The Journey to Bernie

Bernie+Sanders+speaks+to+fans+at+a+rally+held+in+Champaign%2C+March+12.

Rachael Coyle

Bernie Sanders speaks to fans at a rally held in Champaign, March 12.

My story began a day before the event. I was sitting next to a close friend of mine from Paris, Thomas. Having noticed that I was reading an article about Bernie Sanders, Thomas had asked me, “Do you know if Bernie is going to speak anywhere?” I had been wondering the same question for a while—especially after having missed the opportunity to watch Sanders at SIU in Edwardsville. It was not until later that evening that I had learned that Sanders was expected to appear in Champaign the next day. Thomas, of course, was invited to come along.

The Saturday of March 12 started off much like any other in the typical life of a college student—with a healthy and well-balanced McDonald’s breakfast (in my case, a shamrock shake). My friends and I piled into a van at 9 a.m. trying to arrive at the destination of the speech earlier than the opening of the doors at 11 a.m. The line that greeted us upon arrival at the location of the rally was formidable. As someone who makes regular appearances at metal concerts, I was determined to worm my way into the front, but the throngs of hopeful people waiting patiently in their places made this choice of action seem unacceptable. My friends and I without protest followed the other groups of new arrivals towards the end of the line.

The wait in line was almost unbearably long. We stood outside for well over three hours–keeping ourselves occupied through conversation. Sanders’ merchandise vendors passed by upon occasion. “Feel the Bern!” They announced, “Get your shirt or hat today!” Having already decked myself out with a “Feel the Bern” hat and a “Babes for Bernie” button, I watched amusedly as they continued to sell their wares. “We take cash, credit, your first born,” one vendor joked.

While I had expected to see many college students standing in line, what was unexpected were the numbers of middle-aged men and women. Families stood together in line waiting to see Bernie, and it honestly warmed the heart to watch as a mother held hands with her daughter and as the daughter, in turn, held hands with her younger brother. In comparison to the events that had happened the night before in Chicago, there was a sense of unity among the crowd that had gathered in Champaign. It did not matter age, race, or cultural identity. We stood in line with the hope of seeing one man.

Some people threw in the towel early and left. My friends and I persevered until we reached the doors of the entrance. Unfortunately, the venue had reached capacity by the time we had made it to the doors. Left with no option but to wait outside, I made my way through the crowd to the front of the steps. Having placed speakers and barriers around the steps, it became obvious that Sanders was due to arrive at any minute. I wondered what he would have the time to say.

When Sanders stepped outside of the building, the people who had been waiting hours to see him exploded in cheers and applause. Chanting his name, it took a moment before the crowd settled to listen. “Look, this country today, as everybody here knows, faces some enormously serious crises,” Sanders began, cutting straight to the point.

Though Sanders’ outside speech was only fifteen minutes long and impromptu, hundreds of people hung onto his words as he covered multiple key issues. “What this campaign is about is asking people to think outside of the box, not to accept the status quo as something that is frozen or that we have to deal with forever,” Sanders conveyed to the crowd as he switched between topics.

Sanders emphasized the power of the people in regards to making the changes that they wanted to see in the nation while attacking big corporations for their monopolization of the United States’ political system. “You are all very powerful people if you choose to use that power…what that power means is that we tell Washington that the Congress of the United States has got to represent us all and not just wealthy campaign contributors.”

Sanders urged voters to cast their ballots in the Illinois’ primary election. “None of these ideas are radical,” he concluded. “It’s what the American people want, but we will not get it unless millions of people start participating in the political process in a way that we have not seen for a very long time.”

The chants and cheers resumed again as Sanders returned inside. My friends and I may not have made it inside of the building, but we were thrilled nonetheless to have heard Bernie Sanders’ campaign message in person. Sanders’ words rang true to his image, and there was no change of tune or disappointed expectations. While Sanders did not skirt around the heavy topics, hope carried through the audience like metaphorical seeds that had been planted into the hearts and minds of all who were there.

“When we stand together, there really is nothing that we can’t accomplish. We’re not a poor country. We’re a very rich country.”

We’re a country rich with diversity.

We’re a country rich with potential.

We’re a country with a future to believe in.