Black Lives Matter is Under Attack

If Black Lives Matter is responsible for so much good, then why on Earth are they trying to link it to hate groups similar to the KKK? Because Black Lives Matter is working.
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'Black Lives Matter' is drawn on the ground in chalk as protesters demonstrate against racism in the 'Reclaim MLK' march January 19, 2015 in outside the Ferguson Police Department in Ferguson, Missouri. Critics of police treatment of minority residents in the US took part in various demonstrations across the country coinciding with the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, an American federal holiday marking the influential American civil rights leader's birthday. AFP PHOTO / MICHAEL B. THOMAS (Photo credit should read Michael B. Thomas/AFP/Getty Images)
'Black Lives Matter' is drawn on the ground in chalk as protesters demonstrate against racism in the 'Reclaim MLK' march January 19, 2015 in outside the Ferguson Police Department in Ferguson, Missouri. Critics of police treatment of minority residents in the US took part in various demonstrations across the country coinciding with the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, an American federal holiday marking the influential American civil rights leader's birthday. AFP PHOTO / MICHAEL B. THOMAS (Photo credit should read Michael B. Thomas/AFP/Getty Images)

Black Lives Matter has come under attack due to recent high profile back-to-back murders of two journalists live on air in Virginia and a deputy in Houston. Both murders were absolutely wrong, despicable and unjustifiable, and both were committed by black men who seem to be suffering from or had a history of mental illness. These men were troubled, isolated loners with inaccurate distortions of victimization that contributed to their decision to murder innocent people. The same rhetoric has been said about Dylan Roof and Adam Lanza, when combined killed almost 30 people. Yet, the murders committed by two black men are being erroneously linked to a movement and it's appalling to make that connection. And it's even more disturbing to paint this movement as a hate group.

At its core, Black Lives Matter doesn't even endorse violence, gunning down police or killing innocent people. Rather, this movement highlights how some blacks have unfairly died as a result of excessive police force and brutality. It galvanizes and unites both young and old via social media and grassroots efforts to push for further investigation into cases such as Sandra Bland, Eric Garner and Freddie Gray to name a few. Black Lives Matter has been at the forefront of pushing for the installation of body cameras on all officers to ensure the truth is being accurately reported in the arrests of blacks. Lately, Black Lives Matter has been responsible for pushing the agenda of police accountability to politicians running for local and national office, and it has been responsible for healthy changes in policing practices and policies.

If Black Lives Matter is responsible for so much good, then why on Earth are they trying to link it to hate groups similar to the KKK? Well let me explain, because it's fairly simple. Black Lives Matter is working. However, the powers that be don't want to see change occur and they are opposed to Big Brother breathing down the necks of cops and holding them accountable for sketchy arrests. Further, they cringe at examination of systemic practices that perpetuate police profiling that create and us versus them dynamic. And the quickest ways to silence a movement and its activism that's working is to disparage its motives and portray the movement as a malignant cancer spreading its message of destruction.

We must stand in solidarity and visibly support Black Lives Matter. We must not be afraid to attend rallies, pledge financial resources and time and stand up against the establishment who's trying to disparage and tear a movement into shreds. We must continue to push its agenda to local and national politicians so they take us seriously and not dismiss us as a fad. If we fail to support Black Lives Matter, then who will stand up for us, if God forbid we one day become the next Sandra Bland or Freddie Gray.

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