I went to a Bernie Sanders rally and I #FeelTheSunburn
And I also get why many #FeelTheBern
Lincoln Heights, CA. May 23, 2016. It was a usual Los Angeles Monday morning, the kind that this city is known for, clear blue skies, swaying palm trees, a warm breeze and lots of sunshine.
I’ve been following the 2016 election closely, seeing how friends in political circles campaign for the endorsement of their preferred candidate. “Who are you voting for?” is a question I often see in my Facebook inbox.
That’s why I needed to see — and feel — for myself what the phenomena of “el viejito” was all about. Who IS this guy from Vermont? And what’s he doing in Lincoln Heights?
By noon, the park had hundreds of people waiting to hear Senator Bernie Sanders speak.
While the rally and campaign stop was a “Unidos Con Bernie” event, focused on Latino voter engagement, the crowd was incredibly diverse and if I could describe it in one word, it would be joyous. People were excited and motivated to get this man elected, not just for them, but for the next generation. Even when I followed the 2008 election of Barack Obama, I don’t think it felt like this. It’s a different feeling.
It’s almost as if what we hoped Obama to be, is really what Sanders has been all his life.
Without glancing at his notes, the senator seamlessly flowed through an array of topics like child hunger, poverty, the criminal justice system, immigration, income inequality, pay equity, education, student loans, jobs, the enviornemnet, super pacs, campaign finance reform, Citizens United and so much more. It had rhythm, it was passionate, it was deliberate, it was heartfelt, it was institutional knowledge that dripped with years of resiliency and unwavering platforms. It was impressive.
But even more impressive were his supporters. Waves of inspired Americans who believe that America’s promise lies not in its past, but in it’s future.
It left me thinking that perhaps, “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” are in fact, unalienable rights, not just words written on a piece of paper. That there are public servants who are constant in their truths, who have a firm grasp of their moral compass, that have fought and voted for justice when it was unpopular and that at great costs, have always been on the right side of history.
Looking out into the crowds from the press media riser where I listened and tweeted away, I left feeling inspired.
I know our political system is flawed. I know Senator Sanders is not a messiah here to save us from our own destruction. No candidate is. But, I’m liking the disruption his sheer candidacy is causing. I like how the many flaws of the DNC are being pointed out. I like how people are saying more and more that labels like “Republican” and “Democrat” don’t represent them. Change is a good thing.
Look around! Look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now!
Right?!
Also, wasn’t kidding about the sunburn.
