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The Democratic Convention Comes Fast Upon Us
(and the Republican Convention Is In Full
Swing)
Last week Sen. Bernie Sanders endorsed Sec. Hillary Clinton as
the Democratic Party candidate for the presidency of the United States
of America. And I am afraid that many of my fellow supporters of
Sanders have seen this as betrayal of our revolution; our revolution
because it was our money, our calls, our canvassing, our rallies, our
use of the internet that brought Sanders so close to the nomination;
our revolution because it has not been about Bernie or about Hillary
but about what most concerns us - justice for all, peace, the very
Earth itself.
I applaud Bernie Sanders for endorsing Hillary, not because I am
happy about her candidacy (a neo-liberal and a "hawk" whose
policies have been difficult to distinguish from a neo-con's) but
because the Democratic Party must come together as a united front
against the terrifying threat of Donald Trump, an outright fascist of
the most virulent kind hardly important in himself but more for what
he represents and calls forth in the U.S. psyche: a corrosive and
divisive racism that has infected the culture and the nation since its
beginning.
I understand those friends and acquaintances who say that they
would vote for Jill Stein of the Green Party, or write-in Bernie
Sanders, or not vote at all so objectionable to them is Clinton (a
neo-liberal the press is fond of calling "centrist," the
Democratic Party having drifted, been pushed, dragged so far to the
right that center is now damn smack in the middle of right field.)
They say that in consciousness they cannot bring themselves to vote
for Hillary.
But in conscience we must vote for and elect Hillary Clinton as
president, not to do so would be the height of irresponsibility and
foolishness. Let us be very clear, democracy has been a national myth
from the very inception of this U.S. of A. Slavery (and its attendant
racism) is inseparable from Capitalism. Our choices have ever been
between the lesser of evils as long as uncontrolled Capitalism rules. And so it is
now - absolute, brutish, neo-con fascism under the Trump or a less
rigid neo-liberal fascism under Clinton. A third party under the
present circumstances is a dream devoutly to be wished. Of course all
lives matter just as all men/women are created equal - but, let us
face it, some lives in actual practice matter more than others, some
men/women are created less equal than others.
Justice under the system, as Cornel West maintains is a mockery.
Where he and I part company is in his avoidance of a distasteful
choice between neo-con Trump and neo-liberal Clinton in saying that he
would vote for admirable but unviable Dr. Jill Stein. I see it as an
avoidance of a very hard but clear choice, an extremely dangerous
course to take and espouse at this point in the elections. Conscience
without prudence can be indulgent, and indulgence at this moment of
crisis would be disastrous.
Rafael Jesús González & Cornel West
Bernie Sanders rally, San Francisco 6/6/16
That said, let us recognize and be glad that our efforts in
supporting Bernie Sanders have given us the leverage to begin the
necessary reform of the Democratic Party, to bring Hillary Clinton
closer to our positions, to make the Democratic Party platform conform
more closely to our democratic ideals and concerns. Supporting Clinton
does not put an end to our revolution; electing Clinton is now our
best option for carrying it forward, certainly not the ideal option,
but the best one we have given how things are.
Let us recognize the past, let us learn from it, but do not let
us be burdened and incapacitated by it. Revolution means a belief that
things, and people, can change. Hillary Clinton is no different; she
has shown that her positions can change and modify at least in what
she says. Let us hold her to it. She too can be part of our
revolution. Ours is a revolution of consciousness, of hearts and
minds. So let us embrace and unify as a party - and change it to
become truly democratic.
The Democratic Convention is fast upon us. It must be a family affair to which we bring our revolution. Certainly there will be contention; every family has its differences. It will not exactly be a love-fest of the ideal family of popular culture, but it must not be the dark circus of the dysfunctional family. Let us test and push, but most definitely let us fully support Hillary Clinton as the best path toward our goals and bring to bear all the organizing, the commitment, the unity, the vision that carried Bernie Sanders to the very threshold of a nomination to elect Hillary Clinton - and the most progressive representatives and senators. Let our campaign be not so much for her as for what we would like our government to be. After all, our revolution is not about Bernie or about Hillary or even about the Trump; it is about realizing a democracy in which justice and compassion prevail, a society that respects and cares for the Earth and the life she bears. Our revolution must be waged in love and in joy. Let us celebrate the presidency of a woman, and work hard that her presidency be a good and honorable one. For truly, love trumps hate, and we are stronger together. Let us prove it.
- Rafael Jesús González
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