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PrintAugust 16, 2015
Sanders says he will work harder than anyone to 'end racism in America'
Glenn Reynolds sums up Bernie Sander's pledge to "end racism in America": "Old man shouts at cloud."
This is the major reason socialism/liberalism fails so miserably. They actually believe they can change human nature. And if Sanders really believes this tripe, he is a truly dangerous man.
Government can mitigate the effects of racism. It can allow people to sue if they think they are being discriminated against in the workplace, in education, or in accomodations.What government can't do is reach into the citizen's mind and heart and alter what they think. And if Sanders thinks he can do that, he will join tyrants going back to Caesar in making the attempt to control what people believe.
"No one will fight harder than I will to end racism in America and to reform our broken criminal justice system," Sanders added of addressing the nation's incarceration rates disproportionally affecting minorities.He has included a variation of that line in speeches in Portland and Los Angeles over the past week that drew massive crowds after having two previous public appearances derailed by Black Lives Matter protesters.Activists involved in the movement have pushed Sanders and others to offer more concrete solutions on race relations.Sanders was one of many presidential candidates appearing in the early-voting state of Iowa this weekend for the State Fair and other events.
The idea that racism is a social construct is belied by study after study that shows otherwise. Very young children will segregate themselves at play, without having been told or taught anything about race. This fear of "the other." is a result of the strong urge toward tribalism - possibly a genetic holdover from a time when ancient humans distrusted all strangers - for obvious reasons.
There are indications that we can manage this xenophobia by making a conscious effort not to give in to feelings of fear and loathing. But no law or executive order by Bernie Sanders is going to make a difference in this regard and if he thinks it can, our liberties will be in grave danger in a Sanders administration.
