Bernie Sanders drew his largest crowd yet in Portland, Oregon this weekend. On Sunday a crowd of well over 20,000 supporters came and heard Sanders unveil a broad platform against racial inequality.
Portland cheers @BernieSanders “message to the billionaire class: Yes, we have the courage to take you on.” pic.twitter.com/bXNEDeSAIm
— John Nichols (@NicholsUprising) August 10, 2015
Sanders posted a detailed platform on racial justice Sunday. He also spoke to the gathered supporters in Portland about the issue. It addresses what his campaign calls “the four central types of violence waged against black and brown Americans: physical, political, legal and economic.”
While calling for a federal program to put body cameras on police, demilitarizing police forces, and increased police transparency, Sanders also called for an end to mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent crimes.
“It is an obscenity that we stigmatize so many young Americans with a criminal record for smoking marijuana, but not one major Wall Street executive has been prosecuted for causing the near collapse of our entire economy. This must change,” he said. “We must address the lingering unjust stereotypes that lead to the labeling of black youths as ‘thugs.’ We know the truth that, like every community in this country, the vast majority of people of color are trying to work hard, play by the rules and raise their children. It’s time to stop demonizing minority communities.”
Watch our commentary on Bernie’s compassion on the campaign trail:
