“You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world…” – The Beatles
“A revolution is not a dinner party . . . A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another.” – Chairman Mao
Bernie Sanders is planning to launch as many as three new organizations to continue the “political revolution: that began with his presidential campaign. – A Sanders aide
The last actual “revolution” we had in this country was the glorious first, when we freed ourselves from the yoke of British imperialism. In the 240 years since, we’ve had political upheavals, the rise and all of all sorts of –isms, third party “insurrections,” swings to the political left and right, social upheaval, and our very own Civil War.
Much of the change has seemed revolutionary in retrospect, but was actually evolutionary. Which is why Sanders plan to launch organizations to continue his “revolution” is a positive sign. Promising a revolution to cheering throngs of true believers is campaign fodder. After all, who ever went to the barricades in the name of evolutionary change? It isn’t sexy or exciting, but achieving meaningful, lasting change is difficult and requires hard work and yes, organization, or two or three.
It remains to be seen how many Sanders supporters, after they cast their protest votes for the Green Party or, God forbid, Donald Trump, will be ready to undertake the difficult work required to achieve meaningful, lasting change.
“But if you go carrying picture of Mao
You ain’t going to make it with anyone anyhow.” - The Beatles
However, Sanders is still on message, and even as he endorsed Hillary Clinton (it was more of a polite handshake than a full-body hug), threw his supporters red meat:
“Together we have begun a political revolution to transform America and that revolution continues,” he said.
Aux barricades!
In a decidedly unflattering op-ed piece in the N.Y. Times by Kevin Baker, who was described by a close friend of mine and a Sanders supporter as a “tedious shithead” - I am not qualified to speak to that – wrote:
“Sure, Senator Sanders’s embrace of the presumptive Democratic nominee included all the inclinations that many of us have come to find, shall we say, a tad grating about the man: his interminable, self-congratulatory stump speech, wearingly bereft of humor, argument, story or anecdote, more a listing of all bad things in the world and how they must be put right, delivered in his usual droning shout.”
I was not a Bernie fan. I thought he overpromised and wondered where his leadership was nationally, over the years, on the issues he championed during his campaign. Nor was I particularly enamored with Clinton. I just thought she had a better chance of beating Donald Trump.
But here is what jumped out at me in the Baker piece about Sanders: “…wearingly bereft of humor…” There it is then. While Trump indulges in sick humor and Clinton’s humor may seem pained and forced, Sanders is humorless. Cite for me, please, anything Sanders said during his campaign that made you laugh or chuckle. I’ll settle for smile ruefully. I’m willing to listen and ready to be amused.
And Sanders is Brooklyn-born. Brooklyn, of all places, the birthplace of Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Larry David, Jerry Stiller, Ann Mearer, Joan Rivers, Eddie Murphy, Jerry Seinfeld, Jackie Gleason, the two Jims, Kimmel and Fallon, among so many others.
And even me, for heaven sake, although down an order or two of magnitude.
If you don’t come out of Brooklyn with a sense of humor, you are throwing away a birthright. So come on, Bernie, lighten up. Reach deep. I’m sure there is a playful imp in there, somewhere.
