Challenge Inequality

Sanders asks Liberty University students to challenge income inequality

By Daniel Strauss

Bernie Sanders delivered a plea to the students at Liberty University, the Christian school founded by the Rev. Jerry Falwell, to question the morality of income inequality in the United States, as he took his populist message to an unlikely audience.

Sanders, an independent senator from Vermont running for the Democratic presidential nomination, spoke at the weekly convocation of the same university where Ted Cruz announced his presidential bid in March, and at times got enthusiastic applause.

He did not back off his populist, strictly liberal message, opening his remarks by voicing his support of gay marriage and abortion rights.

But he asked for the students and other audience members to find common ground, often citing biblical passages during the speech.

“It would, I think, be hard for anyone in this room to make the case that the United States today is a just society or anything close to a just society,” Sanders said. “In America today, there is massive injustice in terms of income and wealth inequality. Injustice is rampant.”

He went on to list statistics on the millionaires and billionaires in this country and lower-income individuals’ limited access to quality health care.

Sanders also invoked Pope Francis, who will be visiting Washington next month, saying he delivers an important message decrying “the idolatry of money.”

But he made sure to underscore that while there are clear differences of opinion on major issues, people of significantly different political stripes should come together to tackle the greed that is doing this country “enormous harm.”

“Let me be very frank. I understand that issues such as abortion and gay marriage are very important to you and that we disagree on those issues. I get that,” Sanders said. “But let me respectfully suggest that there are other issues out there that are of enormous consequence to our country and the world and that maybe, just maybe, we don't disagree on them."