Speaking of millennials and allowing everyone a seat at the table

I continuously see three big problems: 

People assume all millennials are the same.

 

They aren’t. There are some, like my daughter, who started young and earned a seat. She started volunteering at age thirteen, and cherished the wisdom, instruction, and patience of people she worked with (Donna Brazile the biggest name to show personal interest in her). Following years of volunteer experience and study, and working with both unions and ACORN, she went on to become a paid campaign worker. She has been an officer in the local Young Democrats for years. 

And, now, people who skipped all of that think people like her, as well as those of us who have been doing the same for decades, should forget everything we know and pretend that their wild ideas that we know from experience aren’t going to work the way they demand (especially the demands that we die and get out of their way so they can continue to help Republicans win elections) are doing everything they can to put kinks in the system (including physical violence at times) and to push every qualified, experienced, intelligent Democrat in office or in support positions out the door. This is unacceptable and a death sentence for the party*.

People assume all Sanders supporters are millennials. 

This is not true. I am sixty-three years old and know many Sanders supporters in my age group. They have been throwing elections to Republicans at least since Nadar and continue to infiltrate every Democratic group to sabotage Democratic candidates. Some run for offices they don’t want and/or know they can’t win to give themselves what they believe is credibility in groups (internet and not). They repeat right-wing talking points (lies), propagate the ridiculous notion that both parties are the same, and encourage people to either vote third party or don’t vote at all. 

They are pure tea party, whether or not they are willing to admit it and whether or not they know (as I do) that MoveOn actively recruited tea party members to, “Learn from them,” (their words, and I personally heard them directly from leadership). Their goal is to destroy both parties from within and now they have people who say they are loyal Democrats helping them even though some are just naïve and don’t understand how they are doing so. 

People assume all new ideas are good ideas that deserve our time.   

They are not. There are plenty of terrible ideas floating around and we have more important things that we should be focused on and that demand our time. Anyone who is honestly interested in getting involved and becoming a leader should understand that they need to work their way into leadership positions by listening and learning. This isn’t a ‘everyone gets a trophy for pretending they know what they are doing’ sport. This is a matter of life and death – for people, for the party, and for this earth.

Truth is, anyone who has been involved and demonstrated leadership positions or even willingness to have a seat at the table (as opposed to hogging the gavel and all control) isn't having to fight for a way to be involved.

We can't criticize Ivanka and her crazy father and party if we aren't going to stand up to people who want to give every little Ivanka who shows up the 'you are not qualified but stick around and learn' speech we think she deserved. 

*the party that many of them want to destroy and are only feigning support for so they can destroy from within