BBC Trending: Bernie Sanders supporters get a bad reputation online

[72DejaVu]

Passionate support for presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has propelled him into a close race with fellow Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. But some say that support has turned aggressive and abusive online.
After the 25 January Democratic town hall, Emily Nussbaum, television critic for the New Yorker magazine, tweeted some positive feedback for Hillary Clinton.
"I'm into Hillary, obviously, but I genuinely thought she did really well tonight," Ms Nussbaum wrote.
About a half an hour later, she followed up with this: "Man, the Feel The Bern crew (as opposed to Bern himself) is such a drag. Say anything pro-Hil & they yell 'bitch' & 'psycho.' V idealistic!"
Others - including a number of prominent members of the media - followed with their own reports of seeing Sanders supporters deploying vicious rhetoric towards anyone questioning the Vermont senator or his backers.

[link:http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-35422316|

[Ellen Forradalom]

1. Trolls for Sanders

[Hoyt]

2. Well deserved reputation.

[murielm99]

3. We all know this is true. n/t

[workinclasszero]

20. Yeah this board was taken over early

and many Hillary supporters were pushed out or banned for good.

They have a well deserved reputation.

[Ratty]

42. I like Bernie

But I took advantage of the DU option to block the Bernie group right at the beginning. It's bad enough having to deal with 100% Bernie posts on the homepage. At least I don't have to see the Greatest Threads spammed with Bernie posts (aside from questionable Latest Breaking News and Video & Multimedia threads).

It's a shame. I love when people feel so passionate about a candidate. But they began spamming and abusing DU right from the beginning and the vitriol directed at Hillary is frankly sickening and unbelievable. Still, I try not to let their behavior influence my opinion on their candidate. I still support Hillary because of her experience and pragmatic approach to getting things done in a government she knows all too well, but I'll vote for whoever the democratic candidate is.

I can't WAIT for the primaries to be over.

[Cha]

4. Just an excerpt from your link, DejaVu

I'm into Hillary, obviously, but I genuinely thought she did really well tonight," Ms Nussbaum wrote.

About a half an hour later, she followed up with this: "Man, the Feel The Bern crew (as opposed to Bern himself) is such a drag. Say anything pro-Hil & they yell 'bitch' & 'psycho.' V idealistic!"

Others - including a number of prominent members of the media - followed with their own reports of seeing Sanders supporters deploying vicious rhetoric towards anyone questioning the Vermont senator or his backers.

Author Sady Doyle said her tweets about Sanders supporters resulted in "several hundred angry notifications in a 24-hour span from that cohort," she wrote. "Someone also said *I* should die if I thought some Bernie supporters were kinda sexist."

Their own worst enemy.

[Ellen Forradalom]

12. Bern the Witch. n/t

[riversedge]

5. So many Sanders fans swarm onto any Facebook page that endorse Hillary with

their snark and vile comments. We know that to be true.

[Sancho]

6. At least Bernie is getting media attention after all those complaints that he was ignored!

Be careful what you ask for!!!

Some of us have said for months that Bernie was not on the radar of most media and critics. If anything, the RW has promoted him just to be anti-Hillary.

Once the vetting and opinions start, you see newspapers endorsing Hillary and taking apart his plans and looking carefully at his budget. When his campaign profiles AAs or uses fake union pins, he gets called down - but a few months ago media would have ignored him. Tactics that used to be given a pass now are called out.

One of the Bernie supporters typical behaviors is to swarm social media with attacks at any pro-Hillary meme or anti-Bernie announcement. On DU this has been an issue for months.

Now the BBC has caught on to the tactic - so more and more media outlets will pick up on this childish behavior. Good job BBC.

[comradebillyboy]

47. I am happy to see the news media beginning to

give Bernie's positions the critical scrutiny they deserve. Bernie and his supporters don't seem to like the scrutiny. They want all coverage to be based on the HaHa Goodman model.

[stonecutter357]

7. Bernie Sanders supporters get a bad reputation.....

[72DejaVu]

8. Please bear in mind

Bernie's answer to the question of how he will get his policies enacted into law is that he will set these same people loose on any and all opposition.

[Orrex]

10. Yeah, we've been hearing that all along

And frankly, it's a silly assertion. All of the yelling and screaming won't move an uncooperative congress in the slightest, and it's naive to think otherwise.

If anything, it will energize such a congress, because it will help them to portray Sanders' supporters as frenzied and out of touch, cementing congress' sfanding with its base.

Those antics might affect one or two of the more vulnerable Democratic congressional seats, but it won't do anything against Republicans.

[wilt the stilt]

9. It is one of the most disappointing developments on DU

I have been here a long time and watched Hilary and Barack duke it out in 2007. It was never like the vitriol that I see with Bernie. many of the people are close to off the hinges. It seems almost religious. I am very disappointed in DU these days.

[Orrex]

11. "Religious" is right

Last edited Fri Jan 29, 2016, 11:05 AM - Edit history (1)

From the meme likening Sanders to Christ, to the repeated declarations of "love" for the candidate, to the endless exhortations to of "feel the "Bern," it's not hard to see similarities between Sanders' supporters and some of the more fervent flocks.

[workinclasszero]

21. Cult-like

If you don't bow down to....you will be attacked viciously as an enemy of the people, a tool of the 1% etc.

[NBachers]

13. I like Sanders, but God please save us from the insufferable mob of hooligans if he wins.

[tarheelsunc]

14. It is a WELL-DESERVED reputation. eom

[still_one]

15. something most of us have seen first hand is finally getting out there

[laureloak]

16. BS is the rise of the TeaParty of the Left.

I'm afraid it's the same MO. Incite the public by stirring anger towards government. Will it play out the same way and end up making government worse, not better?

[workinclasszero]

22. TeaParty of the Left

Bingo

[NurseJackie]

24. Unfortunately, I must agree with your description.

(Sigh.)

[hrmjustin]

34. I think a lot of Sanders people here are Rand Paul fans.

You make a great point. Fanatical is another way to describe them.

[handmade34]

17. accurate depiction

so sad that DU has devolved into a negative Bernie fest... I love Bernie Sanders, but am a Hillary supporter (for President) and respect both of them... what I don't respect is the people on social media refusing to even engage in conversation about this primary

[yallerdawg]

18. It's fair to hound Hillary with speculation and innuendo, right?

What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

Welcome to the Major Leagues!

[Gamecock Lefty]

19. It is my hope . . .

That real Bernie supporters are kinder than the ones here on DU. His DU supporters have made me not like Bernie and the fact is I really do like him. I’m a Hillary guy, but I do like Bernie, but I have started with negative comments towards his supporters here on DU because they are so nasty towards my chosen candidate.

Every damn thread is monopolized by such nonsense as: walking into a restaurant with a Bernie shirt on and everybody started clapping, my uncle had no interest in politics until I started talking Bernie, that poll showing Hillary up is not correct because of this or because of that, look at all crowds we have compared to her, they might have endorsed Hillary but did they poll their members? One damn piece of crap after another. And if I hear oligarchy, corporatist, elitist or coronation one more time . . .

I like Bernie supporter’s enthusiasm and am happy we have two candidates that can take down the Republicans in November, but it is my hope his supporters on DU just go away. Maybe after Iowa they will!!!

[laureloak]

25. I've watched mild mannered people turn into ogres when

they boarded the BS train. Running on anger is a hate-builder.

I defended Hillary online and was instantly called a bitch then a F..ing C...

[Thinkingabout]

23. This is something he needs to get a handle before he totally

Loses all respect. I would hope Hillary supporters respect her and not respond to others in the fashion used against those who do not support their candidate. It sure does not enhance his issues or electability.

[NurseJackie]

26. I believe it's too late for that.

I also believe that it weakens him as a candidate. Further, I'm convinced that such vain attempts at "helping" him to win the nomination (namely, by tearing down Hillary, as opposed to lifting their candidate) will ultimately harm the party. Little wonder that so many Republicans are thrilled to assist.

[liberal N proud]

27. This can't be repeated enough on DU

Their viciousness is on full display on this board.

[GusBob]

28. Have seen this first hand. Have read several reports such as this

Its gonna gets worse once he starts losing.

I think some of the attacks by these people upon those that have been thrown under the bus ( a long list) may cause irreparable harm to the Democratic Party and to democracy itself. Bernin' bridges

In other words: its never gonna get better after it gets worse......

[redstatebluegirl]

29. I thought I had made up my mind a few months ago.

Then I started reading all of the nasty stuff here by the Sanders people. I would not be telling the truth if I said it didn't influence me. When I see Bernie, who seems like a really nice man, I see these nasty posts. It cannot be helping him. For me, I am still kind of on the fence, but leaning towards Hillary. I am anticipating some nasty posts here, every time I post on DU there are nasty posts.

I do wonder if some of the Sanders posts are from Republican trolls. I have heard a lot of Republicans say they would rather run against Bernie than Hillary. Personally I think either one can beat what is out there, but not if the losing side doesn't show up.

I think it is sad that people like me do not feel comfortable on a democratic site, but that is the case. I lurk, I read posts, but I don't post much anymore.

[72DejaVu]

31. Their behavior ought to trouble everyone

Bernie says the key to enacting his policies will be to have "the people" demand that Congress pass them.

Who exactly are "the people" that will be doing that? It's the same gang of bullies currently attempting to intimidate anyone who dares to dissent from their leader.

[redstatebluegirl]

35. It is frightening.

This used to be a place I could come for good information and debate. It helped me make decisions even before I joined and started to post. Now it is just awful.

[jmowreader]

39. I see the same thing among the "traveling" crowd

One of the tenets of the sovereign citizen movement is the government can't require a person that isn't driving commercially to hold a driver's license or to register or insure their vehicle. They're absolutely wrong, but it's what they believe. And if you tell them - nay, PROVE to them - they're wrong, they get extremely vicious. I've had four or five of them demand I go to their location and fight them. (I don't do this, for obvious reasons - the same people claim the government has no right whatsoever to regulate guns.)

On Bernie Underground, I made the mistake once of claiming Sanders couldn't win either the primary or the general, and was challenged to a bet - if Bernie were to make the general I'd have to donate $100 to his campaign. I put the guy on Full Ignore.

[hrmjustin]

30. Just look what they do here everyday.

They link to Murdock publications and act like petulant children when we call them out.

Thry trash Hillary every moment but act like martyrs when we criticize them and Sanders.

Dare I use the term fanatical! Yes Fanatical describes some Sanders supporters here and on twitter.

[72DejaVu]

32. Imagine the Berniebros with police powers

[hrmjustin]

33. I know what they would do to me.

[kjones]

37. I've run accross some interesting comments on other sites

Like this lively exchange

Guy who does not #FTB: "Posting on here is just fun and plus I meet new friends who think like me."
Guy blinded by the Bern: "You'll meet plenty of them in the death camps for right-wingers, once we get them running..."

Troll, not a troll? I don't know, but damn...

Source: http://www.salon.com/profile/marxmarv

[hrmjustin]

38. Many Sanders supporters are fanatical and they are getting tiresome.

I hate to lump them all with that term but they think they can win and they are getting nastier.

[jmowreader]

40. OMFG...

Houston, we have a problem: Those comments read EXACTLY like they could have come from sovereign citizens. Is it possible the SCs are hitching their star to Bernie because they think he's going to get rid of the government?

[pandr32]

36. A well deserved bad reputation

[Molusko]

41. Very good article

Accurate observation .

[Tarheel_Dem]

43. Allow me to say it once more...his "supporters" are his biggest liability AFAIC. They unleash a....

torrent of foul names & threats to prominent members of Congress, bloggers of color, and anyone that hasn't yet "felt the bern".

[Ana Hauhet]

44. wow! exactly!

that has been my experience. I like their guy but not them! They don't get how off-putting they are.

Voting for HRC! I took this quiz: http://www.isidewith.com/
and my views matched 99% Bern and 95% HRC.

Voting for HRC in the primaries. Think she will actually get more done than him. Will vote democrat either way in the general.

[Ana Hauhet]

45. turn off

It turns me off people putting HRC down or us, her supporters. Also putting Bill Clinton or Obama down.

[tartan2]

46. Gee could it be right wing trolls

masquerading as Bernie supporters?

[LiberalAndProud]

48. It would seem that perception is colored by bias.

Being a Bernie supporter myself, I find some of the accusations aimed at his supporters rather off-putting. I'm sure that happens in reverse as well. It may simply be that many prominent media members are pro-Hillary. They report on their perceptions, sure. One can argue that their perceptions are clouded.

[William769]

49. No shit!