Yesterday, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY was host to more than 28,000 Bernie Sanders supporters, who came to see the Senator from Vermont on his quest to win the Democratic nomination to the White House.
Among the speakers introducing the Senator were actors Justin Long and Danny DeVito as well as Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard from Hawaii, who stepped down as Co-Chair of the Democratic National Committee in order to be able to endorse Sanders. In her speech, Gabbard, who is an Iraq War Veteran, and experienced the perils of war first hand in a field medical unit, emphasized the importance of having a commander in chief who not only understands the costs of war, but also posses the wisdom and judgement when and when not to use military power.
Jumaane Williams, New York City Councilman from Brooklyn, endorsed Bernie Sanders in a compassionate speech. Referring to a quote from the New York Daily News that Mr. Sanders is at war with reality, Councilman Williams said, “I thought to myself, you’re god damn right. Because too many people’s reality in this borough, and in this city, and in this nation needs to be at war with. Too many people’s reality is struggle, and may be if you are not at war with reality, you are not focused enough.” He continued on to say, that the only good things that have happened in this country, from women’s suffrage, end of slavery over civil rights to LGBT rights came from “shooting for the political revolutionary moonshot”. His message to those who say it can’t be done was to move out of the way of those who are doing it.
Senator Sanders, who grew up in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, was greeted with rousing chants and cheers from the largest crowd attending one of his rallies to date. In his almost 1 hour long speech, the democratic candidate once again emphasized the importance of medicare for all, holding Wall Street accountable and breaking up the big banks, quality education, as well as social and racial justice for all. He concluded his speech by calling on his supporters to show up in record breaking numbers on NY Primary Day on Tuesday.
