I researched Black Lives Matter...what I found was quite troubling

[Unofficial Reverand Alex]

Recently, the Social Work Club at my college suggested doing a bake sale to fundraise for Black Lives Matter. I have no doubts that they had the best intentions for this idea; however, I was suspicious of the organization, so I did some research, starting with a post where I asked all you Internet people if this was a good idea--https://www.christianforums.com/threads/should-my-group-fundraise-for-black-lives-matter.8175208/

Since then, I have spent considerable time on their website, and looking into the ideas that they push for. I compiled it all, sent it to the president of the Social Work Club, and I'm now posting it here. Think of this in an academic sense; this is the research I have done & the conclusions I have found, all of which I am reasonably convinced of, but I'm willing to hear any dissensions. Furthermore, discussion should be focused on the manner of research & the data discovered, not on the person behind it (i.e., all of us who are strangers on the Internet). Personal attacks have no business here, and unfounded calls of "white privilege" or any other racial slur will only decrease the value of this conversation. I put great effort into being extremely diplomatic in my delivery, and I think the world would thank you if you do the same. Note that my college is in the Chicago area, so some emphasis has been given to the Chicago chapter of BLM.

Without further ado, here's what I found....


To the members of the Social Work Club; I address this as a response to the recently proposed idea that we host a bake sale on campus to fundraise for the organization Black Lives Matter. This is intended as a diplomatic manner of disagreement, not as any sort of attack on black people or on those who suggested fundraising for BLM. Since this suggestion was made in our first E-board meeting, I have done considerable research into Black Lives Matter & their positions; the following is a summary of what I have found. As this will be sent over e-mail, hyperlinks are inserted to document the research.

It is to my great sadness that I have found Black Lives Matter to be an organization that I cannot help fund with a clear conscious. A group with such a positive slogan & so many supporters has the potential for something great, but as much as I’m trying to find the good, there isn’t nearly enough good to be found. I will always support the words, but supporting the organization is something entirely different. For sake of respect, I will begin with the positive I have found out about the organization, and for the sake of prudence, I cannot leave the matter at one side alone.

The one redeeming quality I have found with the organization is their relentless fight for justice for those who have been oppressed, specifically, those of minority races that have been subject to unjust police brutality; https://blacklivesmatter.com/herstory/ . Any faithful Christian should support efforts to bring about justice, and finding justice for those who have been unjustly oppressed by the police improves law enforcement, minority communities, and the nation as a whole. As they say on the website: “We work vigorously for freedom and justice for Black people and, by extension, all people.” https://blacklivesmatter.com/what-we-believe/

However, if an organization cannot end the violence & injustice within its own members, I cannot trust it to end violence & injustice anywhere else. BLM Chicago has issued a press statement over a particular incident, in which it expresses support & justification for violent protests all across the city; Press Release on the Englewood Police Shooting . While I don’t know the details on this particular shooting, the concerning part of this press release is the support for the very thing they say they are working against; violence & oppression. Dramatic wealth inequality in Chicago, and everywhere, is certainly an injustice. Yet violent rioting & looting are no solution to this problem, and discredits the entire movement; Black Lives Matter's Violence Undermines Its Credibility . If a small group of police officers unjustly attacking blacks deserves national attention & defunding, then even a small group of Black Lives Matter protesters who unjustly attack police officers, with the approval of the organization, deserves defunding of the organization. On this reason alone I support a defunding of BLM, for the same reason they advocate a defunding of the police; any organization that allows & even supports senseless violence against innocent people is not an organization to support.

Defunding the police is one of the first calls for action on the BLM website; https://blacklivesmatter.com/what-defunding-the-police-really-means/ However, no clear alternative to policing is given. The video to explain what defunding the police means describes transferring police funding to social programs, such as housing, without explaining how this housing will be protected. Furthermore, a greater amount of police has been shown to decrease crime, as long as it is restructured in such a way that is not mentioned on the BLM website: Rights and Wrongs of "Defunding the Police" A re-structuring of police training & accountability, along with more attention called to the targeting killings of uniformed police officers, would be more feasible & useful for communities everywhere. Note that such re-structuring would require a great amount of funding; as such, a defunding of police would decrease the possibility of such a comprehensive reform of the police department: Defunding the police isn't the answer (Opinion) - CNN

There are other notable absences from Black Lives Matter that need to be addressed. Education is a main issue, and black author Thomas Sowell calls out BLM for their lack of support for quality schools where they are needed most: https://www.investors.com/politics/...lack-lives-matter-why-doesnt-their-education/

“We build a space that affirms Black women and is free from sexism, misogyny, and environments in which men are centered.” Despite what BLM says on their “What We Believe” page, there was no mention of calling out rap & hip-hop musicians (dominantly black), or any genre, on misogynistic lyrical content. Such has been seen to be the trend in rap & hip-hop in recent decades; The Influence of Rap and Hip-Hop Music: An Analysis on Audience Perceptions of Misogynistic Lyrics Furthermore, an excessively violent message is immediately apparent in this particular remix of “Proud Mary”, featured on BLM’s website: https://blacklivesmatter.com/black-...s-month-2018/week-2-black-futures-month-2018/


If improving the way black people are viewed is part of the goal, why contribute to the stereotypes?

Upon request, I can go further with this research into the organization, and I encourage you to do the same. There are still dangerous things about BLM I have heard about, but have not yet had the time to fact-check. Yet I believe these listed reasons to be more than sufficient to call for a defunding of the organization BLM, or at the very least, to choose a more prosocial organization for this fundraiser. Especially with the mentality of social workers, we need to be critical about financial supporting organizations. Even if they bear a message as positive as affirming the very life of an all-too-often mistreated minority group, that is insufficient for the organization as a whole to be worthy of financial support. Critically analyzing the kind of people who receive funding an unfortunately necessary step in any charitable organization; groups are not always what they seem to be.

I hold you all & this Social Work Club in the highest respect, and I hope & pray that we may continue to do great things on our campus & in our world. This document is only to intelligently & respectfully disagree with the idea of having a fundraiser for Black Lives Matter. I am sure you have the best intentions for this idea, and I respect you all for this mentality; it is only the methodology where I disagree. If you wish to forward with fundraising for BLM, I will withdraw my support from this fundraiser, but not from this club.

And please do let me know what you think; we need good conversation if anything good is going to happen.

Peace & all good,

Alex ___________—Social Work Club Secretary

 

[Quartermaine]

However, if an organization cannot end the violence & injustice within its own members, I cannot trust it to end violence & injustice anywhere else.

Would this include police departments that unjustly oppress and brutalize?

BLM Chicago has issued a press statement over a particular incident, in which it expresses support & justification for violent protests all across the city; Press Release on the Englewood Police Shooting . While I don’t know the details on this particular shooting, the concerning part of this press release is the support for the very thing they say they are working against; violence & oppression.

where in the press release does it say that?

Dramatic wealth inequality in Chicago, and everywhere, is certainly an injustice. Yet violent rioting & looting are no solution to this problem, and discredits the entire movement; Black Lives Matter's Violence Undermines Its Credibility . If a small group of police officers unjustly attacking blacks deserves national attention & defunding, then even a small group of Black Lives Matter protesters who unjustly attack police officers, with the approval of the organization, deserves defunding of the organization. On this reason alone I support a defunding of BLM, for the same reason they advocate a defunding of the police; any organization that allows & even supports senseless violence against innocent people is not an organization to support.

Were any police attacked at the Englewood protest? Was there rioting there?

Defunding the police is one of the first calls for action on the BLM website; https://blacklivesmatter.com/what-defunding-the-police-really-means/ However, no clear alternative to policing is given. The video to explain what defunding the police means describes transferring police funding to social programs, such as housing, without explaining how this housing will be protected. Furthermore, a greater amount of police has been shown to decrease crime, as long as it is restructured in such a way that is not mentioned on the BLM website: Rights and Wrongs of "Defunding the Police" A re-structuring of police training & accountability, along with more attention called to the targeting killings of uniformed police officers, would be more feasible & useful for communities everywhere. Note that such re-structuring would require a great amount of funding; as such, a defunding of police would decrease the possibility of such a comprehensive reform of the police department: Defunding the police isn't the answer (Opinion) - CNN

it's a 3 minute video. Could any of the issues you bring up be adequately discussed and debated in a video that long?

More importantly, are the issues you bring up discussed anywhere else by BLM or its founders?

There are other notable absences from Black Lives Matter that need to be addressed. Education is a main issue, and black author Thomas Sowell calls out BLM for their lack of support for quality schools where they are needed most: https://www.investors.com/politics/...lack-lives-matter-why-doesnt-their-education/

“We build a space that affirms Black women and is free from sexism, misogyny, and environments in which men are centered.” Despite what BLM says on their “What We Believe” page, there was no mention of calling out rap & hip-hop musicians (dominantly black), or any genre, on misogynistic lyrical content.

and this has what to do with education and the schools?

Such has been seen to be the trend in rap & hip-hop in recent decades; The Influence of Rap and Hip-Hop Music: An Analysis on Audience Perceptions of Misogynistic Lyrics Furthermore, an excessively violent message is immediately apparent in this particular remix of “Proud Mary”, featured on BLM’s website: https://blacklivesmatter.com/black-...s-month-2018/week-2-black-futures-month-2018/
View attachment 283148

If improving the way black people are viewed is part of the goal, why contribute to the stereotypes?

Is this part of BLM's purpose? (hint: no it is not)[/QUOTE]

 

[Ana the Ist]

Yeah I looked into Black Lives Matter awhile ago myself....because while it was obvious they were an advocacy group, it was hard to tell what they were advocating. This is, in my opinion, a deliberate strategy on their part.

Recently another poster said they were advocating for civil rights....I asked what civil rights were they asking for? He basically stated they were against police brutality. This is true, but it's not a civil right....and in reality, I'd say over 99% of Americans are against police brutality. We have laws against police brutality.

This is again, a deliberate smokescreen. They are against police. That's police as an institution, not just bad police.

The Movement For Black Lives is a collective of black advocacy groups that includes Black Lives Matter. They aren't really about protesting...they're about organizing these various black advocacy groups around the same goals and the same long term strategies. They list these goals and strategies on their website....

REPARATIONS – M4BL

You call read each page of their demands and figure out pretty easily who they are and what they want (divesting and abolishing the police are listed). To put it quite simply, they are communists who want wealth and political power given to them. Wealth and power are literally 90%+ of what they are demanding. For example, under reparations they write....

1. Reparations for the continued divestment from, discrimination toward and exploitation of our communities in the form of a guaranteed minimum livable income for all Black people, with clearly articulated corporate regulations.
2. Reparations for the wealth extracted from our communities through environmental racism, slavery, food apartheid, housing discrimination and racialized capitalism in the form of corporate and government reparations focused on healing ongoing physical and mental trauma, and ensuring our access and control of food sources, housing and land.

Now, traditionally, communism has centered on class divisions. In the US however, communists realized that even lower class Americans had it relatively well and had some degree of upward mobility. Therefore, they have attempted to center communism around racial divisions instead of class divisions. This modern incarnation is extremely racist as a result. It's black people demanding they be given wealth, including a lifetime welfare check for simply being black, and they demand housing, land, and control of food sources...

These are literally the same demands of Russian communists. Let's look at some more...

A reallocation of funds at the federal, state and local level from policing and incarceration (JAG, COPS, VOCA) to long-term safety strategies such as education, local restorative justice services, and employment programs.

That's familiar, isn't it?

1. Through tax incentives, loans and other government directed resources, support the development of cooperative or social economy networks to help facilitate trade across and in Black communities globally. All aid in the form of grants, loans or contracts to help facilitate this must go to Black led or Black supported networks and organizations as defined by the communities.
2. Financial support of Black alternative institutions including policy that subsidizes and offers low-interest, interest-free or federally guaranteed low-interest loans to promote the development of cooperatives (food, residential, etc.), land trusts and culturally responsive health infrastructures that serve the collective needs of our communities

As you can see, they only care about black lives...about black people. If you're wondering what all these collective food cooperatives are or why shared land ownership in trusts is so frequently mentioned, it's because shared public ownership of the means of production is the central idea of communism. One of their links is literally called "End Privatization of Resources Policy Brief".

Some of what they demand is so self contradictory it's questionable if they even understand the concepts they're advocating...

1. Direct democratic community control of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, ensuring that communities most harmed by destructive policing have the power to hire and fire officers, determine disciplinary action, control budgets and policies, and subpoena relevant agency information.

In order for democracy to flourish, everyone has to have the ability to participate...not just "marginalized communities". The separate levels of government, local, state, and federal, are no longer separate if they're controlled by the same community. That's not democracy or separation of powers....that's authoritarianism.

How can they possibly achieve this though?

Well, communist leaders in Russia were fully aware that they could manipulate the public into spreading their propaganda even if those people were clueless about the aims and goals of communists....

They called such people "useful idiots".

 

[Aussie Pete]

Yeah I looked into Black Lives Matter awhile ago myself....because while it was obvious they were an advocacy group, it was hard to tell what they were advocating. This is, in my opinion, a deliberate strategy on their part.

Recently another poster said they were advocating for civil rights....I asked what civil rights were they asking for? He basically stated they were against police brutality. This is true, but it's not a civil right....and in reality, I'd say over 99% of Americans are against police brutality. We have laws against police brutality.

This is again, a deliberate smokescreen. They are against police. That's police as an institution, not just bad police.

The Movement For Black Lives is a collective of black advocacy groups that includes Black Lives Matter. They aren't really about protesting...they're about organizing these various black advocacy groups around the same goals and the same long term strategies. They list these goals and strategies on their website....

REPARATIONS – M4BL

You call read each page of their demands and figure out pretty easily who they are and what they want (divesting and abolishing the police are listed). To put it quite simply, they are communists who want wealth and political power given to them. Wealth and power are literally 90%+ of what they are demanding. For example, under reparations they write....

1. Reparations for the continued divestment from, discrimination toward and exploitation of our communities in the form of a guaranteed minimum livable income for all Black people, with clearly articulated corporate regulations.
2. Reparations for the wealth extracted from our communities through environmental racism, slavery, food apartheid, housing discrimination and racialized capitalism in the form of corporate and government reparations focused on healing ongoing physical and mental trauma, and ensuring our access and control of food sources, housing and land.

Now, traditionally, communism has centered on class divisions. In the US however, communists realized that even lower class Americans had it relatively well and had some degree of upward mobility. Therefore, they have attempted to center communism around racial divisions instead of class divisions. This modern incarnation is extremely racist as a result. It's black people demanding they be given wealth, including a lifetime welfare check for simply being black, and they demand housing, land, and control of food sources...

These are literally the same demands of Russian communists. Let's look at some more...

A reallocation of funds at the federal, state and local level from policing and incarceration (JAG, COPS, VOCA) to long-term safety strategies such as education, local restorative justice services, and employment programs.

That's familiar, isn't it?

1. Through tax incentives, loans and other government directed resources, support the development of cooperative or social economy networks to help facilitate trade across and in Black communities globally. All aid in the form of grants, loans or contracts to help facilitate this must go to Black led or Black supported networks and organizations as defined by the communities.
2. Financial support of Black alternative institutions including policy that subsidizes and offers low-interest, interest-free or federally guaranteed low-interest loans to promote the development of cooperatives (food, residential, etc.), land trusts and culturally responsive health infrastructures that serve the collective needs of our communities

As you can see, they only care about black lives...about black people. If you're wondering what all these collective food cooperatives are or why shared land ownership in trusts is so frequently mentioned, it's because shared public ownership of the means of production is the central idea of communism. One of their links is literally called "End Privatization of Resources Policy Brief".

Some of what they demand is so self contradictory it's questionable if they even understand the concepts they're advocating...

1. Direct democratic community control of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, ensuring that communities most harmed by destructive policing have the power to hire and fire officers, determine disciplinary action, control budgets and policies, and subpoena relevant agency information.

In order for democracy to flourish, everyone has to have the ability to participate...not just "marginalized communities". The separate levels of government, local, state, and federal, are no longer separate if they're controlled by the same community. That's not democracy or separation of powers....that's authoritarianism.

How can they possibly achieve this though?

Well, communist leaders in Russia were fully aware that they could manipulate the public into spreading their propaganda even if those people were clueless about the aims and goals of communists....

They called such people "useful idiots".

BLM is just another "trojan horse" attempt to introduce Marxism by stealth. The trouble with Marxism is that it is inhuman. That's why force eventually is required to impose it on people against their will. Eventually, the leaders succumb to the drug of power. Orwell saw this during the Spanish civil war and what he observed in the Soviet Union. "All people are equal. Some are more equal than others". That's a slight paraphrase of a quote from "Animal Farm". It should be compulsory reading, especially for the woke, progressive, antifa, socialist left, cultural Marxist and others of that ilk.

 

[Unofficial Reverand Alex]

Would this include police departments that unjustly oppress and brutalize?

Yes; police reform to address such measures is something I think anyone would support. The focus of this part of my letter was to use the same standard on BLM that they use on the police.

where in the press release does it say that?



Were any police attacked at the Englewood protest? Was there rioting there?

Second paragraph from the bottom:
"When protesters attack high-end retail stores that are owned by the wealthy and service the wealthy, that is not “our” city and has never been meant for us."
And the third paragraph from the top address "looters", and makes no effort to condemn the violence thereof.

As was already mentioned, I don't know much about the Englewood incident; that was not the point of mentioning it. I was pointing out the lack of condemnation, and even the approval of the violence in the city. Good questions, though.

it's a 3 minute video. Could any of the issues you bring up be adequately discussed and debated in a video that long?

More importantly, are the issues you bring up discussed anywhere else by BLM or its founders?

"Defund the police" is one of the rallying cries of BLM advocates everyone; just look up the words online & you'll be immersed in so much of this from BLM & elsewhere. I do not know about the founders in particular, but it is certainly prevalent among the supporters of BLM.
A 3-minute video should be a 5-minute video, if they wanted to go into detail about an alternative way to protect populations who can't afford their own security.

and this has what to do with education and the schools?

As Sowell explains quite well in the article, and in interviews he's had, good education is a necessary step in supporting black communities, and black lives are enhanced when the black communities are enhanced. Yet searching "Education" or "School" on the BLM website shows nothing on calls to improve schooling for black communities.

Is this part of BLM's purpose? (hint: no it is not)

“We build a space that affirms Black women and is free from sexism, misogyny, and environments in which men are centered.” This is part of the BLM "What We Believe" page, roughly halfway down their list of "We" statements; https://blacklivesmatter.com/what-we-believe/ . As such, how could striving to improve the portrayal of women in popular music not be something that BLM should strive for?

 

[Quartermaine]

Yeah I looked into Black Lives Matter awhile ago myself....because while it was obvious they were an advocacy group, it was hard to tell what they were advocating. This is, in my opinion, a deliberate strategy on their part.

Recently another poster said they were advocating for civil rights....I asked what civil rights were they asking for? He basically stated they were against police brutality. This is true, but it's not a civil right....and in reality, I'd say over 99% of Americans are against police brutality. We have laws against police brutality.

it actually would be a civil right as per the 14th amendment.

Of course you are aware that having a law on the books and having that law adhered to are to very different things

 

[Ana the Ist]

it actually would be a civil right as per the 14th amendment.

Ehhh....police are the first step in due process of the law. Police brutality is against the law....but the idea that anyone has some sort of "right" to live in a nation where police never commit police brutality is like saying "I have a right to never be a victim of a crime".

That's fantasy. You have a right to seek justice if a crime is committed against you....but no one lives somewhere that has no crime.

Of course you are aware that having a law on the books and having that law adhered to are to very different things

Of course, what's your point?

That crime exists?

 

[Ana the Ist]

BLM is just another "trojan horse" attempt to introduce Marxism by stealth. The trouble with Marxism is that it is inhuman. That's why force eventually is required to impose it on people against their will. Eventually, the leaders succumb to the drug of power. Orwell saw this during the Spanish civil war and what he observed in the Soviet Union. "All people are equal. Some are more equal than others". That's a slight paraphrase of a quote from "Animal Farm". It should be compulsory reading, especially for the woke, progressive, antifa, socialist left, cultural Marxist and others of that ilk.

The appeal of Marxism is that it contains some reasonable criticisms of capitalism. The problem with Marxism is that the "solutions" it provides for the "problems" of capitalism are worse than the problems themselves.

Marxism always fails....rather miserably...because it fails to account for human nature. Capitalism succeeds for the exact opposite reason....it assumes most people will pursue a relatively rational form of self interest.