Dear Bernie Sanders Supporters & Progressives Everywhere

Dear America,

As a Canadian looking on, let me first say that I adore Bernie Sanders, he is my conscious and my heart in human form, and it hurts to see that anyone would think he was such a threat to the Democrats and democracy that they had to stoop so low to undermine his campaign. They Democratic Party has destroyed itself, and that is not a bad thing, but in the immediate future, we need to prevent Trump from happening. I say this with full love and respect to all my fellow Bernie supporters, you have been wronged, but your hours of work, your financial investment on behalf of his campaign, and your passion have not been for nothing.

Bernie Sanders has got people woke to a Progressive movement that we need more than ever. While people feel that they cannot in good conscious vote for Hillary Clinton, I fully understand and would be in your same boat. But while the United States of America may survive a Trump presidency, the environment and the disenfranchised can not. Do whatever you need to do to be right with your conscious, yes, but don't hand over the position of the highest office in your country to a man who is divisive, a fraud, a bully, and thinks climate change is a hoax. He will make the world far less safe and livable for future generations around the world.

The so freshly abused and humiliated Bernie Sanders supporters need time to grieve the loss of a beautiful thing that united so many for all the right reasons. Grief is different for each and every one of us, but most importantly, we need to recognise that it takes time to move through the stages of grief when we are ready. Some may never be ready to vote for Hillary Clinton, and that is OK with me. But we must hold the Democrats to their promises to Bernie, his supporters, and to the left-leaning additions in the new Democratic Party Platform. Vote for Progressives you have vetted up and down the ticket, take back the house and senate from those who refuse to represent the people, and never let the movement Bernie Sanders brought to the people of world end until the work is done. We are better than Trump or Clinton, we are better than an out of touch government, but we can't stop now. If those fighting to end segregation had given up after their biggest setbacks, we would still be fighting for the most basic human rights in American today.

So yes, beloved Bernie supporters, you have done amazing things, you have worked harder than others will ever realise, your time and financial investments have not been wasted on me or the millions of people you have reached with your message and movement, in both the US and worldwide. I grieve with you, I stand with you, I still hope with you that real change can happen in my lifetime. I see you, your hopes and dreams, your right to quality affordable health care and debt free education, a sustainable clean environment, to a livable minimum wage, to giving a hand up and not a hand out, to freedom of religion, a right to practise cultural traditions with pride and not fear, to reform your for-profit prisons and to decriminalise addiction, to stop throwing money at a 'military solution' that solves nothing, to give everyone access to automatic voter registration, to bring back the opportunity and promise of the country you are trying really hard to love and make better. 

I see the pain you are in, the abuse you have taken, and the humiliation of the very best example of true humanity, Bernie Sanders. Grieve this moment, the world grieves with you, and then get mad as heck, and never accept anything less than your conscious will allow. The time for making bargains with the DNC is over, a new movement has been born, and you need to raise this Progressive baby to be a part of the American political landscape from this point forward. Be it Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Green Party, or a new Progressive party founded on the movement a truly great man, Bernie Sanders, has sacrificed and fought for his whole life. 

When the grief and despair ends, and you are ready to fight once more, do it for Bernie, for all his supporters, for future generations, for those who cannot fight for themselves, for the Progressives around the world that Bernie has inspired, and for those not yet awake.

Sincerely,
The International Progressive Community You Have Inspired