“The story of generations of people who have felt the lash of bondage, the shame of servitude, the sting of segregation but who kept on striving and doing what needed to be done so that today I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves and I watch my daughters, two attractive, intelligent black young women, playing with their dogs on the White House lawn”. “The nomination was stolen”.
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Not even Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders could quiet the shouts of his die-hard supporters – but Michelle did.
Democrats gathered in Philadelphia for the party’s national convention were set to formally nominate Hillary Clinton for president Tuesday, making her the first woman to be a major party’s presidential nominee in American history.
The unhappiest among his followers filed out, occupied a media tent and staged a sit-in, some with tape on their mouths to signify their silencing by the party. A few spontaneously sang “this land is our land”, and a banner read “we the people”. They said they were holding a peaceful protest to complain about being shut out by the Democratic Party.
“This was not a convention. We are going forward”, Lewis said. “We were treated like lepers”. Bernie Sanders’ name was also added. By early evening, a large crowd had formed outside the subway station closest to the arena. College student Cory James expects the Democratic Party to split over the nomination.
“Now we know we weren’t making it up and all the people in charge were promoted”, Michele Horne, a former teacher in SC, said, referring to the recent DNC email leaks that showed an inside effort favoring Clinton.
Sanders delegates have warned for weeks that they are wary of supporting Clinton despite calls from their candidate to back the party’s nominee.
“He persuaded no one to vote for Hillary”, said Greg Gregg, a retired 69-year-old nurse from Salem, Oregon. Sanders “won me over by his actions, not is words”. Protesters pushed between the Wells Fargo Center and the press tent, blocking the path for reporters heading to the convention speeches.
But things have changed, and although the Democratic party has done its best to portray unity and demographic vitality during its convention – in contrast to the relative monochrome of the Republicans last week – the conventions will soon end and the tough slogging begin on the road to the White House.
Black Men for Bernie founder Bruce Carter said Monday’s speeches from Sanders and MA U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren in telling the convention that the battles are over, urging all Democrats to unite behind Clinton.
“They really agitate people more every time they stand up and do the Hillary Clinton hoo-rah hoo-rah”, he said.
Supporters of Mrs Clinton say her Washington credentials show she has the experience needed for the White House during troubled times as the United States tries to speed up its economic recovery and faces security challenges overseas.
As Scully spoke, a passer-by called out: “That’s a vote for Trump!” They all planned to make their way down Broad Street to the convention site 4 miles from City Hall. Protest leader Erica Mines told the crowd it was an “anti-police rally” and a “black and brown resistance march” and instructed all white people to move to the back.
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The crowd chanted, “Don’t vote for Hillary!” And, touching on the shootings of black men by police and by the killings of police officers, he envisioned a future “where nobody’s afraid to walk outside”. Numerous marchers chanted, “Hey, hey, ho, ho, the DNC has got to go!” and carried signs reading “Never Hillary”, “Just Go to Jail Hillary” and “You Lost Me at Hillary”.
