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What We Can Be

April 2, 2016

In News

What We Can Be: A Nation of Potlucks

by Abbie Zimet
George Clooney, eat your $353,400 heart out. In an ingenious move that highlights the differences between Clinton/Sanders, a couple of Bernie supporters have devised Dine With the 99%, a nationwide pot luck event in April featuring food “by the people and for the people” with a $27 price tag. Scheduled for any time on the weekend of April 14 -17, organizers are asking Bernie supporters to host thousands of potlucks – barbecue, dinner, brunch, tea, whatever – during which they will “gather TOGETHER” in a communal act and correspondingly donate $27 or whatever they can in support of that community, with word spread on the hashtags ‪#‎27dollarsaplate,‬ ‪#‎potluckforbernie,‬ ‪#‎dinewiththe99‬ and #RSVPBernie.

In the same grassroots spirit, a couple of other Sanders supporters have released the moving video, “What We Can Be.” Created by Brett Luckman and edited by Chris Lockett, it uses clips from Sanders’ speech at Liberty University, several other appearances and scenes from earlier campaign videos to explore “what a just and moral nation we can become when we stand together and fight for change.” What’s striking here isn’t just the video; it’s the fact of the fierce hope and heart and promise, all so deeply felt, that led to its meticulous creation – something impossible to imagine on behalf of Clinton. Still, if you do want to check her out, the Clooneys are hosting a second Hillary event on April 16, the same weekend as the $27 potlucks. It’ll cost you $33,400. Your call.