Black Lives Matter – A Left Wing Organization that Misses the Point

In this short essay, I will be making many references to the Black Lives Matter movement's website. By no means is this a full coverage of the group's website or its activities. So in order to follow along more easily and learn even more than what this essay will cover, please click here.

The Black Lives Matter movement is a hot topic in America these days. It sees itself as “rebuilding the black liberation movement.” Among its concerns are the treatment of blacks by police, the treatment of black homosexuals, and empowerment to black females. I’ll admit that I was taken aback by all of the things the movement covers. They are arguably most well-known for their opposition to police violence towards blacks, but much of their focus is on fighting for black homosexuals, or “queers,” to use the language of the Black Lives Matter website.

One thing that disturbed me a bit was their idea for so-called “black villages.” Their states goal was to “disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure” and to “collectively care for one another.” While this may sound nice, this type of wording should alert any informed reader that there could be an agenda behind the movement other than their stated goals.


Upon looking at their website further, I was taken aback by the almost militantly defiant tone that was taken. On the front page, I saw “Protect Black Activists from White Vigilante Violence.” Why the need to use qualifiers? Is there anything wrong with removing the aspect of race? “Protect Activists from Vigilante Violence” seems to work just fine – unless, of course, you are trying to perpetuate the stereotype that whites are just a bunch of racists. Never mind the fact that blacks commit hate crimes at a rate around double that of their national population.

It quickly becomes clear that this Black Lives Matter movement blames everything on what it terms “State violence” even going so far as to accuse the government for black poverty and “genocide.” The rhetoric doesn’t stop there, describing black people in prisons as being 2.8 million people “locked in cages.” This rhetoric clearly demonstrates the movement’s assertion that blacks are being treated like animals – never mind the statistical fact that blacks are far more likely to commit crimes than any other racial group. In fact, the whole idea that whites are racists holding down the black man, as this website obviously purports, is not very well supported by the statistic that blacks commit 39x more crimes against whites than vice-versa. Nor does there seem to be any justification for accusing the government of “genocide” when over 90% of blacks are killed by other blacks (source.

In order to better understand a group, it’s important to look at its founders – in this case three women, two of whom are homosexual and one of whom is a feminist writer. I bring these labels up for the sole purpose of showing where their biases may lie. I think it safe at this point to categorize the founders as leaning firmly to the left side of the political spectrum. The question is, of course, how far to the left? If a tweet by Opal Tometi extolling Venezuela’s political system is to be believed, quite far. If you are reading this, you are certainly able to Google and find out about the founders. Still, I’ll give you what I think to be very telling information. Patrisse Cullors is a homosexual black woman who was told to leave home by her parents. I wonder why she finds her perceived institutionalized racism to be the problem and not the intolerance of homosexuality so rampant among blacks. Alicia Garza is also queer and was involved in a protest that kept a train from moving for over an hour. The protest was in reaction to the killing in Ferguson, Mo of Mike Brown.

Despite the fact that the Black Lives Matter movement is demonstrably wrong in its barely concealed assertion that institutionalized racism is responsible for the plight of blacks (I plan to make a separate thread regarding this), an interview with Opal Tometi is very revealing in that she says the justice system is “designed to lock up our people.”

To be sure, there are some good aspects about the Black Lives Matter movement, in particular their fight for gay rights and women’s empowerment. I think there can be little doubt that black homosexuals and women are extremely marginalized in America and the fact that Black Lives Matter is taking steps to addressing this issue should be lauded by any American who values freedom and equality. However, it is my opinion that this ultra-liberal group is also helping to create a wedge between races instead of unite. In accusing police of being racist, they forget the fact that blacks are far more likely to commit crimes (source). Despite what the liberal media would have you believe, stating this is not racist – it’s just cold hard fact.

Perhaps once blacks wake up en masse to the fact that they themselves are their greatest obstacle, they will be able to achieve the goals they yearn for. When one’s mindset is that one should be compensated for slavery (which ended in 1865), it’s difficult to have an honest discussion on forward progress. Of course, conveniently forgotten is the huge amount of money it would cost.

Don’t be fooled by this movement – it is a liberal attempt to divide us as a nation, specifically along racial lines. To any blacks who may have stumbled upon this article, I say to you specifically: do not be fooled into thinking whites are trying to hold you down. Many of us, myself included, want to see you succeed just like we wish every American would be successful in his or her own way. Let go of the notion that there’s a sort of racism that is pervasive. This deeply ingrained attitude that the system is against you is holding you back, not the system itself. At least, not any more than it holds all of us back.

No, everyone else misses the point.

The rioters, violent idiots aren't the BLM movement. They say they are, but they're just criminals taking advantage of a situation.


Historically, black lives don't matter. The protests aren't only about the wrongful killings at which they protest, they are about everything else that everyone cries they should protest for. That is what they're doing at these protests.


The system works against those that grow up in poverty. That is an issue.

a reply to: THEatsking

Did you read the entire article I wrote, including links, or are you just commenting on the thread title?

originally posted by: scorpio84
a reply to: THEatsking

Did you read the entire article I wrote, including links, or are you just commenting on the thread title?

I didn't read the links, however I did read your essay. You seem to understand some of the positives of the BLM movement but not all . I can give you more credit than most. They aren't racist in any way, they're a marginalized group of people working hard to call attention to enormous systematic discrepancies. They have to continue to do this until things start to change. What things? I have no clue but something needs to be done. The government is solely responsible for blacks being in poverty with no access to real jobs or real education until what, 50 or so years ago? The culture was already sewn by then. The government needs to put a lot of its resources into reversing that culture over time, because just the blacks working hard will not do the job.

a reply to: THEatsking

The government is solely responsible for blacks being in poverty with no access to real jobs or real education until what, 50 or so years ago?

That's part of the problem - waiting for others to change instead of changing themselves. Then again, the left loves hand-outs. Let me clarify my opposition to welfare - I think it puts us in a nanny state and under more government control.

They aren't racist in any way, they're a marginalized group of people working hard to call attention to enormous systematic discrepancies.

While failing completely to admit to their own faults. For example, is it really any surprise that arrest rate is that much higher for blacks (relative to population) when blacks are seven times more likely to commit murder than whites? Are black students being treated unfairly - or are more likely to do things which would get anyone suspended?

I feel that there was institutionalized racism - and that this movement may have done some amazing things had it come about during the 60s or even 70s. However, no that we are in the 2010s, the only reason we have not moved past the racial divide is because groups like BLM and the media won't allow us to do so.

I thought this article was interesting.

Thanks for having taken the time to read the full thing before responding with a disagreement.

a reply to: scorpio84

That was a good write up.

Their claims are abhorrently specious, which is to be expected in identity politics.

The strangest part is the demand for segregation, "black spaces", when no more than 50 years ago folks like Dr. King were directly opposed to such notions.

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."

- Dr. Martin Luther King.

The BLM seeks the exact opposite of Martin Luther King.

a reply to: scorpio84

The only people missing the point of Black Lives Matter are the people, mainly on rightwing, attacking them. It's about the lives of Blacks that matter just as much as the lives of other non-blacks. Not more, not less. We have a problem with police brutality in this country, and unfortunately blacks get the worst end of it:

There have been, according to this data, 490 people killed by police this year as of this writing, 138 of whom were African-American. That’s close to 30 percent, a disproportionate number considering blacks make up 12 percent of the U.S. population.

Wrongful convictions are also carried mostly toward blacks

Races of the 333 exonerees:

206 African Americans
101 Caucasians
24 Latinos
2 Asian American

www.innocenceproject.org...

People on here, such as yourself OP, have the nerve to make the excuse "oh blacks are violent and commit most offences anyway" to explain away the brutality and the disproportionate unlawful arrests, shootings, against them. And we wonder why racism persists?

As for those in Black Lives Matter who have an angst against whites or whatever, in every group there will be an extreme wing. We've seen this in the Tea Parties, we've seen this among other political groups. It doesn't however disprove the point of the movement.

In fact, the whole idea that whites are racists holding down the black man, as this website obviously purports, is not very well supported by the statistic that blacks commit 39x more crimes against whites than vice-versa.

Why are you frequenting and referencing racist websites to make a point against the BLM? Your source Metapedia isn't impartial at all on this matter:

Metapedia was founded as a mirror project to Wikipedia, but with an extreme right-wing and white supremacist slant. Officially, it's there to provide a "fair and balanced image of the European cultural struggle".

tvtropes.org...

Don’t be fooled by this movement – it is a liberal attempt to divide us as a nation, specifically along racial lines.

You talk about a 'liberal attempt' to divide the nation, yet you excuse brutality against blacks over the fact 'they commit crimes anyway' and then you have the nerve to use a racist website as a source for a false statistic, which is wrong by the way:
blogs.channel4.com...

So who's dividing the nation? You're certainly helping to divide it OP. Look in the mirror.

originally posted by: THEatsking
The system works against those that grow up in poverty. That is an issue.

And not every one who grows up in poverty is black. That should be the point. All lives matter. This is why their "movement" won't achieve anything positive.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

People on here, such as yourself OP, have the nerve to make the excuse "oh blacks are violent and commit most offences anyway" to explain away the brutality and the disproportionate unlawful arrests, shootings, against them. And we wonder why racism persists?

Your fundamental assumption is that the skin color of both the victim of police brutality, and that of the police, is a determining factor in the outcome of police brutality, because "statistics", none of which illustrate that racism is involved. In other words, the actions of police are essentially hate crimes because the police happens to be white, and the victim happens to be black. This is a pure deep-seeded racism perpetuated by the race-pimps, who see race as means to political ends.

Race and crime statistics do not give insight to the individual circumstances, individual behaviors, and individual mental states of those involved. The assumptions that the disproportionate amount of arrests or shootings is due to racial factors is unwarranted, until there is evidence that such is the case. Making folks with black skin out to be perpetual victims, especially when knowing very little of the circumstances of each individual case and individuals involved, is racist for the exact same reason as making them out to be perpetual criminals.

Further, your gripe with the website being "racist" is agenda-driven drivel, and nonsensical. Because one is euro-centric or favours western ideologies, does not make one a white-supremacist or a racist. A straw-man and evasion of arguments. Tackling the player and not the ball.

a reply to: THEatsking

I cannot believe you are serious in your assertions regarding this group and its leaders. The Leaders spouting this carp are known Communist feminist agitators with a VERY big chip on their shoulder. They are basically using kids to further their own agenda, based on the Marxist model

Years and years have been spent demolishing the boundaries between colours/races and abandoning such practices as apartheid and yet these people want to bring it all back but its ok because its by choice this time. If whites wanted to do that, well, look at what happened in South Africa. This group makes a mockery of everything Martin Luther King et al stood and fought & died for

a reply to: Southern Guardian

The only people missing the point of Black Lives Matter are the people, mainly on rightwing, attacking them.

Of course, those who don't agree are the ones "missing the point." This thread isn't about who is getting/missing the point of the BLM movement - it is about how they miss the entire point. They say they are fighting for equality for blacks, but in reality all they are doing is making things worse. Do you really think the stance of blame whitey for all the problems in the black community is going to help blacks?

We have a problem with police brutality in this country, and unfortunately blacks get the worst end of it:

I agree that there's a problem with police brutality, but there is nothing to suggest racism plays a major role. Yes, I'm sure some cops are racist - but this is like using one school shooting to justify a gun ban for all Americans. The disproportionate number of blacks beaten or killed by police may just have to do with how many come into contact with the police. If you have 10 whites come into contact with the cops, but 100 blacks - obviously the number may be skewed some.

Another thing you are not factoring in is racial attitudes towards police. Due to the MSM and groups like BLM, young black people (usually males) feel a sense of persecution that they have no good reason to feel. However, when the news is making it sound like all cops do is beat up, lock up, or kill black males, they naturally get defensive - whether by attitude towards police instructions or by simply fleeing, even when completely innocent. If a white person starts running from the cops, he will be treated the same - as a criminal trying to escape. Running from the cops is treated as an admission of guilt, regardless of race. The fact is - and your opinion of the fact is irrelevant - not cooperating with police and running away are far more common among blacks than any other racial group. I gave a website for you to look at in the OP, but here it is again. As someone mentioned in this thread already, we should be looking at police brutality against the poor. Is there a greater police presence in black neighborhoods? Yes. Is it racist? No. The fact of the matter is poor, crime-ridden neighborhoods tend to be predominately black. The sooner people realize that, the better for our country - because only when we actually identify the problem, instead of playing a constant blame game, can we start to heal.

People on here, such as yourself OP, have the nerve to make the excuse "oh blacks are violent and commit most offences anyway" to explain away the brutality and the disproportionate unlawful arrests, shootings, against them. And we wonder why racism persists?

Yes, I'm a racist, because I point out facts backed up by statistics. Nice one. It's amazing how you are willing to turn a blind eye to the details. Apparently putting things nicely doesn't work, so allow me to be blunt: a higher amount of resistance and disobedience towards police = a higher amount of problems.

As for those in Black Lives Matter who have an angst against whites or whatever, in every group there will be an extreme wing.

Are you backpedaling? I thought that a few cops out of line was justification to condemn the whole lot and start some sort of racial and political revolution? Or does every group not include police officers.

Why are you frequenting and referencing racist websites to make a point against the BLM? Your source Metapedia isn't impartial at all on this matter:

Oh, I see - so websites that give the statistics are "racist." That must be because the stats don't look good for your side of the argument. Their agenda is irrelevant - if a neo-nazi points out that there is disproportionate control of media by Jews, he'd be correct - regardless of the agenda he had pointing that fact out. You not liking the statistics does not make it racist.

You talk about a 'liberal attempt' to divide the nation, yet you excuse brutality against blacks over the fact 'they commit crimes anyway' and then you have the nerve to use a racist website as a source for a false statistic, which is wrong by the way:

Hey, we found the same website during our research. Unfortunately, you did not actually read it as I had or you may have seen this little part under the analysis:

Blacks were disproportionately likely to commit homicide and to be the victims. In 2008 the offending rate for blacks was seven times higher than for whites and the victimisation rate was six times higher.

As we found yesterday, 93 per cent of black victims were killed by blacks and 84 per cent of white victims were killed by whites.

Yet, the BLM movement thinks the reason blacks are dying in the ghetto is because of the System. Give me a break.

So who's dividing the nation? You're certainly helping to divide it OP. Look in the mirror.

No, I don't pretend police brutality is only a problem for one particular group of people. I don't believe it is even necessary to use racial labels - we need not say "four whites killed by black man" - we can say "four people killed by one suspect" and get the message across just as clearly. What divides us is the constant racial rhetoric coming from groups like BLM and people like you, who for some reason or another, cannot think beyond the language of racism.

a reply to: PhyllidaDavenport

I agree. Dr. King was about working together - something this group is doing quite the opposite of. When you read their mission statement and about us page, is it any wonder there are some extremists forming within the group?

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Thank you.

You are absolutely right concerning Dr. King. That is something the people supporting BLM don't understand. I do feel it is from a general desire to do good that they so fervently defend this group. The implication is that if you don't support the Black Lives Matter movement, you are saying that black live do not matter - which, as we know, couldn't be further from the truth.

a reply to: scorpio84

They say they are fighting for equality for blacks, but in reality all they are doing is making things worse.

No I think they're just making people like you uncomfortable with exposing police brutality, in particular against blacks, around the country. In your opinion they should just shut up and pretend racism doesn't exist, and that all this brutality is happening because, as you've so nicely put it, blacks are up to no good anyway.

I agree that there's a problem with police brutality, but there is nothing to suggest racism plays a major role.

Racism is still major issue in this country whether you choose to accept it or not. Saying it's all just 'coincidence' that blacks a disproportionately higher as victims of police brutality is just a weak attempt to dismiss any reasonable discussion on the matter. If you choose to keep your head in the sand on this issue, that's your choice, but then don't come on here and complain about people dividing this nation. Your fellow americans are getting shot right front and center for unjust reasons and all you can do is turn the other cheek and pretend there's no issue. But you complain about divisions in this country? Really now?

Are you helping at all with your attitude? Or are you contributing to these divisions? Me thinks it's the latter.

The fact is - and your opinion of the fact is irrelevant - not cooperating with police and running away are far more common among blacks than any other racial group.

Answer me this.

Is it acceptable for a police officer to shoot an unarmed person in the back for trying to run away from them? Should they be afforded the power to do so?

Walter Scott, April 2015



Was this cop right in what he did? If the answer is no then why make mention of blacks not cooperating with police as a way to dismiss police brutality? Why make mention of it?

Was this cop justified? I mean Walter Scott wasn't 'cooperating' with him so? He needed to be shot in the back? Right?

I gave a website for you to look at in the OP, but here it is again.

Oh no don't try and hide the fact you used a false statistic, that 'blacks are 39 times more likely to commit a crime than whites' from a white supremacist website. Own it. If you well and truly cared about looking into this matter objectively and in not in creating divisions, you wouldn't of sourced your material from a blatantly racially biased website. Plain and simple.

You want to help break the divisions between fellow americans? Start by listening to them, going through impartial sources, participating in reasonable debate. All you've done in your OP is:

1. Argue that blacks are up to no good anyway so they probably deserve it.
2. Source a false statistic from white supremacist website. (No, blacks are not 39 times likely to commit a crime)
3. Insist racism isn't a major issue because, well, yea.... it's all 'coincidence'.

And this kind of thinking here creates more of an "us vs them" mentality.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

No I think they're just making people like you uncomfortable with exposing police brutality, in particular against blacks, around the country. In your opinion they should just shut up and pretend racism doesn't exist, and that all this brutality is happening because, as you've so nicely put it, blacks are up to no good anyway.

Don't attribute generalizations to me which I never made. Here is what I stated:

not cooperating with police and running away are far more common among blacks than any other racial group

Not once did I state the unqualified assumption that "blacks are up to no good."

I am not uncomfortable with exposing police brutality - what I am uncomfortable with is pretending it is only perpetrated against one group. What I am uncomfortable with is attributing police brutality to racism, rather than part of a larger system of authoritarianism that has become so prevalent in America since 9/11.

Racism is still major issue in this country whether you choose to accept it or not.

The only reason there is any issue with racism at all is because people like you make it one. If a person gets murdered, that person is a victim and the murderer should be punished. It's that simple. The fact that some people are racist does not justify calling the entire system racist. So far, I've seen nothing from you to indicate something to the contrary of what I've posted in this thread - just a bunch of knee-jerk emotional reactions. I think what you are afraid of is doing the actual research and finding out the reason a higher proportion of blacks are incarcerated is simple that a higher proportion of blacks commit crimes. I realize that the news tends to focus on school shootings (which are mostly committed by whites) - but get out to Chicago and the surrounding areas. Those popping noises you'll hear at night aren't firecrackers and guess which race is most likely doing the shooting?

Your fellow americans are getting shot right front and center for unjust reasons and all you can do is turn the other cheek and pretend there's no issue.

Oh, there's an issue. The issue is police brutality. Then again, I suppose only black lives matter, right? Who cares about the innocent people beaten, incarcerated, and killed if they aren't black?

Answer me this.

Is it acceptable for a police officer to shoot an unarmed person in the back for trying to run away from them? Should they be afforded the power to do so?

Of course it is not acceptable. Guess what? Apparently, our racist justice system that Tometi said "was not designed" for black people thinks so too. Congratulations on proving my point.

Could you quote me where I state blacks are 39x more likely to commit crimes than whites? I think the figure is actually 7x more likely. The 39 comes in regards to hate crimes. Blacks are 39x more likely to commit hate crimes against whites than the other way around. This figure comes from several sources - which of course, according to you, would all be racist. Black on white and black on black crime don't exist in your fantasy world, since that would completely dismantle your argument. You are like people arguing that the Palestinians are the problem and not the Israelis moving them from their homes and blowing them up with rockets (a topic for another thread). Here's a rule of thumb in post 9/11 America - if your views align with the mainstream media, question your views.

You want to help break the divisions between fellow americans? Start by listening to them, going through impartial sources, participating in reasonable debate. All you've done in your OP is:

1. Argue that blacks are up to no good anyway so they probably deserve it.
2. Source a false statistic from white supremacist website. (No, blacks are not 39 times likely to commit a crime)
3. Insist racism isn't a major issue because, well, yea.... it's all 'coincidence'.

And this kind of thinking here creates more of an "us vs them" mentality.

All you've done is show an inability to quote me properly, read and think about facts presented to you, and do any sort of worthwhile research on your own. Nice touch on proving me right that the problem is not a racist system, but that racist murderous cops do exist. Tell you what - if they acquit, then I'll question the fairness of the justice system a bit more. Of course, when a website points out the crimes blacks commit, the amount of control exerted by Jews, or promotes pride in white culture, it's racist. Are whites not allowed to be proud of their heritage?

But you go ahead - keep telling yourself and others that the problems are all based on racism. As for myself and others, we'll keep trying to find solutions to the real problems plaguing the country.

a reply to: IridiumFlareMadness

That is true...however no one can go grow up in poverty as a black person except for blacks. Our putrid government just gave them equal rights in the 6o's and theyve been able to get normal jobs and go to school for what? 25 years...maybe 30?

The culture was already in place due to slavery, it is up to the government to help reverse it. The blacks still have to bust their ass but it isn't their fault the culture is there, period

Aid is designed to keep them down. Cochise charges are less than Crack charges. It's all there to keep them down, sometimes intentionally sometimes not.

a reply to: THEatsking

theyve been able to get normal jobs and go to school for what? 25 years...maybe 30?

So, what excuse does a 20 year old black man have for not making the most of his life?

The blacks still have to bust their ass

...as do most of us.

Aid is designed to keep them down.

If you're talking about welfare, I agree completely. To me, welfare is a government scheme to enslave the population.