Thanks for bringing up this topic. I think it is very important to talk about this topic.
As a Black Male who is a Christian (Identity in Christ), I would say that there are many layers to this.
First there is the name of the movement, which has many connotations.
Second, there is the method of the movement,
and Third there is the goal of the movement.
The name of the movement (Black Lives Matter).
So my understanding is that there are generally two categories ( a gross generalization), those who feel offended by the name and others that seem to empathize.
My understanding is that the issue of police brutality combined with the history of racism in the United States (Slavery, Jim Crow laws, KKK, etc) leaves many African Americans to feel that their lives don't matter. This seems supported by the history including the Dredd Scott Case which ruled that Blacks were 3/5 of a human person. As a result of the history and the many cases of police brutality the Black community feels as if their experience of the law enforcement system is much different from Whites, thus their rallying call is "Black Lives Matter", because their perception is that their current treatment and history shows that their lives don't matter.
There is another category which I observe which feel offended when they hear the term Black Lives Matter, and the response is to say "All Lives Matter" or "Blue Lives Matter". My thoughts is that their perception is that the name "Black Lives Matter" is divisive or is about Black Pride, when in essence we are all one human race.
However when I reflect on the response All Lives Matter or Blue Lives Matter I think such a response is misguided. First, yes we are all one human race but whenever you persecute a people it will lead them to group together for protection. Secondly, the phrase All Lives Matter seems to be a response that seeks to silence discussion rather than dialogue about racism. Normally when one says "All Lives Matter" that is all they say end of discussion. They don't ask, what do you mean by that, or tell me why are you hurting. Thirdly, the response Blue lives matter seems to communicate as if Black are saying lets kill police. In the Black community (Mainstream) the discussion that we have among ourselves is not about killing the police but about being treated as humans by them. We too love the police. No one (Mainstream Black community) Is against the police. We are against police brutality (we all should be). It just so happens that police brutality mostly happens to Blacks so those who don't experience it think it does not exist. During the [HASH=5427]#Me2[/HASH] movement which raised awareness to sexual harassment, if the slogan was "Women's privacy matter" and men were to respond "Everyone's privacy matter" I would think, why are you so threatened by women acknowledging their mistreatment, and I would think, wow you really don't get it do you.
Concerning the method of the movement, the method is mostly protesting and there are also boycotts that are happening. There is a facebook group of 1 +million Black people on facebook, and they have planned various economic boycotts to show economic solitary. For now I think we are talking about the protest. I think protesting is obviously the message of those who don't feel that they are being heard. America has a history of protesting. There was the Boston Tea party for example in which property was destroyed by the citizens but it is celebrated in US history books because the reason for the struggle seemed to condone the method in the eyes of those writing the textbooks.
It seems that some of the protest have turned violent unfortunately but not most. There are thousands of protest that have not turned violent. For example in my town, here there was a BLM protest that was not violent. Actually in our state I think there were over 100 protest in Maryland and I'm only aware of 1 which was violent (In Baltimore City). So I think that the negative ones are over shadowing the many peaceful ones which have no violence at all. As a Christian I don't condone violence however I can understand why people who feel oppressed act that way. Obviously as Christians violence is not our method. The State Massachusetts has on its license plate, "give me liberty of give me death" and people understand. The death connotes (in my opinion) the use of violence to get liberty. However I imagine if the BLM slogan was "give me liberty of give me death" many would be speaking of how it was a terrible slogan. So once again. As Christians violence is not the way, however it seems that society has a difference narrative when different groups use violence.
The goal of the movement is to be treated as humans. To be treated fairly. How can you argue with someone who wants to be treated like a human being? You may argue with their methods or their slogans, but we dare not
as Christians argue with their request to be seen as equal, no matter how misguided we may think their methods are. As a Black man I will say that there are some situations in which the Black Male that was killed
by police was in the wrong. For example, if you are fighting the police, or running away, or reaching for a weapon, or not responding to commands, than you will put your life at risk. Being a police is a dangerous job and society is getting worst. Police officers experience much trauma and often times are quick to shot, and there are many incidences where it is questionable if the Black male was in the right. However, with that said, the statistics seem to show
that even in situations where a white male is running from the Police, they are way least likely to lose their lives. I see news reports where a White man has a gun and shoots 11 people and kills them and the police arrest Him and take him to burger Mcdonalds because he is hungry, than I see a black man, kills no one, is running away and gets shot 20 times; While the White man with the gun who killed 11 people is taken alive. WOW. In the Black community this is what we say, when we hear on the news there is a suspect taken into custody who was shooting, we say, "Ooh He must be White" because if he was Black the police would have killed him. I'm by far one of the less threatening Black Men you'll ever meet but I've had my own incidents of racial profiling and abuse by police ( I won't share now). The news is also very biased. For example when a crime happens if the person is black the headline will say "Black male kill women" but if the criminal is white the race is not mentions but it will say "Man kills women". What I"m trying to get at as I ramble to an end is that though there are some situations where it is questionable what the Black male was doing, however there is a history of police shooting and planting guns. This is why we even had to need to have body cameras because police have been lying so much about what actually happened. This is why so many police departments are under Federal Consent decrees due to their history of police brutality.
In Summary, Black Lives Matter is a movement from my perspective out of a system of racial injustice in America going all the way back to slavery. Laws have changed to make the country less racist but the hearts of many have not changed at the same pace. With Black Lives Matter, The methods are not always the best but let us seek to empathize with our Black brothers who are hurting. Form relationships, love your neighbor, yes the Samaritain. Yes the Black one. Because His life matters to God and it should matter to you also.
. But I take your point and agree. Violent action will never conquer violence. Jesus' way is the way of peace, self-giving and self-sacrifice. Read the exchange between Pilate and Jesus in John's gospel for a study in how the powers of violence are utterly powerless in the presence of selfless goodness.
