The Presidential primary election in Georgia is just over a half-month away and I still have not decided which candidate will receive my support and vote. On Facebook, the majority of my "friends" are "click-and-share conservatives" (individuals that "share" contrived anti-Obama / anti-liberal headlines without taking a moment to see if the article has any basis in fact) that support either Cruz or Trump, but amongst my fellow liberals; there exists a steep divide between those who are "with [Hillary]" and those who are "feel[ing] the Bern". And to be frank, I have observed the interactions between the two groups of supporters and it is discouraging. The latest example of this degenerative banter amongst the two supporters groups centered around statements from Georgia Congressman and Civil Rights icon, John Lewis. In his statement expressing support for Secretary Hillary Clinton, Congressman Lewis called into question Senator Bernie Sanders's participation in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s:
"I never saw him, I never met him. I was chair of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee for three years--1963 to 1966. I was involved in the sit-ins, the freedom rides, the March on Washington, the march from Selma to Montgomery. I directed the board of education project for six years. I met Hillary. I met President [Bill] Clinton."
Of course, every man is entitled to his own opinion, but given the amount of vitriol directed toward Congressman Lewis from supporters of Senator Sanders; it appears one's loyalties can cloud one's judgment and cause a normally rational individual to react ignorantly. First and foremost, I have an immense respect for Congressman Lewis because of his role in the Civil Rights movement; the man literally had his skull cracked during the Selma march. Congressman Lewis stood side-by-side with Dr. King and other luminaries of the movement and confronted the harassment, the threats, and the violence head on. Congressman Lewis is the sole individual still alive that spoke at the March on Washington. It is one thing to simply disagree with Congressman Lewis about the candidate he has chosen to support, but it is an entirely different matter when an individual attempts to diminish his role in the Civil Rights movement, proclaim that he is a shill for the establishment (Congressman Lewis has been fighting the "man" for longer than many of his detractors have been alive), and insult his intelligence because he supports a candidate that is not your candidate. These individuals should be ashamed of their behavior. Yes, you are entitled to your position and you are free to voice your opposition, but when you hurl juvenile insults and profanities at a great man like Congressman Lewis; you have crossed a line. Now, before I step too much further into the mire, let me simply say that this is merely an example of the sort of nonsense I have observed from both, the Clinton and Sanders, camps and it is disheartening.
It is one thing to engage in such behavior toward members of the Tea Party contingent of the GOP, but to act in such a manner toward members of the same party is harmful. It is my hope that at the end of the nomination process, supporters of the non-nominated candidate would support the DNC's Presidential candidate despite one's initial beliefs.
