I feel like too many people on my FB feed just aren’t getting it. Oh, they were all for Bernie when he was winning. But damn, he didn’t win. Really? What Bernie has done, is doing, is building the largest progressive movement in years. He showed us it was possible to get big money out of politics. What? I know on some level it’s unfortunate, but movements need leaders. Lenin. Mao. Castro. Mandela. King. Malcolm X. Huey. Bernie is right up there. Black Lives Matter is the exception that proves the rule, whatever that means, having three leaders, Alicia, Opal, Patrisse. We need charismatic leaders because we need a human focus to unite around. Someone to trust.

Of course Bernie is not perfect. He’s like what they used to say about money or sex. It isn’t everything, but it’s way ahead of whatever is in second place. To come out of nowhere and in 18 months develop a campaign that won 45% of the primary vote without corporate money was an unprecedented political feat, and we owe the architect of that feat the honor of supporting him, following him. And now we want to #demexit? Express your disagreement respectfully: for example, can we shift toward the Palestinians? Bernie is the most powerful progressive in the country. And have you noticed how adroitly he has maneuvered to get himself and his ideas on mass media? He’s more in the news now than he was as a candidate, and that is great for our movement. It seems like it should be obvious, but our movement needs to strive for UNITY. Bernie Sanders is and should be one of the foci of that unity, along with Black Lives Matter , the Dreamers, and other groups.

The successful revolutions in Russia, China, Cuba, South Africa and elsewhere were led by organizations that practiced some version, usually distorted, of democratic centralism. Developed by Lenin, democratic centralism consists of a vigorous debate within the organization ending in a vote which is binding on all members. No arguing after the vote. Of course, the democratic aspect in most cases gave way to a top-down centralism. But I’m suggesting that people embrace the goal of uniting Bernie’s movement, regardless of how we feel about any particular tactic.

Too many Bernie friends are still attacking Clinton, giving her undeserved attention. Hillary’s political career is dead in the water. We can win over many of her supporters. Bernie Sanders is now the face of the Democratic Party regardless of who controls the DNC, and you want to #demexit why?