In recent weeks, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders’, I-Vt., relationship with black voters has been subject to tremendous scrutiny. Thus far, two of Sanders’ appearances on the campaign trail have been hijacked by activists who self-identify as part of Black Lives Matter, a movement dedicated to raising awareness and effecting substantial change to institutional racism and the subpar treatment of black citizens in the U.S.
Since these instances, news outlets and blogs have published a number of think pieces seeking to understand, rationalize and explain why Sanders, the most left-leaning presidential candidate, has been the primary target of Black Lives Matter activists. On Aug. 10, Hamilton Nolan, a Gawker staff writer, published "Don’t Piss on Your Best Friend," where he argued that of all the candidates running in the 2016 presidential race, Sanders "is the candidate most aligned with the group’s values," and that the efforts of activists would be better spent at the rallies of candidates less invested in their cause.
Two days later, fellow Gawker contributor Greg Howard penned a response, "Bernie Sanders Can’t Save Black People." Howard countered Nolan’s argument, positing that despite Sanders’ good intentions, he was the latest in "a long history of well-intentioned liberals failing to adequately … address the nature and causes of racial inequality."
The conflicting viewpoints of Nolan and Howard are more relevant than ever, given Sanders’ attempts to woo black voters during his recent visit to South Carolina. The senseless, horrific shooting in a historically black Charleston church this past summer served as a stark reminder that modern racism does not begin and end with racially motivated police brutality.
The truth of the matter lies somewhere between Nolan’s high praise and Howard’s critical appraisal. If voters are to judge Sanders’ racial platform based on his own personal history and voting record, he is far and away the most qualified candidate: Sanders spoke out against segregation and police brutality as a student at the University of Chicago during the Civil Rights Movement. Additionally, Sanders is the only presidential candidate who participated in the historic March on Washington, where the late Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his celebrated "I Have a Dream" speech. As a senator, Sanders has repeatedly decried the war on drugs and for-profit prisons, as both institutions have proven time and again to be sources of oppression for Black Americans.
However, he lacks immersion. Vermont, the state Sanders represents, is not plagued by the same racial conflicts that pervade states like Missouri and South Carolina. Although there is no doubt Sanders has nothing but noble intentions, he lacks the insight that comes with directly representing beleaguered black communities.
To secure the Democratic nomination, Sen. Sanders is going to have to prove to black voters that he has their best interests at heart. Is he the perfect candidate? Far from it. But if not the man who marched with Dr. King, then who?
