Sanders supporters take a violent stance

The presidential campaign trail makes journalists’ jobs very easy. Every day there are more developments, but with Cruz and Kasich dropping out, Trump is the only republican left as Clinton and Sanders keep trading wins state by state. However, the Sanders campaign could be in trouble after recent events.

Last Saturday, at  the Nevada Democratic Party convention, Sanders supporters threw chairs and leaked phone numbers of super-delegates, which in turn, led to some supporters calling party leaders and intimidating them, and even suggesting they should be killed (nytimes.com). As a Sanders supporter, this is unacceptable. While Sanders did make a statement condemning the supporters who did this, he also attacked the Democratic Party for unfair treatment.

While I do agree with his attacks, and will in no way support Clinton unless I have to, I am very bothered by how little he talked about his “supporters,” that are sending death threats. This is not how democrats or liberals act. This is how Trump supporters act.

Sanders should not take the blame for these supporters but needs to spend at least half of one of his rallies addressing the issue. These supporters are missing the point. Sanders’ “political revolution,” is not, and never was supposed to be violent. Sanders is a man who stood up for the underprivileged his whole life, even participating in The March on Washington led by Martin Luther King Jr. He needs to continue the work of Dr. King by condemning his supporters that are acting this way, just as Ghandi did when his supporters became violent.

We cannot, as liberals, resort to these violent tactics as a means of protest, and if we do—we are no better than the republicans.