That feeling you get when Bernie Sanders visits your hometown…
For once, I’m excited to wake up on a Monday. Today was the day I’d been waiting so anxiously for, telling all my friends and relatives, making sure that they, too, were aware of the opportunity. Sen. Bernie Sanders was coming to my hometown for a town meeting. For roughly 3 hours, I sat in the theater of the McCreary Center in Perry, Iowa. Space was limited, but considering Perry is a town of perhaps 10,000 people at best, I’m sure nobody was too concerned about an overflowing crowd. I like to think it could have happened though… You see, since the event was held from 11–2 on a Monday, a lot of people who would have loved to attend were at work or school. Nevertheless, there was no shortage of students or working class individuals in attendance.
It felt inspiring to be there with my community: among my peers, my family, former teachers and mentors, people from my grandparent’s generation, baby boomers, “Gen-X”ers, and of course, the notorious millennials. So many individuals from various walks of life came together that day in unity. It was validating to see that even in the modest little town of Perry, I was not alone in my support of Bernie Sanders, the candidate that corporate media once pigeonholed as a radical long-shot. I figured a lot of people would be resistant to the changes Bernie proposes. After all, socialism is a word one dare never speaks in the “Kingdom of Corn.” However, I was delighted to be proven wrong. I was not the only one who was getting the message. It appeared that reason and compassion had prevailed in the face of fear and demagoguery.
Bernie Sanders has proven time and again that he is a man of the people. Bernie can unite people like no other candidate can. He is an advocate for youth just as much as he is for the elderly, two incredibly marginalized demographics in terms of economics, and understands the steps necessary to restore America’s workforce. He seems to be the only candidate committed to improving the quality of life for all by addressing the systemic causes of wealth and income inequality.
Unfortunately, little attention is paid to a rational consensus-builder when a divisive clown commandeers the airwaves with nationalist propaganda and mindless banter. Donald Trump is simply the result of neglecting our democracy. However, I can agree with his supporters on one thing: he is getting people to “wake up.” He’s not getting them to wake up to the “evils” he proclaims are plaguing our nation, such as Islam, immigrants, and women. He’s getting people to wake up and see: he’s the kind of candidate you get when you let greed take over. I sincerely believe Donald Trump’s repulsive nature is motivating sensible people who care about our nation’s future to take action and vote…to ensure he never becomes president.
It was refreshing, getting to connect with the Senator on a more personal level than I had prior. I went to see him at a 4th of July parade in Waukee, Iowa, where he and his wife, Jane, lead a march of passionate, and at times even musical, supporters through town. I held a homemade sign I brought that read “People over Profits,” and my friend held one saying “End the Corporate Oligarchy.” The next time I saw Bernie was July 24th, at Valley High School in West Des Moines, where he held a town meeting and drew a very sizable and enthusiastic crowd. I saw the senator speak at the Iowa State Fair as well, taking to the soapbox on Aug. 15, to tell fair-goers about the reform our nation needs, mentioning everything from the criminal justice system to healthcare, to employment and campaign finance reform, all while a certain carnival barker, Donald J. Trump, made rounds overhead in a helicopter. The fourth time I saw Sen. Sanders was at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Des Moines for his New Year’s Eve event. The ballroom was packed very quickly and there was endless crowd-weaving to shake hands and have a word with Bernie. But I can say without a doubt, that when Bernie Sanders came to my hometown, on Jan. 11th, it was by far the most satisfying event I attended, because it was a glimpse of change and inspiration on a local level; validation that good ideas are spreading.
