited Sat Dec 17, 2016, 03:26 PM - Edit history (1)

[Tarheel_Dem]

3. "Unfortunately, he also reminded me why many others didnt."

[R B Garr]

7. Quote for those feigning confusion and phony outrage about merely observing Sanders,

a quote from the article:

"Trump’s rejection of political correctness seems to resonate with voters who Sanders sees as particularly important. So Sanders is trying to adopt and rework the rhetoric on political correctness into something he can use—to turn it into an all-purpose attack on elites."

You don't have to call Democrats "conservatives" and other holier-than-thou divisive names because they are merely observing and/or questioning Sanders' own strategies.

[bettyellen]

11. He's contributing to the "words mean nothing" bullshit and I don't like it.

[bravenak]

15. I agree with this completely

He redefined the phrase and attacked it which is exactly what we, those of us with an 'identity' that doesn't fall into the norms of white malesness, are completely tired of fromREPUBLICANS. Fo himto join them shows exactly why he is not getting much support from us on his rants.

I wish he would go and sit hisself down somewhere.

[Hekate]

16. Your last sentence is why he turned me off. Oddly, when I told my husband it was his single focus...

...on economics and his way of brushing off every other concern (racism and sexism to name but two) as solvable via economic justice alone -- my husband said, "Oh, I've known many Marxists. That's how they see the world." I didn't have the background to recognize classical Marxism at a glance, but he did. Mind you, he was a Bernie supporter from the start. He recognizes the same thing I do, i.e. that not everything in the world can be managed as an economic problem, but he still likes Bernie.

So take that for what it is worth. It was hard to talk about here during the primaries without being attacked for being a Commie-hunter or something. But as a woman I can tell you, there is a crapload of sexism in this society, and fixing the economy is not going to make that go away. Same for racism.

[Fast Walker 52]

18. Thanks. I'm not sure what would fix our cultural fixation on race and sex but I don't think it will

come simply from economic means.

I do think we are making some progress... obviously not enough, but some.

[JCanete]

19. He realizes that racism is the confluence of many things and that he can start to erode those

foundations.

Political correctness has a whole range of connotations, from the sensible that you should be mindful of things which might hurt and cause damage to others, to the problematic, that suggests you should be drummed out of town for what you said. Bill Maher getting kicked off of network for making a point about whether or not Terrorists were "cowards" versus our own methods of fighting a war, was an example of political correctness. Where it stifles conversation, political correctness is bad. The Dixie Chicks were being politically incorrect in their repudiation of Bush and the Iraq War.

It is about what is "appropriate" to say and forgets to get to the bottom of how and why people think the way they do, and potentially how to get them to think differently.