As promised, Black Lives Matter activists interrupted a Jeb Bush rally in North Las Vegas, causing him to leave the stage quickly and without his customary ending rallying cry.
Joined by Planned Parenthood and immigration reform supporters, they chanted "Black Lives Matter," to which the conservatives in the crowd added "White Lives Matter" and "All Lives Matter," proving yet again that they choose to continue marginalizing the crisis in the Black community in order to pretend we live in post-racial times.
Las Vegas Sun reports that it began with this question:
Republican presidential contender Jeb Bush touched on education, immigration, Iran and the economy during an hourlong town hall at a North Las Vegas community center tonight.
But it wasn't until Jamie Hall got the microphone to ask the last question of the evening before the former Florida governor was forced to address a campaign issue that's been gaining momentum in recent weeks — racial inequality.
"I wanted to ask you about racial injustice, racial inequalities, institutional racism," Hall said, referencing the growing Black Lives Matter movement. "Are you going to be talking to different police departments about training reform? You talk about creating a better education system, but if kids in the neighborhoods are seeing their fathers and brothers and cousins killed, why would they want to go to school and excel?"
Bush called the issue a "serious problem" that's gotten worse in recent years.
"Communities, people no longer trust the basic institutions in our society that they need to trust to make things work," Bush said. "There is racism in America, no one should deny that."
Bush said as president he would work to create a climate of civility and understanding instead of one of despair and isolation that pervades in some communities. He added that he believes education is a key part of the solution.
"A child that is educated, that believes that there are chances of going to college and living a life of purpose and meaning is important," he said.
His answer proves he didn't listen at all, since the question was "Why should they care about an education or excelling when they see their fathers and brothers and cousins killed?"
Acknowledging that there's racism is no answer, particularly when the most egregious forms of institutional racism come at the hands of Republican lawmakers, who work very hard to disenfranchise Black voters, deny them health care, and segregate their schools.
Keep at it, BLM activists. Keep that conversation moving.
