Liberty University students react to Bernie Sanders

[peacebird]

Source: Roanoke Times

Liberty University students were quick to underscore differences with Sen. Bernie Sanders on social issues like abortion, but also shared some compliments for the senator following his speech Monday at the school’s convocation.

“I think he did a good job of not offending,” junior Emily Murphy said. “I think he said what he believes in, but he didn’t put us down, so I respected that.”

Keila Overcast, also a junior, said she thought it was appropriate for Sanders to be as up front as he was about his support for abortion rights and gay marriage, but as someone strongly opposed herself, she wished he’d said more to explain why he feels that way.

Michael Leh, a sophomore studying Christian leadership, said he saw himself voting for Sanders if the election came to a matchup between Sanders and businessman and television star Donald Trump.
“Even though I might not agree with him, I respect him the most out of all the candidates right now, the fact that he came here and spoke with us and at the same time was very blunt with us, I really appreciated that,” Leh said.

Read more: http://www.roanoke.com/news/politics/liberty-university-students-react-to-bernie-sanders/article_e9d78640-630e-5c44-b45b-c5297fa81e95.html?mode=jqm

[oberliner]

1. Cool

Always better to reach out and communicate rather than ignore and/or demonize the other side.

[peacebird]

2. I watched it online. It was wonderful.will try to find the link and post it

[mahatmakanejeeves]

9. Bernie Sanders At Liberty University

Highly recommended. Hat tip to students and staff at LU for bringing this about and for being such good participants in the speech.

Bernie Sanders At Liberty University

Via C-SPAN:

ETA: it's a great speech, but I need to post the link only once, not three times.

[DrBulldog]

13. I agree. Always worth a try.

But after looking at all those passive robotic stone-faces in the crowd, I believe we also must recognize that Bernie was talking to a group of 12,000 heavily brain-washed youth. So don't expect any miracles of communication here.

[JDPriestly]

15. The benefits for all concerned will come later in the lives of these young people as they

understand more about how their values and ours are similar in many respects.

[barbtries]

38. we hope.

he planted the seeds.

[magical thyme]

3. "I respect him the most out of all the candidates right now"

I'm seeing that a lot out of conservatives and libertarians. He remains respectful and speaks his mind. It is so refreshing and so appreciated by both sides...

[Enthusiast]

5. Refreshing is the word!

Big old breath of fresh air. And we were choking to death!

[SmittynMo]

4. This is exactly how he'll govern too

It was amazing how he handled differences of opinions, without criticism to anyone.

I can't wait for the debates.

[Xyzse]

6. I must say, I was impressed.

[WillyT]

7. HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!!

[dorkzilla]

12. Maybe he opened some eyes yesterday?

Either way, some of these kids seem to be at least open to the possibility of voting for him. Jesus would vote for Bernie!!!!

[DrBulldog]

14. So I suspect that its now OK for Jesus . . .

. . . to endorse Bernie?

[Arugula Latte]

24. This is all part of the Grand Plan:

- Liberty U. gives Bernie the "okay" stamp
- Jesus returns to Earth to endorse him
- Jesus figures, "What the hey, I'm here anyway -- why not bring on the Rapture?"
- Fundies sucked up into the clouds
- Win-win situation

[Darb]

16. Bernie handed those hypocrites their arses.

The smattering of applause that he received shows vividly that they do NOT subscribe to what they profess, they are only concerned with abortion and gay marriage, which by the way, barely get mention in their good book, and never in their "new" good book.

[threethirteen]

23. Yeah, like they're gonna listen to a Jew...

...wait.

[DinahMoeHum]

26. Heh heh.

[demwing]

17. This is "Speaking Truth to Power"

For the religious, the greatest power that influences their lives is their faith. Bernie spoke to that faith, was not dismissive, nor was he pandering. He was adamantly clear on the points where they disagreed, but did not mock or insult their faith in any way.

DU should pay attention - there are many here that could learn from Bernie's example.

Seeds of truth were planted at LU, and it's not just the students in attendance that were listening.

[peacebird]

18. Exactly!

[RoccoR5955]

19. What I hear from local conservatives here in NY

is the same thing that the sophomore said. They may not agree with Sanders on a lot of things but they have respect for him as he has been fighting for the same things for a long time, is direct, and is probably the most honest politician that there is today. They would also vote for him.
I just know that when Bernie gets the nomination, he shall win the general election in a huge landslide!

[RoccoR5955]

20. Someone should tell these kids

That Jesus was a Jew, and so is Bernie. That being said, their opinions on things can't that far from one another!

[Babel_17]

21. It's the dialog that's important

This dialog is going to resonate in the wider discussions in our country about values. Who are we, as a people, and what do we want for a government, so as to reflect our core values.

[Lychee2]

22. He didn't quote any of Jesus' many sayings about helping the poor.

That would have been too hard-sell. The students know those sayings. Bernie let them draw the conclusion for themselves. He really was seeking "common ground" with them on this issue. The message was that disagreements about abortion or gay marriage can continue, but there are areas of agreement, too. And helping the poor is one of them. His appearance in that setting was an example of the theme of his speech.

Bernie is a very classy politician.

[ozone_man]

28. I know, he could have delivered

a modern sermon of the mount, and Jesus was a progressive. But, that would be too heavy handed.

[NonMetro]

25. I'll Send Bernie Some Tickets To the Creation Museum...

So he can complete the tour. Ought to be exciting. He can ride the dinosaur into Jerusalem, just like Jesus did!

[azmom]

27. Proud of Bernie and the

Students.

[Enrique]

29. "I respect him most out of all the candidates"

keep in mind, that includes Huckabee and Santorum and Ted Cruz. A Liberty University student respects Bernie Sanders more than any of them.

[world wide wally]

30. I do kind of wish he would have explained his reasons as the one student mentioned.

It is not often that you get to speak honestly to open minded people about "political" issues such as abortion or gay rights. Once they knew he was not a murderous monster, maybe he could have actually reasoned with them and made a few conversions.
A teaching moment.

[valerief]

31. I don't know how religious he is. I know he was raised Jewish, but I was

raised Catholic and am a staunch atheist. He may be, too, and it wouldn't be politically savvy to make that admission, which most simply explains why abortion isn't a sin when there's no religion to say it is. The devoutly religious can accept differences in religion but not the lack of religion.

[mahina]

32. I read you. That's what I took away too- I will explain why I'm for choice.

Pregnant women will terminate whether abortion is legal or not. We already know what happens when it isn't .

[world wide wally]

35. Exactly ^

[Lorien]

33. Whoa:

"Sophomore nursing student Joseph Pappas said he thought Sanders brought up important points about income inequality and healthcare.

“It shouldn’t be a situation in which someone goes to the hospital and just then finds out, ‘oh you had stage four terminal cancer,’ when they knew that they may have had an issue earlier but, due to the fact that they didn’t have healthcare, they didn’t want to go to the hospital,” he said.

He also signaled he could be open to voting for Sanders, depending on who he might be matched against.

“This will be my first presidential election,” he said. “I don’t feel like I would vote on party lines. I consider myself a conservative, but if a candidate showed me his plan and I thought it was a good plan I would vote for him, regardless of if he identified as a Democrat as a Republican.”"

Looks like Bernie may have picked up a fair number of supporters at one of the most conservative venues in America!

[Lychee2]

34. Look at this pic of LU students in prayer before Sanders' speech:

What you see in some of these faces is religious ecstasy. This is not a fake. Some of these kids are having a mystical experience. Gathering in a big crowd to seek this experience is the form that mysticism takes in the evangelical tradition. Bernie brought at least some of them down to earth with the social gospel, which they are also supposed to follow.

[Charlie Brown]

36. it is interesting that the LU crowd might prefer Bernie to Trump nt

[Uncle Joe]

37. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, peacebird.