Another week in the campaign season and, for Bernie Sanders' supporters, a particularly sad one at that. This past week, the presidential hopeful officially endorsed Hillary Clinton following a long, hard fought campaign.
I think I must be clear up front, at one time I was indeed a Hillary Clinton supporter, but no longer. I simply do not have the faith in her that I once had. Despite Sanders' support of Clinton, many thousands of his former supporters are outraged at his action following his campaign, and following his questioning of her character and her platform. However, for those who do are outraged and disowning Sanders for this endorsement, I must say to you, you were clearly not true Bernie Sanders supporters from the beginning.
First and foremost, Sanders has said from the beginning that his campaign was not at all only about him becoming president. On the contrary, Sanders voiced that he intended his campaign to spark a movement across America to revitalize the nation, to encourage young people, old people, people of all races, skin colors, religious identities, etc., to become involved and caring of the fate of their country again. He said multiple times that it is a campaign more concerned with getting the big money interests out of Washington, and also ensuring that Donald Trump does not continue to divide the nation and take the White House. Bottom line, he was not a man solely concerned with getting to be the president, but rather, with sparking a political revolution.
So let me ask this to all the disgruntled former Bernie "supporters" out there: How exactly did Bernie upset you? Did he switch sides and support Trump? Did he suddenly denounce the working class and instead support big money interests in Washington? Did he tell you that your vote is worthless, and that you have no place participating in the democratic process? I think not. He carried out almost, if not every promise that he made to the American people regarding his campaign: He is taking a step towards keeping Trump out of the White House, he revitalized millions of people to take part in the political process, and he denounced policies in Washington that were backed by big money interests.
Therefore, I must ask: who is truly wrong here, Bernie Sanders, or you, the "supporters" who are now denouncing Bernie? Bernie set out to spark a movement, and he did exactly that, but by you denouncing him for his actions, you are damaging the movement, and I contend that you are not at all true supporters. Many of his supporters still support his message and remain inspired by his actions. We who still believe in what he has done still support him, and will still continue spread his message and fight as a part of the political revolution. I must admit that I will not be supporting Hillary Clinton in the coming election. However, I still believe in what Sanders has done. In the words of Ted Kennedy, "For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."
Vive la Revolution!
