Story highlights Sanders cites MLK Jr.

Sanders says involved in civil rights whole life

Washington (CNN) Bernie Sanders said Sunday he sees racial injustice as a major problem, just one week after arguing on stage with "Black Lives Matter" protesters at a liberal gathering.

In an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press," the Democratic presidential contender continued to cast the challenges minorities face as primarily economic.

"I'm not dismissive," he said. "I've been involved in the civil rights movement all of my life, and I believe that we have to deal with this issue of institutional racism."

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Sanders, a Vermont senator, pointed to Martin Luther King, Jr., saying the civil rights leader "understood and was working on a poor people's march" when he was assassinated. He pointed to soaring unemployment figures for young African-Americans, and blamed an "unsustainable level of income and wealth inequality."

His comments came after Sanders shouted down "Black Lives Matter" protesters who disrupted his remarks at the Netroots Nation gathering in Phoenix. Sanders said he doesn't disagree with their message, but was irritated with being interrupted.

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