The Conservative Impact On Black Lives Matter

How conservatism and its criticism portray the movement for justice in the African-American community.

Just think about this; Alton Sterling, who was given permission to sale CDs and DVDs in front of a mini-mart. He was minding his own business and then two rookie Baton Rouge police officers approached him. When they stopped in front of him he was slammed down onto a nearby car. They wrestled with Alton and proceeded off the car to the ground. Someone quickly yelled “gun” and Alton was shot dead — he did not have a gun. Think about Philando Castile who was licences to carry a firearm. He was stopped by the police for a “busted taillight” and asked by a Saint Paul police officer to hand him his licence and registration. As he reached for his information Philando notified the officer that he was licences to carry a firearm. Philando proceeded to grab his licence and then five gun shots went into his arm — he was dead in a matter of seconds. The officer had killed him while his girlfriend and her daughter were in the car.

Conservative media has tried time and time again to paint the Black Lives Matter movement having an anti-police ideology. Black Lives Matter has also been portrayed as racist. However, this movement is not anti-police, it is not a movement to say African-Americans are better than anyone else. This movement it quite the opposite.

Conservative Media and Black Lives Matter

Looking through the conservative media, we can see many different approaches. Fox News and many other right wing sources have worked their words to say that people in Black Lives Matterhate police officers. This is obviously not true. As a member of the movement I do not hate police officers, nor do I condone the killing of police officers. Matter of fact, I have family and friends who work or know people who work for police departments across the United States.

People live Rush Limbaugh go onto their live radio show and state that “Black Lives Matter was exactly who they are then as who they are today. They’re a terrorist group. They’re quickly becoming a terrorist group committing hate crimes.” Limbaugh is calling Black Lives Matter a “terrorist group” which is incorrect. The movement is not a terrorist group because Black Lives Matter does not seek to kill police officers.

What is seen with conservative media is that they use small events to generalize and marginalize a whole group. For example, when Omar Marteen killed 49 gay and lesbian Americans in Pulse Night Club, conservatives flocked to “radical Islam” as the reason for their death. When it came to the killing of five officers in Dallas they blamed the Black Lives Matter movement as the cause. Conservatives are wrong because it is stereotypical and generalization which paints all people one specific way.

Conservatives media is hurting the movement. Looking through past records and thought news published about Black Lives Matter, people like Bill O’Reilly are trying to see the issue as hate and racism. In an interview with two commentators, Bill O’Reilly tries to push people to call the movement a “hate group”.

Sean Hannity has even called the movement a “radical movement.” It it is not a radical idea and the movement does not believe that the only lives that matter are black lives.

What Conservatives Have To Say About Dallas

In Dallas, activist with Black Lives Matter have condemned the attacks. However, many people have still called the group a hate group and a terrorist organization. Former congressman from Illinois’ 8th Congressional District Joe Walsh made his views clear about the issue:

Walsh calls the killer an “uneducated black thug” which here shows his inner racism. Something else that conservative media does to make Black Lives Matter look bad They make it seem that it is full of rowdy uneducated thugs and predators. It shows how closed minded conservatives are and that they are showing their true beliefs that black people in this movement are nothing but thugs and threats to society.

He also expressed this tweet — that has since been deleted — what we see in conservative media and in the conservative base. However, this is not the only time Joe Walsh has expressed many hateful remarks against Black Lives Matter. Just as a note Walsh has apologized and “clarified” his tweet shown here.

The Use of #AllLivesMatter

When it comes to the hashtag and statement #AllLivesMatter, the political right tries to use it against Black Lives Matter to create a false facade and justify that the group only cares about African-Americans. Referring to the statement of All Lives Matter it “essentially saying the sky is blue,” said internet celebrity and LGBT blogger Chris Crocker in a Facebook post, “You’re not saying anything we don’t know.” The use of All Lives Matter is essentially repeating things that is common since. Though Chris has stated that facts show more African-Americans are involved in police encounters then Caucasians (this does not just mean killing of unarmed men and women).

Another example, to All Lives Matter is this video titled All Lives Matter which basically uses an analogy of a man not getting his plate and is played out similarly to many All Lives Matter vs. Black Lives Matter debates.

Lastly, think about this. A man comes home and sees his neighbors house on fire. The man, who’s house is on fire, asks for help and the the other one responds “we should care exactly equal at all times about everything.” He begins to spray the house that isn’t on fire and exclaims “all houses matter.” We all know that all houses matter but the one that is on fire deserves more attention. This strip below mainly makes the All Lives Matter Argument look silly and incorrect.

The Black Lives Matter movement is not ignoring the issue of other races. The movement is making it aware to people that African-Americans are still struggling and hurting in present day America. If people use this argument against the Black Lives Matter Movement, then why not target a Jewish organization, Feminist group, Christian organization or an LGBT group as well? The reason is because the movement under Black Lives Matter is being targeted by ignorance, and underlying racism about the struggle of African-Americans in the United States.

Will The Movement End After Dallas?

The killing that occurred in Dallas was a tragedy. It was conducted by someone who I can say, yes, was upset about the divide between police officers and the African-American community, but his actions were uncalled for and extreme. As stated before the movement condemned his actions and does not call for the death of police officers.

“Because ultimately if you can rebuild trust between communities and the police departments that serve them, that helps us solve crime problems. That will make life easier for police officers.” — President Barack Obama

In the past few days, President Obama has came out with remarks on the killings of Philando Castile and Alton Stirling and has touched on the progress of the task force he created which is composed of “ civil rights activists and community leaders, […] law enforcement officials, police captains, [and] sheriffs.” Without the leadership of the Black Lives Matter movement, this task force would not have existed. The movement has brought up the issue of Body Cameras as a solution and it has worked in many cases.

The incidents in the past that have been used to paint to movement negatively will not hurt Black Lives Matter at all and it will not stop it. One prime example was the Civil Rights Movement which saw peaceful leaders and leaders who preferred violence and alternative ways to reach the common goal. Even though these incidents have occurred, the movement will not end. I think it will grow stronger and improve overtime. Yes it isn’t perfect but as time goes on it will grow and improve on its message.