Black Lives Matter and Defund the Police
What is BLM really?
The Black Lives Matter movement is the manifestation of many past events, pain, hope, sorrow, loss and steps forward. “Black Lives Matter” is the mantra of the modern civil rights movement of equality and rallying cry against the current casual acceptance of Black deaths. Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi are three women who decided they were done watching the country ignore their cries seven years ago, and since then have helped create the movement as we see it today. The BLM movement is intended to bring awareness and visibility to Black people who’ve been marginalized, gaslighted, brutalized, killed, and ignored. BLM brings this fight for equality to the mainstream media, utilizing platforms like social networks and image and video sharing applications. The public now recognizes the reality that is police brutality and racism in our country through the use of smartphones. Once the ideals and concepts of Black Lives Matter is accepted, practiced, and popular, can we then begin to talk about WHAT and WHO is threatening Black lives, and begin to create change.
Being an Ally as a White Person.
Education on the issues that pertain to Black people is needed in order to stand with the Black community. The knowledge and understanding of the real pain and suffering that many generations of Black lives have endured is crucial, because then what you’re standing for and why you’re standing is clear. Hopping onto the platform of equality and allyship should never be about the bandwagon of social trends, because it is about human lives. Raising awareness of the oppression that has been happening in America for hundreds of years, and is still happening, is a key action in being an ally. A White person holds the invisible power of priviledge, because the color of their skin has not contributed to the difficulty in their life. They can live most of their life unconsciously, with no need to be wary if they are ever a threat to others. White people had a head start in the race of equality, safety, priviledge, and opportunity. The Black man and woman were held behind the finish line for hundreds of years through systemic and systematic racism. Don’t say the N-word, even if a Black person told you to.
A Small History of Police in America
MLK once said that the investment of the militarized complex of the American police system must be reinvested into communities if there is going to be change around equality. Police systems in America are fairly recent, with the first being officially created in Boston, MA to guard and protect goods and shipments in the port town. The fresh idea began to show hints of metaphorical rot after the Civil War, when the Southern states had police forces that patrolled slaves, enforced segregation and disenfranchisement of now-freed slaves. In the 1800’s, all major US cities had police forces to monitor labor-union organizers and large waves of immigrants, who were seen as a cause of concern. Politicians would often delegate and assign police captains and sergeants who would benefit their political agenda. It wasn’t until the early 30’s that President Hoover increased professionalism in police forces. That was less than a century ago. Samuel Walker, an author and crime historian, argues that the push for professional police forces since then has increased tensions between cops and communities, isolated policemen from the public and encouraged an “us vs. them” mentality, and has not done much good.
