Should The 'Black Live Matter' Movement Be Compared To The Civil Rights Movement? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Should The 'Black Live Matter' Movement Be Compared To The Civil Rights Movement?

Many in the Black community feel that, not long ago, their grandparents' generation marched and fought alongside Martin for civil rights, but yet here it is again.

342
Should The 'Black Live Matter' Movement Be Compared To The Civil Rights Movement?

Many of the same social and political ideals and issues have plagued our country since the first white Europeans step foot on our now American soil. However the idea of justice has reign supreme and has had to constantly alter its definition throughout history to fit the criteria of those who seek it. In recent times the Black community is trying to form a more modern definition. Their definition entails the ability to feel safe walking down the street, riding in their automobiles, and living in their home without the “fear” of being executed. Many in the Black community feel just not long ago that that their grandparents generation marched and fought alongside Martin for civil rights, but yet here it is again. Becoming increasingly clear, the recent generations “Black lives Matter” Movement shows evident that the new movement has used some of the same tactics and strategies that were first laid down by the civil rights movement.

The civil rights movement has many milestones: The 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycotts; the start of the sit-in movement at a 1960 Greenboro, North Carolina dinner counter; and The 1963 Birmingham Campaign, which set off a series of lunch counter sit-ins, marches on City Hall and boycotts on downtown merchants to protest segregation. In the times of the civil rights movement many Blacks would invest and buy into Black businesses. In today's current situation those who support the new movement are utilizing protest, sit-ins, and call for big corps to be apart of the solution to help end injustice. Just early in this month More Than 8,000 people have opened up new accounts at Black owned Citizens Trust Bank, according to officials at the black-owned bank in Atlanta to support Black businesses.

Black executives and entrepreneurs have been struck by the Black Lives Matter movement and are demonstrating that black businesses also matter in the fight for social justice. In the past year, a group of two dozen black business leaders donated $1 million to support the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund’s campaign to promote responsible policing of state and local levels policies to bring more accountability for incidents of police brutality. Both movements in these aspects are expressing the “We’re tired and we’re not going to stand for it” strategy. This strategy is peaceful and nonviolent and the proper way of handling things, but yet there are still a few from these movements that are ignorant extremist that the opposition loves to flaunt and scrutinize.

During both of these fights for justice many men and women were lost to bigotry and senselessness, but still these movements fought strong. When we look back at the footage of violent attacks using high-pressure fire hoses and police dogs on men, women and children in 1963 Birmingham; The crowd of thousands at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom; And the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1964 Selma each offering some of the most iconic televised images in history and seeing people coalesce together to fight the disease of bigotry. I like to call this strategy “We are visible and many in Numbers” this tactic is good for getting media coverage and for assembling groups for you cause. The Black Lives Matter many participants have have certainly caught the eye of the media have, but have took their cause to disruptive heights. Several participants within the new movement have been noted interrupt public and private events to gain media exposure. In late 2015 several Black Lives Matter protesters took over a stage at a Seattle rally for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders by taking the mic from him and aggressively expressing their own views. July 9 in Atlanta, a large group of protesters walking out in on traffic over Interstates 75 and 85 without notice and were confronted police, then moved into the Midtown business district. Those protesters conducted that event in a very unsafe and disorganized manner.

The Civil Rights Movement was not just a movement for Black people. That is something that a lot of people are misinformed or forget about. Each of those events in the civil rights events showed people of different creeds and colors and different backgrounds hand and hand. In the midst of those pivotal moments the fervent belief that people of color, Evangelical backgrounds or not, heterosexual or homosexual should be represented in American democracy. Just not one single racial group. I understand that at this time it seems that there is only plight upon the black community, but please do not forget that other innocent non black lives have been lost and we must stand with their loved ones to fight against a faulty cause. In each fight for justice the theme of equality seep through the very core of the cause. Therefore we push our ideals of being individuals aside and stand alongside brothers for a common cause to fight injustice.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Lifestyle

Moana's Top 10 Life Tips

"Moana" is filled with life lessons that involve far more than finding true love as many other Disney movies do.

37465
Animated image of a woman with long dark hair and tattoos
StableDiffusion

1. It's easy to be fooled by shiny things.

Digital image of shiny gemstones in cased in gold. shiny things StableDiffusion

Tamatoa created a liar filled with shiny things simply for the purpose of tricking fish to enter and become his food. He too experiences a lesson in how easy it is to be tricked by shiny things when Moana distracts him by covering herself in glowing algae so Maui can grab his hook.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

7 Types Of Students You Will Meet In College

You wish you could be #5, but you know you're probably a #6.

18335
cool group of lazy college students in class
StableDiffusion

There are thousands of universities around the world, and each school boasts its own traditions and slogans. Some schools pride themselves on sports, while others emphasize their research facilities. While there is a myriad of differences among each and every school, there will always these seven types of students in class.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Rhyme Without Reason Greek Life Function Ideas

When you have no ideas for what to wear to this date function

319188
A dog and a frog
Healthy Pets

I am going to a rhyme without reason date function and I have looked at so many different rhyming words and I figured there need to be a new list of words. At these functions, there are usually at least two rockers and boxers and an umpteenth amount of dogs and frogs. I have come up with a list of creative and unique ideas for these functions.

If you like what you see, get a shopping cart going with these costumes.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

Yoga love

A long over due thank you note to my greatest passion.

31459
A person in a yoga pose surrounded by a supportive community of fellow yogis with a look of peace and gratitude on their face the image should convey the sense of strength mindfulness and appreciation that the writer feels towards yoga
StableDiffusion

Dearest Yoga,

You deserve a great thank you.

Keep Reading...Show less
Arts Entertainment

Epic Creation Myths: Norse Origins Unveiled

What happened in the beginning, and how the heavens were set in motion.

12113
The Norse Creation Myth

Now, I have the everlasting joy of explaining the Norse creation myth. To be honest, it can be a bit kooky, so talking about it is always fun. The entire cosmos is included in this creation myth, not just the earth but the sun and the moon as well. This will be a short retelling, a summary of the creation myth, somewhat like I did with Hermod's ride to Hel.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments