Co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement, Patrisse Cullors, addressed the Democratic National Convention’s party platform committee on Monday and told them that their platform is not nearly as radical as it should be. That’s like telling Genghis khan that he isn’t nearly violent enough. I’ve seen the initial party platform and saying it lacks radical content would be a lie. It’s plenty radical.
The thing is the Democrats want to win the election in November much more than they won’t to kiss up to BLM. The Democrats are already worried about the Black vote with every poll showing President Trump has record approval numbers among Blacks because he has delivered on promises Democrats have been making for decades.
Cullors said:
“Without the sea changes our movement recommended for the 2020 Democratic platform, any claims to allyship and solidarity with our work to fight for Black liberation are for naught. “Without making the necessary recommitments and revisions, can any of you here truly stand up and say, ‘My party is the party of principles?”
BLM is pushing the Breathe Act. It not only eliminates police forces, it also does away with the elimination of the Drug Enforcement Agency, life sentences, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, and most federal prison programs.
Cullors later told the outlet that she and others are playing the long game, and believe that they can eventually push Democrats to embrace some of their agenda items, particularly if presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden takes the White House in November.
DNC platform talks have been oddly contentious, particularly for a party that insists its working on bringing warring factions — progressives and moderates — together on an agenda the full contingent of delegates can support. On Monday, nearly 400 delegates affiliated with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said they would resist plans to moderate the party’s platform and could vote against the committee’s document if Sanders’ “Medicare for All” plan is not included in the final product.