1/ Only cult members view criticism or questioning of their leader as apostasy or evidence of being an enemy. Rational people view it as critical thinking and vetting and just being normal. Trump devotees obviously misunderstand this but so do others...
2/ I've been critical of every major Dem candidate and find all of them flawed in some important ways. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't vote for them or that I hate them or am an enemy of them/their supporters. Yet ONLY Bernie supporters have attacked me for those criticisms..
3/ ONLY these folks seem hell bent on attacking the least bit of criticism or questioning, especially from others on the left. They seek to impugn our integrity & commitment to progressivism, rather than just acknowledging good people can disagree...
4/ It's as if one can't really be a leftist -- but MUST be a Neo-liberal establishment shill -- if you question dear leader of the revolution. It's ignorant cult-y bullshit. Been on the left since before most of these folks were alive or out of diapers but whatever...
5/ Fact is, the left has lots of iterations and disagreements and we ought to be able to hash those out without impugning motives. I think hardcore Bernie folks are mostly really fine people. I also think this about Biden folks, and Buttigieig folks and all folks...
6/ And to not allow for that makes one an asshole. To think that supporters of other candidates, or just people who aren't quite down with yours yet, have ulterior class motives (just trying to protect their $), or are "bought off" or whatever is silly juvenile nonsense...
7/ And if Bernie gets the nomination, all that vitriol aimed at those who weren't with him in the primary will not endear those voters to voting for him. Even though most still would, even small fall offs in key states could make the difference....
8/ Sadly we live in an age where some folks think any strategic considerations are mere tone policing, and that charges of tone policing are an an actual argument rather than the blather of folks who would rather score points w/the enlightened than build movement...
9/ and in keeping w/the silliness, some will read point 4 above & say "that's ageist!" bc I note I've been on the left longer than Bernie's younger supporters. Right, bc Bernie being on the left for 60 yrs means something but me being on it for 35 doesn't...whatever...
10/ I would be very happy to have Bernie Sanders as President. I would be even happier if the movement that made that possible would be one that recognized nuance, encouraged dissent and saw the importance of real coalition building rather than "Bernie or Vest" threats...
11/ And if you feel Bernie's movement already IS such a movement, so be it. I hope you're right. But Bernie Twitter is often not. And if you attack me for even raising these issues (as some definitely will because they literally cannot resist), it will only demonstrate the point
