Linkspam: Berned

[davidgillon]

This one surprised me. Who is stronger on disability, Clinton or Sanders (obviously not Trump): Berned

And it's not just from one person, disability writer David Perry has confirmed similar experiences trying to get the Sanders campaign to engage with disability issues. While Sanders' suggestion that that people with chronic pain should 'treat' it with 'yoga and guided medication' is genuinely rage-making*.

Meanwhile rolling eyes at people horrified by #DisabilityTooWhite hashtag. If they had a clue about the origin of the movement they might realise there's a reason early groups such as UPIAS are commonly referred to as 'white men in wheelchairs'**! Seems like we have to educate people that interesectionality exists every time it's raised in relation to a different minority

* There's a place for relaxation techniques, I've used guided meditation myself, but they're by no means adequate on their own.

** I do see a slight irony that I'm saying this as a white man in a wheelchair!
 

Comments

[syntaxofthings]

So frustrating. I'm of a demographic that's overwhelmingly pro-Bernie, and I'm skeptical due to being skeptical of pretty much all national politicians. But a few months ago he attended a forum for a local neighborhood of mostly Black constituents, and he refused to answer some questions and just got up and left. To me that shows how he's not really interested in listening to all voices, and that's not okay. I'm scared of all the people I know who are SO pro-Bernie...

[untonuggan]

Thank you for sharing this link. I am unapologetically pro-Clinton and have been for Quite Awhile (I voted for her in the 2008 primary). I am not VEHEMENTLY WILL FIGHT YOU pro-Clinton tho. But Sanders just makes me uncomfortable in a way that is hard to pinpoint but is like a spidey-sense of discomfort. Possibly it is because he is a dude who yells a lot. Possibly because Clinton is a woman and thus could not say a lot of the stuff he says about socialism. Possibly because she uses way more numbers, is way more experienced, and yet people believe him more but obviously it has nothing to do with gender rite?

I was super excited when her campaign made a point of targeting sub-minimum wage. I also noted Sanders' rhetoric about her wins in the South, and demographics of Democratic voters therein.

I don't know why I am explaining my voting to you here but yes.

Also omg that yoga comment. AHAHAHAAA yoga as "treatment" that is something I would fight him on.

[untonuggan]

do you mind if I share this on my journal in a follow friday post?

[davidgillon]

Go for it.

[liv]

I am not really surprised. Non-intersectional socialists promote the interests of white, abled, working-class men, just like non-intersectional feminists promote the interests of white, abled, middle-class women. And both those are worthwhile causes, definitely, but activists like that are no better than non-progressives on any other issues, race and disability in both cases, gender for socialists, class for feminists. Look at the Labour party in the last election: they were all about "hard-working families", ie nuclear families headed by a paterfamilias well enough to work full time and support his dependent wife and children, and "not the party of people on benefits". And look at Corbyn now, he's in a similar position to Sanders, old white guy with a long and somewhat marginal / murky political history, who's pretty solid on anti-austerity but doesn't have much to say on any other issues.

[davidgillon]

Good point. We were beating our head against a wall over that aspect of Labour politics from well before the election, though they weren't quite as blatant about kicking us in the teeth over it as the Tories were.

[redbird]

Yes, you're a white man in a wheelchair. That means that there are people who are more likely to listen to you than to disabled women of color; you seem to be trying to use this power for good.

[davidgillon]

Trying, but I do need to be reminded from time to time that I'm not typical - solely typical? - And that I do have substantial privilege still.