Philosophy professor Cornel West has weighed in on the 2016 presidential race and says he’s endorsing “Brother Bernie” Sanders.
The fiery civil rights activist announced the endorsement in a Facebook post entitled “Why I Endorse Brother Bernie and Reject Brother Trump.”
West said that the candidates are similar in that they are “authentic” and that their campaigns are so far not reliant on massive political donations.
Brother Bernie and Brother Trump are authentic human beings in stark contrast to their donor-driven opponents.
— Cornel West (@CornelWest) August 25, 2015
But West differentiated between the two candidates’ views on social justice issues, saying that Trump, the Republican front-runner, “is for real but not for right.”
Yet only Bernie has authenticity and integrity, whereas Trump is for real but not for right.
— Cornel West (@CornelWest) August 25, 2015
He said that Trump’s comments about “precious Mexican brothers and sisters are unconscionable.”
With his endorsement, West, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, made clear that he did not support many of the policies held by the Democratic party establishment.
My endorsement of Brother Bernie in the primaries is not an affirmation of the neo-liberal Democratic Party…
— Cornel West (@CornelWest) August 25, 2015
Democratic Socialists of America has also endorsed Sanders, who is an Independent and has called himself a democratic socialist.
My endorsement of Brother Bernie is not a downplaying of the immorality of the ugly Israeli occupation of Palestinians…
— Cornel West (@CornelWest) August 25, 2015
West’s endorsement comes as Sanders has faced off against activists with the Black Lives Matter movement. Earlier this month two members of the Seattle chapter of the group forced Sanders off stage at a campaign rally.
But West said Sanders has been part of the “struggle for justice for over 50 years.”
I endorse Brother @BernieSanders because he is a long-distance runner with integrity in the struggle for justice for over 50 years.
— Cornel West (@CornelWest) August 25, 2015
West has made headlines for a high-profile rift with President Obama. West endorsed Obama ahead of the 2008 election, but soon after the election began criticizing him for bailing out Wall Street and not doing enough to address issues related tot he black community.