Black Lives Matter Co-Founder Says Joe Biden Is ‘Pretty Far’ From Concerns Of The Movement
During an interview with Time100 Talks, Black Lives Matter (BLM) co-founder Alicia Garza spoke about Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s platform and suggested it was still “pretty far” from the issues and goals of the movement.
“Frankly, I think [the Biden campaign is] well aware that they are pretty far from the concerns that this movement has put forward — and that is not acceptable,” Garza said. “We need to push him to be a better candidate if he’s going to be the presumptive nominee.”
Although Garza noted that Biden has proposed some policies that align with the goals of the BLM movement — which was purportedly created in response to the killing of Trayvon Martin at the hands of George Zimmerman — she believes that the campaign needs to work harder to meet the needs of the current cultural moment. According to Garza, Biden should shift focus from the “mythical white working-class voter” in the Midwest and resist the urge to “play it safe.”
Recent polling has been favorable for Biden. As The Inquisitr reported, the former vice president leads Donald Trump by 13 points in a Monmouth University poll released on Wednesday.
Despite his polling success, Garza expressed concern that Biden is running out of time to address the top issues of the Democratic voters in America.
“There are opportunistic forces that are also in motion right now trying to generate a lot of fear, insecurity, anxiety about the changes that are happening in this country right now.”
Garza went on to say that the organization would continue to push forward, past November, to ensure that Americans aligned with their ideals have a voice at the ballot box, whether or not Biden aligns himself with their desired policies. Nevertheless, she warned that candidates have a lot to lose if they don’t truly address the issues currently facing the country.
“But candidates like Joe Biden who refuse to meet the moment miss an opportunity to be on the right side of history,” she said.
As reported by Politico, Biden has rejected BLM’s most bold political proposals, including defunding American police departments and funneling the money into communities. The publication suggested that his views have put him at odds with left-wing organizers and activists in states crucial for his reelection.
According to the report, Biden’s campaign is currently attempting to gauge the best response to the civil rights protests that will not cause him to forfeit his steady lead over the president.
