KALAMAZOO, MI - Accepting the diversity of others, fixing an economic system that favors the wealthy, and giving America back to its middle and working-classes was the message of Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders in Kalamazoo on Monday.

The U.S. Senator from Vermont tried to differentiate his campaign Monday from what has been a contentious and often uncivil presidential election, saying, he and his supporters will win "because love trumps hate."

Speaking of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Sanders said, "He thinks it's acceptable to insult Mexicans and Muslims. He thinks it's acceptable to insult women and veterans. He thinks it's acceptable to insult anyone who is not just like him. Thank God there are not a whole lot of people in this country who are not just like him."

Sanders covered a wide range of topics, including support for women, minorities, gays and others during his "A Future to Believe In" rally at Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo. He spoke for about 72 minutes, starting at about 10:44 a.m., and was greeted and cheered by about 3,200 people, many of whom appeared to already be supporters.

His comments were preceded by those of Paul Clements, the Democratic candidate for 60th District U.S. House of Representatives, and past candidate for the Kalamazoo City Commission Kris Mbah.

Sanders tried to rally support for fixing what he has continued to say is a rigged economy, asserting that is one in which "one-tenth of 1 percent of Americans have as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent."

"Today in America, one family, the Walton family, the wealthiest family in the United States, has more wealth than the bottom 40 percent of the country," he said, speaking of the family of Walmart Inc. founder Sam Walton.

Sanders said he wants to bring the middle and working class back by raising the minimum wage from $7.25 per hour "to a living wage of $15 an hour."

He said his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton is beholding to large corporations after receiving lots of money from large corporations, including $15 million from one campaign super pac and $225,000 for a speaking engagement at Wall Street investment banking firm Goldman Sachs.

"We have chosen to raise funds in a very different way," he said. "We have received over $27 million from 5 million different individuals."

He said the average contribution was $27.

"So to paraphrase Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg, this is a campaign of the people, by the people and for the people," he said.

Sanders salted his comments with local knowledge:

-Mentioning the Flint water crisis, he said there is no way a country with the resources of the United States should allow its infrastructure to poison children. He said he called for Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder to resign months ago;

-Mentioning the North American Free Trade Agreement, he said it has sent tens of thousands of jobs out of Michigan and other Midwestern states. He said he voted against NAFTA and would eliminate trade agreements that cost Americans their jobs.

"One of the differences between Secretary Clinton (former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton) and me is she has supported virtually every one of these trade agreements," he said.

-Mentioning the victims of the mass shootings in Kalamazoo, he said there needs to be an end to gun violence and measures need to be taken to stop guns from getting into the wrong hands.

Gene Kopf, the father of 14-year-old Abigail Kopt, one of two survivors of a gunman who shot eight people here on Feb. 20, asked at Sanders' debate Sunday night in Flint with Clinton, what could be done to prevent future acts of gun violence. Sanders said instant background checks need to be expanded. And "We have to first address the urge to have a gun as the answer for everything. Right now, we have the cowboy attitude, Wild West."

Asking for a show of hands on how many audience members had debt from student loans, he spent a fair amount of time Monday saying the U.S. has to stop punishing people with debt when they try to get the best education they can. He proposes to make tuition free at public colleges and universities.

Among other things he said:

-China has four times our population but "There are more people in jail than any other country on Earth."

-There is also no reason that health care is not free in the wealthiest nation in the world.

Sanders was to speak Monday afternoon in Ann Arbor.

MLive writer Al Jones may be contacted at ajones5@mlive.com. Follow him on Twitter at ajones5_al