Bernie Sanders wants to discuss his new racial justice platform with Black Lives Matter activists


Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Black Lives Matter activists haven't been the best of friends on the campaign trail so far. They've protested his speeches twice, and in turn, he's expressed disappointment in them. But there have been signs Sanders is hearing their concerns. He recently added a racial justice platform to his website that covers police brutality, economic inequality, and drug sentences that disproportionately affect black people.
DeRay Mckesson, a leading Black Lives Matter activist, reached out to Sanders on Monday suggesting they chat about his ideas. Sanders tweeted back saying he's game.
Mckesson didn't end the exchange until he gently teased Sanders for his lack of Twitter fluency. For a guy ruthlessly mocked by black activists on Twitter, Sanders could do worse than fielding some friendly banter.
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Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.
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