Black Lives Matter

Racism has been a problem in this country since it's inception.  Granted, it has gotten a lot better over the last couple centuries, but it is still a problem nonetheless.  Most instances of institutionalized racism today seem to come in the form of racial profiling.  In recent times, there has been a media storm of white police officers caught on video shooting, beating, and even killing black males, many of whom turn out to be innocent and unarmed.  This is where Black Lives Matter (BLM) comes in.

According to their own website (blacklivesmatter.com), "#BlackLivesMatter was created in 2012 after Trayvon Martin’s murderer, George Zimmerman, was acquitted for his crime, and dead 17-year old Trayvon was posthumously placed on trial for his own murder. Rooted in the experiences of Black people in this country who actively resist our dehumanization, #BlackLivesMatter is a call to action and a response to the virulent anti-Black racism that permeates our society."

In my opinion, BLM has a legitimate cause on which I stand behind them 100%.  However, I disagree with their methods 100% as well.  The greatest civil rights movement in the history of our country took place in the 1960's, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  So many great things were accomplished, and many hearts and minds were changed by the way Dr. King's movement operated.  His methods were non-violent, non-confrontational, peaceful, and based on understanding, respecting, and even loving one's enemies without backing down or giving in to their hatred.  

BLM's modus operandi is pretty much the exact opposite.  They have crashed the rallies of presidential candidates,  accosting and heckling speakers like Sen. Bernie Sanders who has fought for their cause his whole career.  They have blocked traffic on busy freeways.  They yell obscenities.  They have even incited riots.  One thing they don not seem to do, however, is change the minds of racist people.  If anything, they solidify the racist, white supremacist's view that black people are savage.

I am well aware of my white privilege.  I understand that I do not have first-hand experience of what it is like to be a person of color in a majority white country.  However, I do not think I am wrong about the BLM movement.  In fact, many former civil rights activists from the 1960's would agree with me.  One of whom is Barbara Reynolds, whose opinion you can read here:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/08/24/i-was-a-civil-rights-activist-in-the-1960s-but-its-hard-for-me-to-get-behind-black-lives-matter/?utm_term=.59a80374c5a7.

One question I have about BLM is:  When will they realize they are doing more harm than good?

I'm certain Dr. King is rolling in his grave.