By Joshua Weigert
July 7th, 2020
Since its conception, Black Lives Matter (BLM) has caused a severe division in the American political landscape for various reasons. BLM was founded in 2013 as a result of the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the death of Trayvon Martin. BLM viewed this verdict as injustice and demanded societal reforms. Subsequent high-profile black deaths in the years following led to more and more protesting by BLM.
Because of BLM’s media attention, this has led to certain confusions and myths pertaining to BLM to arise. Most of these confusions and myths relate to what BLM actually is. The most prevalent myth of them all is that BLM is just an innocent slogan fighting for black rights. Because of this, there is a significant pushback against BLM.
There seem to be two main objections to BLM. The grievances pertaining to BLM are as follows:
- The slogan “Black Lives Matter,”
- The organization BLM
First, I think it is essential to differentiate between the phrase “black lives matter” and the organization BLM, as they are very different. Yes, black lives matter. Are there large groups of people who think they don’t? The implication of a slogan saying “X matters”, implies that there is a counter-thought of “X doesn’t matter,” or a passive attitude of X isn’t important. The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is a vile organization that has been rightly shunned and ostracized for decades. However, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), it is estimated that the KKK comprises of about 3,000 individuals. Considering the population of the United States is about 330 million, this is an extremely tiny minority of people who make up the KKK. Is there any other community of people who oppose black lives? However, I am not too interested in the first objection to BLM as the main topic of this article pertains mostly to the second objection.
What are the purposes and objectives of BLM as an organization? It seems as though many are confused about their main goals and what they are actually fighting for or against. Take the below video clip as an example.
In the video clip, the CNN host Don Lemon argues with actor Terry Crews on BLM’s objectives. Lemon claims that BLM is an organization only interested in police injustice, while Crews explains that BLM goes beyond police injustice.
Who is right?
First, it’s hard to ignore Lemons’ pontification and belittlement of Crews. Who is Lemon to tell Crews to get tougher skin? If Lemon really wanted to hear about Crews’ views and arguments against BLM, he would have let him express them. Lemon didn’t allow Crews to do so, consistently cutting him off and talking down to him.
Lemon claims that BLM is not “all-encompassing”, and that the BLM movement “is about police brutality… not about what is happening in black neighborhoods”. Lastly, he then talks about how BLM is not about black on black crime.
Essentially, Lemon argues that “black lives matter” does not pertain to all black lives.
However, on BLM’s website, the organization talks about how we “must ensure we are building a movement that brings all of us to the front.” The site goes on to affirm the lives of “all Black lives along the gender spectrum.” Lastly, BLM promises to “work vigorously for freedom and justice for Black people and, by extension, all people.”
This organization claims to be for ALL black injustices, including black on black violence. Sorry Lemon, but BLM has gone well beyond police injustices.
BLM expanding beyond police injustice is not inherently wrong. The issue with BLM is that it is a Marxist organization. In an interview with Jared Ball of the Real News Network, BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors said, “we actually do have an ideological frame. Myself and Alicia (another co-founder) in particular are trained organizers.” Cullors goes on to say, “we are trained Marxists. We are super-versed on, sort of, ideological theories. And I think that what we really tried to do is build a movement that could be utilized by many, many black folk.”
BLM has admitted they are trained Marxists. This is even more evident by the use of “comrade” throughout their website, and the general anti-capitalist/ pro-social and economic revolution mission statement.
BLM supports illegal immigrants, defunding the police, abortion, and a host of other issues from the leftist platform. BLM even plans to “disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure.”
For these reasons, it is difficult for many Americans to get behind an organization that undermines America. It is a myth that BLM is just an innocent movement or slogan. BLM is more than that. BLM is a political ideology that is incompatible with American values and her way of life.
Sources:
https://blacklivesmatter.com/about/
https://nypost.com/2020/06/25/blm-co-founder-describes-herself-as-trained-marxist/
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