Am I crazy? Or is this a bad plan?

[bravenak]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=728658

Black Lives Matter Activist, Dr. Cornell West, Endorses Bernie Sanders in this Youtube video. Take this Youtube video and post it on every Black Lives Matter FB, Twitter, etc. page, and include this title "Black Lives Matter Activist Dr. Cornel West, Endorses Bernie Sanders"
Also post this on all African American political pages, Black Democrat pages, etc. Use your imagination. Your computer is a universe of power, use it to the max, spending 1, 2, 3, 4 hours per day sending videos out as above. Corporate media will NOT get Bernie Elected, YOU will. BECOME THE MEDIA.
African Americans will respond to Bernie's message, of free university education, expanding social security, raising minimum wage to $15 per hour as well (see below).
HOW DO I FIND FB PAGES FOR "BLACK LIVES MATTER" OR "BLACK DEMOCRATS" ETC.?
Enter in the Facebook search box "Black Lives Matter New York" and you'll see a drop down list of FB pages related to this. Contact each of them to post the above title and video. Then type "Black Lives Matter California" and you'll find another list. What I do is open a U.S. State Maps image by searching google for one, and I methodically go state by state until I've contacted Black Lives Matter, etc. groups in all 50 states.

This is the worst plan I have ever seen. Is this why so many african americans are complaining of being harassed? I would not do this thing.

[emulatorloo]

1. You aren't crazy. It is a terrible plan

To put it mildly it is extermely tone deaf and would be a massive strategic blunder. It just comes off as more harrasment of BLM.

[bravenak]

3. I hope somebody talks them out of it. I took my turn last time.

[emulatorloo]

11. They don't seem to know how to effectively convince un-decided voters to go for Bernie

I see so many strategic non-starters posted here from my fellow Sanders supporters. Things that just IMMEDIATELY alienate undecideds or soft HRC supporters. Whenever I point out that, I either get ignored or yelled at.

I honestly think the poster of that thread is just naive. Probably means well and has no idea how it would come off.

At any rate, to assume BLM and the other sites he mentions are unaware of the Cornell West endorsement and need to be educated about it will backfire no matter what the intentions.

As to talking anybody out of this. Unfortunately many of them have really doubled down so much on subtly and not so subtly insulting the intelligence of AA voters that they can't be talked out of it.

And nobody knows better than you how eager some are to twist words and just make up shit . . .

[bravenak]

12. God. Sigh. I wish people did not immediately react with rigidity.

I can see it as naive. Just wondering where all of the experienced organizers are to kinda direct people away from bad ideas. Yeah, I know how it can be. People just do not listen.

[emulatorloo]

17. I'm not experienced organizer, but I did give it a shot and gave some advice in the thread.

along the lines of my post 15 in this thread.

thanks for the kick in the ass.

[LiberalArkie]

27. It is naive and almost racist in my view. Like all black people even know who Cornell is.

Because you know they are black and they are all the same and they all will vote for Jesse Jackson etc on down the line. I think whites are a more monolithic block than blacks are. The black community are a group of individuals with different ideas and different goals. To say "post this in African American political pages" is wrong headed.

[bravenak]

41. I think so too.

[mcar]

20. Even in that long "tutorial"

It talks about not insulting, badgering or haranguing non-Sanders or the undecided. That is one point I can get behind.

Thank you for your input.

[randys1]

2. If they want to backfire big time, this might be the way to do it.

[bravenak]

4. Damn. It just sounded like... I don't even know what.

[msongs]

5. content vs effective strategy? if one substitutes Obama or Clinton for Sanders in all this would

content be offensive? While overly enthusiastic the content does not seem that offensive. Now is it an effective strategy?
maybe not

[bravenak]

6. I think it would be a bad plan regardless.

It is spamming.

[emulatorloo]

15. I guess for me, I believe the groups being "targeted" are well aware of Cornell West's endorsement

When people "educate" me on stuff I am fully aware of I get a little annoyed.

[JI7]

7. clueless. does nothing to help sanders

[bravenak]

8. It makes me think people are hurting his campaign on purpose

[heaven05]

95. no matter the dem candidate

I'm not ever endorsing anyone, ever again. I will vote primary, I do know who will get my vote, and GE....Democratic Party. I also know who I hope will win.........don't want to get juried.....too many with very thin skin on here.

[bravenak]

96. Such very thin skin.

I have to watch it. They can say whatever they want.

[heaven05]

97. of course,

tis america, after all.

[bravenak]

99. Things never change.

[Chitown Kev]

9. This is horrific

Also post this on some selected African American political pages, Black Democrat pages, etc.

Posting it on "some" pages would be fine. This is spamming and browbeating.

But if nice white progressives want to go there...

[bravenak]

10. I cannot believe this is a part of the plan.

But, I now completely understand why things are the way they are.

[JI7]

13. notice that's what had been going on in this group

The pRoblem is they have no interest in listening to what others say.

They just want to come in and tell black people what is best for them.

[bravenak]

14. Oh god yes.

Same thing. It happens EVERYWHERE.

[emulatorloo]

16. you nailed it.

[BlueCaliDem]

78. Spot on.

And that's sad, at best, and detrimental to Sanders' campaign, at worst.

They - the Sanders campaign - should go after this group posing as Sanders supporters and propagating this ugly strategy and get them to stop. It's reflecting badly on Bernie Sanders, and that's not fair or right.

[JustAnotherGen]

24. I will block them if they spam this page

[lovemydog]

18. My take: it's idiotic.

No you're not crazy. Yes it's a bad plan. It's spamming. More yelling and screaming and trying to dictate.

Notice the caps locks. 'YOU will. BECOME THE MEDIA.' Sounds like a Halloween haunted house tour.

[bravenak]

42. All those caps are scary.

[lovemydog]

65. Scary & imbalanced.

YOU will get everyone to SEE our candidate is BEST because I'm typing my MEMO like it's a RANSOM letter!

[bravenak]

66. I AM a hostage, so, I feel fear. This stockholm syndrome is really messing with my mind.

[lovemydog]

67. LOL!

[mcar]

19. According to some

We think it's a bad idea because we don't understand how social media works. See? It's all simple.

[bravenak]

43. I AM pretty stupid.

[1StrongBlackMan]

21. As I have written before ...

At some point, a campaign should recognize/acknowledge the actions of some of its more "enthusiastic" supporters and accept responsibility for their actions ... if for no other reason, to minimize the damage that they are causing.

Since the Bernie campaign monitors this site, I would just love for the Bernie Campaign to take the following actions (and because I have posted this before, I cannot say that they have not):

1) Establish an account on DU, identifying themselves as officials of the campaign (with contact information for verification purposes). Then, use that account to PM some of the more "enthusiastic" supporters, and telling them to cut it out.

2) And WHEN that fails, use the account to post an OP, identifying the kinds of threads/OPs that are unhelpful/harmful to, and unsupported/unendorsed by, the campaign.

....

Okay ... I was posting that purely for entertainment purposes ... Since that segment of DU has the stones to tell Skinner to f@$% off, for saying essentially the same "tone it down" message, and they KNOW who he is ... and knowing that this is HIS site ... the responses ought to be highly entertaining!

[lovemydog]

25. rofl

More entertainment. I favor that!

There was a NY Times article a few years ago about crazy campaigning. Some Jefferson supporters hired a 'doctor' to go around to town halls with charts and graphs showing Adams 'may be a hermaphrodite.' Some Adams supporters hired a fake French diplomat to 'prove' Jefferson was selling the US to the French.

[bravenak]

44. !

[Number23]

22. Almost, but not quite as bad, as Sanders' decision to campaign with Cornell himself

[1StrongBlackMan]

28. So ...

How did that work out?

[Warpy]

30. It seems to have fizzled pretty quickly

I've seen no evidence of it.

[1StrongBlackMan]

35. I did see a post-West South Carolina polling ...

something like HRC: 70, Bernie: 20% ... Probably, not a lot of return on investment.

[lunamagica]

70. It was much lower for AA voters...4% it defenetly backfired

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251667767

BTW, it's great to see you and Bravenack back!

[1StrongBlackMan]

73. Thank you and Thank you ...

I can only imagine what is going on in Camp Bernie: Command ...

Bernie (and/or his advisors): "I've got to strike a note with the AA crowd ... what to do? ... They'll just love me if they got to know me!"

Bernie's more enthusiastic supporters: "Yeah they will! You don't have a AA Crowd problem ... they just don't know you!"

AA Crowd: "Speak to the issues that resonate with us in venues where we are."

{Insert Vermont/New Hampshire/Suburban Wisconson event here}

Bernie (and/or his advisors): "Nothing? I know ... I'll get the Black guy that is at the center of Black Thought, Cornell West, to introduce me in S.C.."

Bernie's more enthusiastic supporters: "Yeah they will! You don't have a AA Crowd problem ... they are just too stupid to discern their own interest ... good thing we are here to tell them!"

AA Crowd: "West is so 2008 and while stay a star in the white liberal cocktail circuit ... the center of Black Thought? ... not so much. And oh yeah, you could speak to the issues that resonate with us in venues where we are. And tell your more 'enthusiastic' supporters to tone it down."

{Insert event here}

Bernie (and/or his advisors): Nothing? ... I know ... I'll have article run in Essence and Ebony!"

Bernie's more enthusiastic supporters: "You don't have a AA Crowd problem ... they are suffering with Stockholm Syndrome or something!"

AA Crowd: "Or, you could speak to the issues that resonate with us in venues where we are ... And, tell your more 'enthusiastic' supporters to calm the F' down."

Bernie (and/or his advisors): "Nothing? ..."

Bernie's more enthusiastic supporters: "Why is the AA Crowd so mean to us?"

AA Crowd: "Keep doing what you are doing Bernie ... 'We're really feel the burn!'."

[lunamagica]

74. You are welcome...you know, I have no problem picturing all you wrote.

That describes in nutshell, their thought process.

Clueless and arrogant doesn't even begin to describe them...

[bravenak]

75. Sorry but I have to steal this entire post and use it as my own somewhere.

You know how it is, right?

[1StrongBlackMan]

79. My typos make it almost unintelligible. Sorry.

But, I know you can relate ... you were the template.

[bravenak]

80. They will get it perfectly. Hate it. Deny it. But get it they will.

What they did to me is why they get this me.

[bravenak]

47. I know, but spamming his videos? Yay.

I'm sure that makes people sooo excited for Bern.

[JustAnotherGen]

23. This is a fantastic idea

If you support O'Malley or H.R.C.

I say go forth and create tweets!

[lovemydog]

26. Oooh, I'm feeling some parody coming on.

Jimmy Walker says 'Bernie is Dy-no-mite!'

Michele Bachman says 'Hillary is The Best Chick Ever!'

A Martin Luther King hologram says 'I gave O'Malley His First Name So Vote For Him Dammit!'

[JustAnotherGen]

29. I love it!

[1StrongBlackMan]

33. lol ...

A Martin Luther King hologram says 'I gave O'Malley His First Name So Vote For Him Dammit!'

[JustAnotherGen]

39. Photoshop O'Malley's head on this

[leftofcool]

77. "I gave O'Malley his first name"...................LMAO!

[bravenak]

48. YES

O'Malley is Better

[Warpy]

31. Too funny, all they'll do is create the next incarnation of the Rick Roll

Spamming is a really dumb thing to do. I sincerely hope they think better of it.

Lordy, I'm sick of personality cultists, whether they're all wrapped up in one candidate or another or fixated on some no talent manufactured celebrity.

(Welcome back, Bravenak and 1StrongBlackMan, you've been missed. I see the alert trolls are out in full force. Poor things are going to find it's a hell of a lot harder to get a hide these days)

[bravenak]

49. I forgot about rickrolling!!!i hated it!!!

Yes. People being positively religious about candidates is so annoying. They are just people.

Hey!! I'm being so good. No hides!!!

[Warpy]

53. Aw, hell, they've been trying

I know of two alerts already that graced the alerter with some tart comments but few votes to hide.

It's harder to get hanging juries now. A lot of us made a prodigious stink over it.

[greatauntoftriplets]

32. Annoying, too!

To me, it shows naivete with how campaigns are run.

[1StrongBlackMan]

36. Sadly, it represents the naivete demonstrated in other aspects of the campaign ...

e.g., mounting a national campaign, $40 at a time ... resulting in a lack of dollars for ads, so they do the highly successful OWS model.

[Starry Messenger]

34. omfg.

I am proud to say that I have zero union or Bernie-friend FB people on my list liking that page. That is a spamming campaign.

That *is not* a how-to manual on internet organizing. I know this, because I both take and run such workshops on internet organizing.

I know the people who are doing this to unsuspecting and innocent people won't take any of my advice, but the best way to get your organization noticed is to reciprocate and signal boost the posts of potential allies, and show that you really do find their mission important and aligned with yours. Social media should be about reciprocation and building relationships, not taking an e-dump on someone's front lawn.

[1StrongBlackMan]

37. Well ...

I know the people who are doing this to unsuspecting and innocent people won't take any of my advice, but the best way to get your organization noticed is to reciprocate and signal boost the posts of potential allies, and show that you really do find their mission important and aligned with yours. Social media should be about reciprocation and building relationships, not taking an e-dump on someone's front lawn.

Perhaps ... there's the rub?!?

[Starry Messenger]

38. I was trying to be nice!

It's like you can read my mind though, lol. Yeah, there's the rub...

[1StrongBlackMan]

40. Oops ...

Didn't mean to out you ... Hell, yeah I did.

[Starry Messenger]

45. (I'm honestly quite a sweet person in real life.

No one believes it, but it is true!)

Of course, there isn't any substitute for face-to-face organizing. The best way to make deep connections with people is to establish a long-term relationship build on campaigns together, which of course, takes years, and mutual support.

Perhaps some of the donations that didn't go to the airplane could be put toward a time machine.

[1StrongBlackMan]

46. But ...

The best way to make deep connections with people is to establish a long-term relationship build on campaigns together, which of course, takes years, and mutual support.

You, clearly, ignore the lessons from the highly successful, OWS organizing efforts! It proved that social media is all that is necessary!

[bravenak]

50. E-dump. Exactly what it is.

The want something for nothing. Or it reminds me of telemarketing.

[Starry Messenger]

55. I suspect that's the background some of these folks have.

The whole tone of this campaign is quite frantic and spammy. I still see people all CT over having their posts deleted at CNN. I'm sure they just deleted them because of this brigading threads with repetitious posts.

I feel bad for the grassroots Black orgs that are getting Berned this year. It is unfair to overwhelm page admins who usually do the work for free.

[bravenak]

56. It has got to be exhausting dealing with this spam train.

Getting bernd out. I saw this and thought it was a joke at first.

[Starry Messenger]

59. "TAKE THE REIGNS AND RIDE THIS INTO A NEW FUTURE FOR US AND OUR CHILDREN."

Is it bad that I laughed? A) It's "reins" & B) Whoa.

[bravenak]

61. Lolololol!!

I read it out loud in a vigorous way!! Cracking up over here!!!

Are they on a sleigh? A dog sled? Mental images galore!

[Starry Messenger]

62. I was getting a Lord of the Rings vibe. :D

[mcar]

51. Well said

I thought that's what social media was about - at least in corporate and political terms.

[Starry Messenger]

57. If you have time and dedication, it's a good way to do organizing

among people who live far apart, but can still coordinate on issues. People avoid you if your posts seem mechanic and not posted with sensitivity for the issue you are trying to enter into. A bunch of white people blitzing Black people's social media with unsolicited posts seems very...!

[mcar]

58. Questionable at best

I've been in PR for three decades. I may be behind the times re social media but from a pure PR sense, this proposal made me go "uh uh, that's a really bad idea."

[Starry Messenger]

60. But what do we know?

Oh well!

[HassleCat]

52. Not a good plan

Beating people over the head with a message, particularly a message from Dr. West, is not going to win friends.

[bravenak]

54. I think so too

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

63. Depends on what your desired outcome is.

If it's making sure that black voters don't vote for Bernie, it sounds like a great plan.

If, on the other hand, you might like to win over some black voters, it sounds like a crappy idea.

[bravenak]

64. I hope they just decide not to do it. I think you are right.

[Cha]

68. LOL@Spamming Cornel West on every #BlackLivesMatter Social Media site in the Country?!

Might turn them off real quick.

What if they don't like CW? Then What? What if nobody cares he endorses BS? Oooops! Then all you've got is wasted spam or worse.

Thanks, Brave~ Sounds to me like they're trying for a quick fix and it ain't gonna work.

[bravenak]

69. Hahaha! It's too funny!

[murielm99]

71. I criticized their idea and

posted about how Obama's campaign had harnessed the Internet. My post was hidden.

Someone else will have to speak up about this now.

[bravenak]

72. Some cannot handle constructive criticism.

[upaloopa]

76. Sanders supporters have a bad reputation on

social media. They keep reinforcing their negative image.
They are the ones saying a candidate is being forced on them.

[bravenak]

81. Absolutely

[Coolest Ranger]

82. I just had one on social media

refer to me and those of us who were undecided call us wimpy democrats. I mean seriously how can you debate someone so closed minded and who says they will not vote in the general if Hillary is the nominee. They scare the living daylights out of me.

[bravenak]

83. The wimpy ones are the ones who let Republicans win!! Not us!! We are strong, not spoiled brats.

We have endurance and do not take our balls and go home. Remind that person how strong we are.
I fear them as well. I need to represented by a group who respects the black experience as unique. Who respects us. And I vote for Democrats.

There is no debating with them. I would say, laugh at them and explain how you have already won.

[lovemydog]

85. Exactly.

President Obama said I'll have your back, you have mine. We have his back. That's how we attract people to progressive causes. Not by running away, throwing rocks at every chance. That's weak sauce. We're strong because we're in it for the long haul. They really are laughable. Some of them (not all of them! lol).

[Lisa D]

86. +1

[1StrongBlackMan]

84. Interesting ... Seeing as that one's preferred candidate is not a Democrat ...

wimpy or otherwise.

So tell me again, why a Democrat should vote for someone that refuses to become a Democrat; yet, is running in the Democratic primary?

[Tarheel_Dem]

87. If this is what they've been reduced to, I think BS may have some saboteurs in his midst....

Good luck with that.

[bettyellen]

88. I think there are manny here too!

[Tarheel_Dem]

89. +1

[bravenak]

90. These plans are getting worse and worse.

[Tarheel_Dem]

91. Stand by for a "campaign shakeup".

[JustAnotherGen]

92. You think

They are going to photobomb instagram?

[lovemydog]

93. lol

[JustAnotherGen]

94. Hey - sometimes you just gotta

Pivot you know?

[lovemydog]

101. I'm picturing a Time magazine cover:

'Our Nation's First Instagram Candidate.'

[Tarheel_Dem]

98. !!!

[bravenak]

100. Please GOD no!!!

[randys1]

102. Just dawned on me, if Bernie campaign cant handle some disgruntled African American voters

or are you gruntled, never can keep that straight

But any campaign wanting to be elected President, better know how to handle a shit load of a constituency who have reasons to not necessarily want to jump head over heels.

Same can be said for Hillary and her campaign, though I think she is given some level of credibility within the AfAm community by default that she doesnt necessarily deserve, but not up to me to say.


Either way, both are so much better than those brain dead cons...

[bravenak]

103. I'm both.

She gets cred by having relationships.