Thread

Don't want to fall into a false equivalence trap, but it must be said that denial of reality, false charges of voter fraud, and cult of personality aren't confined to the political right. It happens on the left too 1/

In both 2016 & 2020, Bernie Sanders & his people claimed the Democratic primaries were "rigged," and the Senator refused to commit to supporting the winner (sound familiar?) 2/

In 2016, the Sanders campaign claimed the process was unfair & corrupt. His supporters got intense, even violent, at the Nevada convention. Politifact found the process there wasn't rigged against him https://bit.ly/2XsttXw  3/

There was widespread, furious belief that the DNC had the fix in for Clinton and against Sanders. His delegates protested at the Democratic National Convention 4/

In 2020, the spectre of a rigged anti-Sanders process was raised again – baselessly – by the Bernie camp https://bit.ly/3nBhdyH  5/

Far-right groups are casting the Capitol uprising as part of a "revolution." Sanders & his supporters also, famously, used rhetoric about fomenting a "revolution" 6/

There are *major, essential* differences b/w Trump & Sanders, their supporters, and their impact. But the similarities are notable. If nothing else, they should keep us from embracing a false narrative that election denialism & voter fury are a phenomenon of the right 7/

Both cases feature a white male leader viewed as a perfect savior by fanatical – and mostly white – supporters who believe their man was denied what they truly deserve even after voters clearly spoke. And, importantly, spurious claims about a "rigged" system 8/

In general, both-sides-ing is very problematic. But it would also be bad & wrong to ignore the troubling propensity on, yes, both the right & the left to attack and undermine election integrity when your candidate loses 9/

The media narrative should NOT characterize it as a problem that exists only on the right. All of it damages our democracy & institutions. Blaming the system & perpetuating false narratives that help your candidate are dangerous, no matter where it comes from 10/

That's not to say that our processes are perfect – far from it! We should urgently turn way more attention to the ways in which Americans are actually disenfranchised: via racism. Important thread on that here: https://twitter.com/MsPackyetti/status/1331480366805299202 11/x