Bernie Sanders, No Surrender
As we all now know, Senator Bernie Sanders has suspended his campaign for the 2020 presidential election. It's important to note that a suspension does not mean dropping out. If your state has not had a primary yet, Bernie will still be on the ballot. He will still be collecting delegates that will be used for bargaining power at the DNC to try and get some of his platform ideas onto the nominee's platform.
At The Rose, we all supported Senator Sanders. Yesterday was a very hard day. So we collected thank you notes. Some are from students at AU, others are from friends who just wanted to say thank you.
CW: some of these letters reference allegations made against Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
Dear Bernie,
You are the reason that I, a young Asian-American woman, was empowered to pursue politics. I will never be able to thank you enough for setting an example of honesty, integrity, and willingness to fight for someone you don't know. Whether you were nominated or not, you were exactly what this country needed in order to organize for a revolution of politics that serves everyone. Because of our movement, I feel as though I am able to move forward with hope that structural change is attainable.
With Lifelong Support,
Alyssa Petelo
Thank you Bernie, for being the candidate who represented my vision for America—an America where people’s births didn’t define them for the rest of their lives, an America where we’d wouldn’t be subjecting our children and grandchildren to the results of climate change, an America where people wouldn’t go bankrupt because they got sick. Thank you for showing this country what it means to be a true politician for the people.
-Parthav Easwar
dear senator sanders,
thank you for fighting this fight. thank you for fueling me to jump into fighting so early and doing with with such vigor, thank you for showing up in Ferguson, MO to tell us that black lives matter and bringing Cori Bush into our lives. thank you for being the candidate i could have faith in as a person with life threatening illnesses. thank you for advocating for the planet when everyone else was being offered money by fossil fuel companies. thank you for being there for people when the coronavirus hit and making it your mission to be the absolute best for the working class. thank you for showing up for people and never bending to the will of the establishment. thank you for fighting so hard these past 5 years, i owe it all to you.
thank you for getting me interested in politics in 2015 and giving me hope that i, just a 13-year-old jewish kid from seattle, could be just like you, a fighter, a leader, a revolutionary, even when things were hard or circumstances were unusual. thank you for pushing me to believe not only in the power of the people, but the power of myself as i came into politics in the 2018 and 2020 cycles, as i started to fight not just your fights, but mine as well. thank you, senator bernie sanders for giving me someone to believe in.
you gave me hope.
with all my love and hope,
katie greenstein
Dear Bernie,
Thank you. You gave me a campaign to fight for. You wanted all of us to be better people, to reach higher, to elevate our treatment of each other. You fought for me, my family, my friends, and those who I will never know.
You changed so many peoples lives. I promise that the fight will not end. We’ll keep going.
Forever grateful,
Lilli Frame
Dear Bernie,
Thank you for giving me something to fight for. For making me realize that politics is bigger than red or blue. Thank you for opening my eyes to the fact that America has the possibility to be better.
With Love, Lily
Dear Bernie Sanders, I want to start by saying thank you. Thank you for being the voice that speaks for the unheard, the discarded, the unwanted. As a transgender man your positivity, your Not Me Us mentality has brought a generation of people together who are ready to grow through mutual aid. I feel less scared knowing that there are people like you fighting for us and listening to us. We are strong, we are one, we will survive. Your decision to leave the race is a devastating blow, but I know you will not stop fighting. Again, thank you! Be strong, and stay healthy!
With admiration,
Ollie McGowan
Bernie-
Throughout your years in the organizing world you have proven to have more zeal, more dedication, and more compassion than any other American politician in history. You are a special star in many people's heart and you brought great inspiration to all people who wanted to cast their wants onto you.
Thank you for everything, please stay on with us
-Raymond Diaz 🌹
Dear Bernie,
I remember back in 2016 staying up until 2 AM waiting for general election results to come in. Back then I had some optimism that Trump would lose. Whatever staggering support I had of Clinton faded away, and a feeling of dread set in as the morning came around. It felt as though the world had changed, that all hope was lost.
It took me a few years to realize that Trump is just the continuation of normalcy under the guise of unhinged mayhem. I fully anticipate his re-election in 2020 with Biden as the Democratic front runner. The only person that could have defeated him is you.
Yet I completely understand why you are dropping out. At the end of the day, the cards are stacked against positive progression. This is the game of American politics. The system truly is rigged. Whatever frustration I feel, you must be feeling tenfold. After all you have done for this country, for the lives of your constituents, for the rise of a new political revolution, and yet this is the result at the end of the day.
I won't be voting between one rapist or another. That feels too immoral. I'll go third party, and I would fully support you doing the same. Your supporters know not to follow the establishment anymore. It's time to go a separate direction.
And if you choose not to go third party, I would completely understand that as well. You have already done so much for our country. History will prove that you were in the right, that your ideals cleared a path for a better future. We can pick up the slack. And wow, I can only imagine how tired you must be right now.
Thank you for showing me and so many others what a revolutionary, honest politician looks like. Thank you for fighting all these years for what's right. Thank you for taking a stand against the degraded standard of American politics.
We won't be disparaged because we know you don't want us to. Thank you so much, and take care.
-AJ Johnston
From all of us here at The Rose, we're sending everyone love, strength, and solidarity. Stay safe, stay home, stay together.