Nothing has sparked more controversy in the last five years like the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Some claim that it is the modern civil rights crusade while others argue that it in itself is a new form of racism. Regardless of which opinion people stand with, most would almost definitely agree that the movement is being voiced by those who, traditionally speaking, would not associate themselves with it. Everyone has begun to focus on how politicians respond to BLM, rather than the voices of those affected by BLM. While allies are crucial to BLM, it seems that people are more concerned with how politicians feel about the movement. While it is normal for a presidential hopeful to get in on such an intense topic, there seems to be something more going on behind the scenes. Is it really a good idea for politicians to voice their opinions on the movement?

Here is a small history lesson: As many know, the Black Lives Matter movement did not become insanely popular until the killings of young black men in American cities such as Ferguson, Sanford and Cleveland. These young men, including Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin and Tamir Rice, became martyrs. These killings led to a national outcry, as many began to worry for not only their lives but the lives of their children as well. Many began to fear the police force, and people began to investigate how the force treated minorities. This led to the popularity of the BLM movement, whose goal was not, although many assume this, to make black lives matter more than other lives.

Whenever I Googled the definition of BLM, I was given this: “Black Lives Matter is an international activist movement, originating in the African-American community that campaigns against violence toward black people.” This means that the goal of BLM is to push for racial equality in society and end racial violence, especially in the justice system. While that is important to understand, it is also equally important to acknowledge that not all BLM activists stick to this goal. There are many activists who disregard the peaceful message that BLM promotes in favor of a more radical, and at times violent, approach. However, the primary goal of BLM is to end violence against African-Americans and investigate police brutality.

BLM has pushed for investigations of the force, and their push and media influence has caused many to look for truth. This has done a lot of good, and also a lot of bad. On the good side, many people are now holding police more accountable. The media covers each new case of possible police brutality, so any cop that is accused of this now has to be formally investigated. An example of this is in the case of Senior Deputy Ben Fields, an officer from Columbia, South Carolina, who was seen in a video flipping an African-American student from Spring Valley High School backward on her desk and tossing her across the floor for refusing to leave her math class. The BLM movement took a hold of this case and pushed for action on social media. BLM's media influence paired with the evidence of the video was enough to cause the case to become popular, and Officer Fields was fired from his position soon after the incident. This is only one example of the good that BLM has done, as cops who use excessive force are being investigated.

There has also been some bad done by the BLM movement. While the investigations BLM pushes for could shed light on police brutality, they also caused an almost Salem-esque vibe to be present regarding the force. Instead of calling out witches as in Salem, many cried “racist” while referring to the police. This has led to the possible killings of officers, such as when Deputy Darren Goforth was shot and killed by Shannon Miles, who was said to have killed the officer only on the basis that he was a member of the force. This outraged many, and people began to blame BLM for his death and other officer's deaths.

This has led to the creation of the counter movement, All Lives Matter (ALM), which promotes the end of BLM. This movement is mainly endorsed by white Americans who feel falsely accused of racism and is in direct response to BLM. There are equally good and bad responses to BLM, which is why so many are so passionate about this issue. Many see BLM as a necessary movement while others see it as a war cry against good police officers. This is extremely important to understand before I begin on how politicians have used BLM.

This has been an exciting year for fans of politics. Barack Obama’s last term in office is coming to an end, and presidential hopefuls have been dropping in and out of the race and the American consciousness. While it is still anyone’s game, the leading candidates are Clinton and Sanders on the Democratic side, and Trump and Cruz on the Republican side. These candidates have both inspired and horrified the nation in their own ways, as many have promoted their ideas on hot topics such as immigration and gun control.

Another hot topic that many have been discussing is the Black Lives Matter movement. There is a stark difference in which candidates endorse and denounce the movement. Normally, the Democrats have endorsed it, while the Republicans have denounced it. And while it may be comforting for voters to see which side their hopefuls stand on, the way these candidates use BLM is somewhat alarming. The movement has sparked outrage and sympathy alike, all while being promoted by common people. It is the people’s movement, and candidates using BLM as a tool to get votes is a bit horrifying.

Instead of actually caring about the movement, many politicians have used BLM as a method to win votes. On the Republican side, many candidates have tapped into the anger of falsely accused officers and their supporters. On the Democratic side, candidates have tapped into the rage of scared minorities. Many voters have been lulled into a sense of security by this, as they view these hopefuls as their own personal candidates. Even I have been charmed by certain candidates' views on BLM, but at the end of the day, these politicians are using the movement as a pawn in a much larger game.

These emotional appeals have stirred the pot dramatically, and the two groups of people on either side of BLM are even more against each other than before. And guess what, these politicians know that. They want this to happen. More passion on the subject means more votes, and that’s all that these candidates really want. These votes are more important to politicians than BLM supporters being targeted by ALM activists, and vice versa, more important than the ruined careers of officers, and more important than BLM or ALM themselves. This is terrifying. This means that politicians are putting, at best, the careers, and at worst, the lives of the people who stand with or against BLM at risk.

If this really is the next civil rights campaign, and if history is any indication on how passionate people can get on the subject, then that means more than just angry Facebook posts. It means more than just peaceful marches or sit-ins. It means violence, it means rage, and these politicians don’t care if this happens. If violence is what it takes to get votes then so be it. That is why it is disturbing for politicians to promote or condemn BLM in such a fiery way. Because at the end of the day they are politicians that will do anything to get votes, regardless of the way they influence the people who are voting for them. This is important to realize when considering a candidate.

I suggest that before voting, really take a look at the candidate’s goals and views. Try to see past the veil that they put up and really inspect what they believe in. If they are not aware of how their stance on BLM influences voters, then perhaps a candidate so clueless should not be in office. If they are aware of the influence and use the anger to get votes, then perhaps a candidate so selfish should not be in office. There is nothing wrong with a candidate voicing their views for the right reason, but that reason should not be just to get votes. There might be a candidate who doesn’t want to stir the pot, but until that is clear, keep digging.