Last night, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, one of the remaining candidates for the Democratic presidential nominee, held a rally in Phoenix, Arizona. During the rally, one man unfurled a Nazi flag in the background and began shouting anti-Jewish slurs. The symbolism of waving a Nazi flag at the rally of a potential presidential candidate is one thing, but knowing that Sanders is also a Jewish American takes it to the next level.
A man brought a literal Nazi flag to the rally of a Jewish Socialist candidate for President
He was escorted out by security forcespic.twitter.com/KOLhyJJFxZ
— Siddak Ahuja (@SiddakAhuja) March 6, 2020
Several members of Sanders' family on his father's side were killed during the Holocaust. Sanders is also the only Jewish candidate in the field and his two presidential campaigns are the most successful runs headed by a Jewish American ever.
Someone brought a Nazi flag to the rally of a Jewish candidate whose family was killed in the Holocaust and all the corporate media wants to talk about is how anonymous online commenters who might or might not even support that Jewish candidate have made some rude comments.
— Ben Spielberg (@BenSpielberg) March 6, 2020
WARNING: awful, derogatory language. ⚠️ Man just Kicked out of #BernieSanders rally. The guy in white shirt got into it with Bernie supporter, calls him N-word. Unclear what led to this. @SenSanders #Arizona #BernieForPresident #BernieRally pic.twitter.com/xr8Fe5Lqzd
— Nicole Grigg (@NicoleSGrigg) March 6, 2020
Yet even as anti-Semitism and racism are in full swing within this election cycle, that fact does not get as much publicity as the actions of " Bernie Bros," die-hard Sanders supporters who engage in acts like online bullying in the name of the candidate they support.
this is the reaction of twitter user "bernie sanders rape fantasy" to footage of *an actual Nazi flag* that someone brought to bernie's really tonight. does anyone in the media want to do a story on this maybe pic.twitter.com/46V1G0RB45
— Rob (@robrousseau) March 6, 2020
Sanders has been criticized for the actions of his more radical supporters many times. Mike Bloomberg and Elizabeth Warren have called out the actions of his supporters asking Sanders to condemn their actions — sometimes making it sound as though Sanders is the one condoning those actions in the first place. Or, that if he doesn't condemn them, he is in turn condoning them.
What is clear is that supporters of any candidate work outside of the authority of that candidate. As we can see with a man hanging a Nazi flag at the rally of a Jewish candidate who has family who were killed in the holocaust. Whoever that man supports (if anybody) is not responsible for one supporter's actions.
There is a fine line between blaming someone for the actions of others and condoning those actions. And this line seems to be even finer when it comes to Bernie Sanders.