In the first and second parts of my analysis on the “#Black Lives Matter” movement, I focused on their calls to action and tried to understand their goals. You can read Analysis 1 and Analysis 2 to understand how I have come to the conclusion that not only do they seem to be evolving into a black separatist group, but they blatantly marginalize other blacks, specifically women, the disabled and non-cisgender individuals.
We have already determined that their goals—though ambiguous—advocate for black nationalism, civil rights and affirmative action policies. These nebulous goals reflect their actions which are equally as unfocused, though they certainly do not lack motivation.
I once had a conversation with one of my black liberal coworkers after the shooting of Michael Brown in 2014. I remember not long after Brown’s death, the movement began to spread rapidly. After the Missouri grand jury decided not to indict the officer that shot Michael Brown, #blacklivesmatter protestors began rioting in the streets:
"As news of the decision spread, protesters surged forward, throwing objects at officers in riot gear. The sound of gunfire could be heard. Police officers used tear gas and smoke to disperse people who were hurling rocks and breaking the windows of parked police cruisers. A vehicle was set on fire. At least a dozen buildings were set on fire around the city, many in the vicinity of Ferguson Market and Liquor, the store Michael Brown was in before he was killed by Officer Wilson, "the New York Times reported.
As I watched in horror while these protestors destroyed the city, I could only imagine what people who actually lived there were feeling. I asked my coworker, “Why are they doing this? Not only is rioting unproductive, but they are destroying their community!” His response to me was very simple. He told me that that the common belief among black people was that the officer should have been indicted. According to a Pew Research Poll, 80 percent of black people thought that the grand jury had made the wrong decision, whereas only 23 percent of white people thought the decision was wrong as well.
As someone with a son himself, my coworker deeply commiserated with Michael Brown’s family. I remember he told me, “That could have been my son. Now I have to fear that when my son walks down the street, he could potentially be killed by the people who are supposed to protect him, just because he is black.”
While conspiracy theories continue to spread about whether or not the decision was biased, the case has not been overturned, though the officer has since resigned his position. Whether or not such theories are true, I objectively cannot disagree with my coworker for feeling that way. If I believed that my race had prevented justice in the case, I would have been just as upset. Racism, however, is a very difficult belief to uncover. Most people would be unwilling to divulge that they had racist beliefs because racism is not welcome in our society. How then can you prove someone is a racist? You simply cannot. We cannot look into the minds of others and uncover their secrets. You may be able to make a strong argument that they are racist, but we can never be definitively sure without a confession.
While writing that is easy, telling it to my coworker is much more difficult. I’m sure many other black people have felt as he did, and that is why the movement has grown to such proportions. While I can agree with my coworker for the most part, I cannot condone a movement like #blacklivesmatter. Hypocrisy and the roots of black separatism lie within the movement’s foundations. Moreover, the tactics they have been using in response to police brutality, have been just as brutal, or even more so.
They have blocked ambulances from getting to hospitals, attacked innocent people (simply for supporting Donald Trump), veterans, routinely threatened conservatives, disrespected police and attacks against officers have increased dramatically.
If this group was really hoping to achieve peace, they would not be causing more chaos. If they were trying to do something constructive, they would not destroy cities. Right now, they only seem to be seeking retribution. Whether or not their actions are justified is not a question. Because they have chosen not to define a clear goal for themselves, we cannot measure their effectiveness, but right now, they only seem to be effective in attacking innocent people.