Is it Bad or Necessary?
I strongly support the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States. There has been enough systemic racism against Black Americans and now BLM is holding the federal and state government’s feet to the fire in demanding an end to this ignorance and hate against them and all people of color. Only White America can bring and end to it all or continue to be the roadblock to prevent equal rights and treatment to BIPOC America!
In a Time online article, “more than 93%—have been peaceful” in a review of BLM protests by Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). Over 7,750 BLM protests were reviewed by ACLED to the percentage of violence at the different protests.
But, is “peaceful” how Americans see the protests? From the Time article, “ACLED highlights a recent Morning Consult poll in which 42% of respondents believe “most protesters (associated with the BLM movement) are trying to incite violence or destroy property.” Is violence, whether by BLM, the authorities, or white supremacist groups, actually worthwhile to gain White America’s support for the end to racism in America?
In a USA Today online article is showing how support for BLM is falling due to violence at their protests. It appears to me that BLM gets the blame even when the violence was from the authorities or other groups. From the article, a “Civiqs tracking poll is particularly interesting for understanding the dynamics at play. Net approval for the Black Lives Matter movement peaked back on June 3 and has fallen sharply since.” Will this decline in approval give the government and Donald Trump a stronger belief that more violent force can be used against BLM protestors participating in peaceful protests?
President Trump, with the public support of his political appointees, will continue to cast protestors as thugs and anarchists in order to inflame voters into believing that all protests are violent and that only he can bring an end to the violence. He wants votes, so he will cast his opponent as being behind the protests by any means necessary. Unfortunately, Trump seems to be winning the people over in how they see the BLM movement.
As to the violence, it’s been necessary anytime a country has gone through a revolutionary change of it’s form of government. Good examples are the French Revolution (1789 – 1799) and the American Revolutionary War (1775 – 1783). The first overthrew the French Monarchy and the second overthrew the British Monarchy’s control of the 13 colonies. Violent revolutions and revolts have occurred from present back through c. 2730 BC. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the protests are anything less than demanding revolutionary change to government.
Many Americans are supporting the demands for new government. These Americans are called Socialists and Communists by anyone to their right politically, including Democrats. Socialists and Communists believe Capitalism and the current governmental system are the oppressors of people and human rights and that it must all be completely changed to attain equality in all things for all the people. That means violence will occur. Unless America gets behind the movement for change and equality, more blood will be shed. We will not apologize for it and know that White America can bring it to an end, if they want to.
Until next time
American Dystopia 