The official numbers say 17,350 people stood in line throughout Seattle Center to see Bernie Sanders, the Independent Senator from Vermont, now running against Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries for the mysteriously coveted position of President of The United States. While only 10,350 people made it indoors, an estimated 7,000 people watched from the overflow area outside.
Bernie Sanders made a brief appearance outside to speak with the crowd before addressing the crowd inside for almost an hour. His speech touched on issues of racial, social, environmental and economic justice and a need for compassion and understanding, stating “love trumps hatred”. He talked about the need to end Citizens United by saying “We now have a campaign finance system which is corrupt, which is undermining American democracy”.
The crowd was packed with people across the spectrum of age, ability, race, class, gender, ethnicity, and religion, yet not a single fight broke out. It seemed that despite the rain, the long lines, the security procedures, and the diversity, people got along. Even when a lone person of color in the crowd raised the Palestinian flag, which one could only guess was in protest of Sanders support of current Israeli/American relations, the crowd reacted calmly or not at all. There were no racial epithets or punches thrown, it was a rally of cheers and smiles, the occasional “boo” where appropriate, and a rush of energy and excitement.
Sanders ended the event with a rallying cry to Washington voters, “The big money interest, quite truly, do not want people to participate in the political process. They understand that if you working people don’t vote, and the young people don’t vote, the big money interest will always win. Well, next Saturday, let’s give them a miserable day.” (which led to massive cheering) “Let us have a record breaking turnout here in Washington and if we do, we’re going to win in Washington and help make the political revolution. Thank you very much.”
You can watch the entire event as recorded by PhotonFactory on Livestream here…livestream.com
http://livestream.com/WomenOfColorSpeakOut/events/5029850
The Dignity Virus 