forum BLACK LIVES MATTER!
Started by @Brooklyn_Is_Here
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people_alt 64 followers

@Brooklyn_Is_Here

I haven't seen anyone on this website make a thread yet, but then again I come back pretty late and I don't know what I missed.
Anyways it is always important to be educated, especially with all the events that are happening today.

The Black Lives Matter Movement is a movement to end racial discrimination, racial bias, and just generally racial bias towards Black People because of Police Brutality. This isn't about White Vs Black, it's about Everyone Vs. Racism and Police Brutality.

But don't "All Lives Matter?"
You're right, all lives do matter and that is the end goal. However, by saying "All Lives Matter" it implies that all lives are at the same level of risk which is not true. Black Lives Matter was created to bring awareness that Black Lives were explicitly at risk. All Lives Matter was only created after Black Lives Matter meaning that the phrase was only used to invalidate and silence Black Lives. By saying Black Lives Matter we're not saying that Black Lives matter more than other lives, we're saying that Black LIves are just as important as other lives.

What about the rioting?
Let's get one thing straight here. The rioters and the protesters are 2 separate groups. The rioters are usually white supremacists, people hired to make the protesters look bad, opportunistic people, and even the police themselves causing damage to property. There are even videos of protesters handing over rioters to the police. If anything, the police are the ones who are being violent and escalating the situation even more by shooting protesters AND MEDICS (Shooting medics is a war crime.)
with rubber bullets, spraying pepper spray and mace, and throwing tear gas.

What has all this protesting accomplished?

  • In 10 days, Minneapolis bans use of chokeholds
  • Charges are upgraded on Officer Derek Chauvin and the other officers are now charged.
  • Dallas adopts a "duty to intervene" where if an officer is using an inappropriate use of force, other officers have to step in.
  • New Jersey is going to update its Use Of Force Guidelines which is the 1st time that it has happened in 2 DECADES
  • Los Angeles City Council motions to reduce LAPD's 1.8 billion budget.
  • In a lot of cities, any kind of Police Brutality Caught on Camera will lead to immediate suspensions and firing.
  • MBTA in Boston stops transporting Riot Police to protests.
  • Monuments celebrating Confederates are being torn down or removed.
  • The street in front of the White House is now renamed to "Black Lives Matter Plaza".
  • Along with the mass awakening of race and privilege.

Well if He/She/They didn't do that, they would still be alive.
Well, that's the problem, that's what people always say when something like this happens. The truth is, the "Ifs" keep on changing. IF you didn't resist arrest, you would have still been alive. IF you didn't run away from the cops, you would have still been alive. IF you weren't 12 years old and didn't have a toy gun in the middle of a park, you would have still been alive. IF you weren't wearing a hoodie, you would have still been alive. IF you didn't have Skittles, you would have still been alive. If you weren't sleeping in your bed as a black woman, you would have still been alive. There is one common thread with all the IFs, if you weren't black, maybe you'll still be alive.

What's the Meaning behind "Defund the Police?"
When we say defund the police, we don't mean to get rid of them entirely. Defund the Police means reallocating or redirecting funding away from police departments to other government agencies funded by the local municipality. It DOES NOT mean abolish the police. Police Officers generally go through 800 hours of firearm training and only a few on de-escalation tactics and a majority of calls to the police are mental health issues. The duties of a police officer focus on protecting people and property. By redirecting the funds to education, therapists, etc, we are by reducing the likely hood of crime. Expanding mental health access and education to help build up poor communities instead of criminalizing them is one way of doing this. If anything, it takes the pressure off the police and allows them to do their job. New response teams can be created to get people the help instead of sending the police to things that don't need the police.
More Poverty=More Crime
Reallocating money to address poverty instead of increasing policing=Less Crime

  • Fun Fact: Did you know that Police Officers are not required to take de-escalation training depending on where they are?

Not All Cops are bad.
You are right, not all cops are bad, but not all cops are good either. There might be a "few bad apples", but a few bad apples spoil the bunch. There's this term y'all have probably heard about already but its call ACAB ( All Cops Are Bastard or All Cops Are Bad.) The ADL (Anti-Defamation-League) clarifies that ACAB doesn't mean that each police officer as an individual person is nasty, sadistic, dishonest, etc. It means that every police officer is bounded by their job as an agent of the state. and this causes cops to act like "bastards"-whether or not they want to. Police Departments and their actively unjust behavior are favored over homelessness, education, wages, and more when it comes to funding.

What about Black on Black Crime?
The majority of black people murdered are killed by other black people. That’s true, but also misleading. The overwhelming majority of white murder victims each year are killed by white assailants. So, when’s the last time you heard the term “white on white crime?” As shocking as it may be for some to hear, people generally commit crimes against people they know or live near. Which just means that people usually just kill people of the same race. None of this necessarily means a black person being killed by another black person is more or less significant than if they were killed by a police officer. Death is death and murder is murder.

Yet, what if it were captured on video? Could a victim’s family take solace in knowing evidence exists for that person to be prosecuted? That’s usually the case. But that may not matter for George Floyd. It certainly didn’t matter in the cases of Eric Garner or Tamir Rice.

What is someone supposed to do when you can be murdered legally? When police can harass you and then choke you out because you’re selling loose cigarettes or when a cop can kneel on your neck as you cry out “I can’t breathe" while his colleagues stand by and watch.

But, Brooklyn, Black people commit more crime than White People.
Black people make up about 13% of the population and yet people say the black people commit 50% of the crime?
Either
A. Black People are just more likely to be violent
or
B. The Statistics are wrong
Now let's take a look at option B. Black people incarcerated 7 times more likely than white people. This means that even though they both might've of did the same crime, black people are more likely to both go to jail and spend more time in jail. Better yet, police are often in minority neighborhoods, than they are in whites because of over-policing.
Let's say that we have 2 neighborhoods, ones white and ones black and the black one is a little poor, but that being the case, poor neighborhoods tend to commit more crime, so the police chief says "Ok, we're going to direct more resources to the black neighborhood." Then another 5 years roll around and another crime study is done on both the black and white neighborhoods. It turns out that in spite of the fact that the police are over-represented in the black community, the black community is now committing more crimes, not fewer crimes than before. The reason for that is because the police are there to catch more crimes, but what that also means that the community will continue it's cycle of impoverishment.

Is our system inherently racist?
In every level of our criminal justice system, black people are treated disproportionately poorly and make up about 40% of the incarcerated population. They are more likely to be stopped by Stop and Frisk Procedures, more likely to be stopped by police while driving, and more likely to be sentenced to the death penalty. Black Americans are also 3 times more likely to be killed by the police when stopped. Remember the factors that lead to disproportionate criminality amongst Black Americans include underfunded public programs, redlining, generalized poverty, bad schooling, and other factors that can be traced to racial bias. So Yes, our system is racist.

How to Help

  • If you have no money to donate, a woman named Zoe Amira posted a video on youtube about Black Lives Matter. The video is an hour long and all the ad revenue you create by watching will be dispersed between various BLM organizations. It will be split between the following, dependent on necessity. You don't even need to watch it, just mute it and play it in the background while you're doing something. There are also other videos and playlists you can listen/watch on youtube that are also donating to BLM.

  • Sign Petitions
    -https://www.change.org/p/andy-beshear-justice-for-breonna-taylor?source_location=discover_feed

  • Go out and Protest!
    https://2020protests.com/ This is a website that shows you the protests that are happening/going to happen in your state right now! However, remember when going out to wear a mask, keep 6ft if you can, and be safe! Swim goggles protect from pepper spray, mace, and teargas. Soak A bandana and wrap it around your mouth, it's not perfect, but it will help to keep the teargas from getting in your systems. Also, keep as much of your skin covered as possible since the gas is an irritant along with keeping your face and tattoos hidden in order to avoid recognition. If teargassed, apply water with 2 teaspoons of baking soda directly to your eyes by starting at the inner corner and moving out to rinse. Record everything and whatever happens, DO NOT INCITE VIOLENCE. If someone is bleeding, take a cloth and apply as much pressure as possible until help arrives. You actually want to pack the wound and stuff the cloth inside in order to stop the bleeding. Only use a tourniquet if they will bleed to death.

  • Websites you can go to
    www.blacklivesmatter.carrd.co
    www.lettersforblacklives.com
    https://www.babynames.com/about/black-lives-matter.php

  • If you can, VOTE!!! Your vote is also important in determining the outcome of this movement. And NO, DON'T GO VOTING 3RD PARTY OR FOR KANYE BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO SPLIT THE VOTE. IT'S NOT VIABLE IN OUR 2 PARTY SYSTEM AND WILL RESULT IN YOU THROWING AWAY YOUR VOTE.

  • Also do not believe everything you see on the news, especially Fox News, instead, search and look at on the ground videos of people actually there.

SAY THEIR NAME
EMMETT TILL - MEDGAR EVERS - GEORGE JUNIUS STINNEY JR. - DR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR - HENRY SMITH - JOHN CRAWFORD III - MICHAEL BROWN - EZELL FORD - DANTE PARKER - MICHELLE CUSSEAUX - MARY TURNER - LAQUAN MCDONALD - MALCOLM X - TANISHA ANDERSON - AKAI GURLEY - TAMIR RICE - RUMAIN BRISBON - JERAME REID - MATTHEW AJIBADE - JAMES N. POWELL JR. - FRANK SMART - ERNEST LACY - NATASHA MCKENNA - TONY ROBINSON - ANTHONY HILL - MYA HALL - PHILLIP WHITE - ERIC HARRIS - WALTER SCOTT - WILLIAM CHAPMAN II - ALEXIA CHRISTIAN - BRENDON GLENN - VICTOR MANUEL LAROSA - JONATHAN SANDERS - FREDDIE CARLOS GRAY JR. - JOSEPH MANN - SALVADO ELLSWOOD - SANDRA BLAND - ALBERT JOSEPH DAVIS - DARRIUS STEWART - BILLY RAY DAVIS - SAMUEL DUBOSE - MICHAEL SABBIE - BRIAN KEITH DAY - CHRISTIAN TAYLOR - TROY ROBINSON - ASSHAMS PHAROAH MANLEY - MICHAEL STEWART - FELIX KUMI - KEITH HARRISON MCLEOD - JUNIOR PROSPER - LAMONTEZ JONES - PATERSON BROWN - DOMINIC HUTCHINSON - ANTHONY ASHFORD - ALONZO SMITH - TYREE CRAWFORD - INDIA KAGER - LA?VANTE BIGGS - MICHAEL LEE MARSHALL - JAMAR CLARK - RICHARD PERKINS - PHILLIP PANNELL - NATHANIEL HARRIS PICKETT - BENNI LEE TIGNOR - MIGUEL ESPINAL - MICHAEL NOEL - KEVIN MATTHEWS - BETTIE JONES - QUINTONIO LEGRIER - KEITH CHILDRESS JR. - JANET WILSON - RANDY NELSON - ANTRONIE SCOTT - WENDELL CELESTINE - DAVID JOSEPH - CALIN ROQUEMORE - DYZHAWN PERKINS - CHRISTOPHER DAVIS - MARCO LOUD - JAMES BYRD JR. - PETER GAINES - TORREY ROBINSON - DARIUS ROBINSON - KEVIN HICKS - MARY TRUXILLO - DEMARCUS SEMER - AMADOU DIALLO - WILLIE TILLMAN - TERRILL THOMAS - DEMETRIUS DUBOSE - ALTON STERLING - PHILANDO CASTILE - TERENCE CRUTCHER - PAUL O?NEAL - ALTERIA WOODS - BOBBY RUSS - JORDAN EDWARDS - AARON BAILEY - RONELL FOSTER - STEPHON CLARK - COREY CARTER - ANTWON ROSE II - TAYLER ROCK - MALICE GREEN - RAMARLEY GRAHAM - ELIJAH MCCLAIN - AIYANA STANLEY JONES - BOTHAM JEAN - PAMELA TURNER - DOMINIQUE CLAYTON - SEAN BELL - ATATIANA JEFFERSON - JEMEL ROBERSON - JAMES LEE ALEXANDER - RYAN MATTHEW SMITH - DERRICK AMBROSE JR. - ADDIE MAE COLLINS - CAROL DENISE MCNAIR - CAROLE ROBERTSON - CYNTHIA WESLEY - NICHOLAS HEYWARD JR. - CHRISTOPHER WHITFIELD - WILLIE MCCOY - VICTOR WHITE III - MARCUS DEON SMITH - CHAVIS CARTER - MARTIN LEE ANDERSON - CHRISTOPHER MCCORVEY - BRADLEY BLACKSHIRE - TIMOTHY THOMAS - REGINALD DOUCET JR. - DANROY "DJ" HENRY JR. - KARVAS GAMBLE JR. - ERIC REASON - KORRYN GAINES - REKIA BOYD - KIONTE SPENCER - DARIUS TARVER - WAYNE ARNOLD JONES - MANUEL ELLIS - VICTOR DUFFY JR. - KOBE DIMOCK-HEISLER - CLINTON R. ALLEN - DONTRE HAMILTON - TIMOTHY CAUGHMAN - SYLVILLE SMITH - COREY JONES - TYRE KING - ERIC GARNER - MILES HALL - KENDRICK JOHNSON - CHARLEENA LYLES - MICHAEL LORENZO DEAN- TRAYVON MARTIN - RENISHA MCBRIDE - KIWANE CARRINGTON - OSCAR GRANT III - BREONNA TAYLOR - KALIEF BROWDER - DARRIEN HUNT - TROY HODGE - WILLIAM GREEN - AHMAUD ARBERY - DION JOHNSON - TONY MCDADE - andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer) KEARSE - JAMEL FLOYD - GEORGE FLOYD - RAYSHARD BROOKS - ITALIA MARIE KELLY - DAVID MCATEE - CHRIS BEATY

THIS IS NOT POLITICS, THESE ARE HUMAN RIGHTS

@stolenbrocoli group

THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT !!!!!
thank you for taking the time to educate people. i haven't seen any blm threads on here either. it's really good that you covered common misconceptions (acab, defund the police, etc.) because those being misunderstood sometimes contribute to the hate of the movement so much !

@Brooklyn_Is_Here

Hey, as I said earlier, it's really important to educate people instead of starting fights about the matter. If anything, it's a pleasure.

Also another point I've heard and didn't address in my first post

This isn't the right way to protest!
Ok well then tell me, what is the right way to protest? When Colin Kaepernick took a knee on that field to peacefully protest, that wasn't the right way to protest. When people are assembling using their 1st amendment to protest Black Lives Matter, that wasn't the right way to protest. When people are looting and burning, that wasn't the right way to protest. People keep saying MLK would have never wanted this, but he said that Riots were the Language of the Unheard. Now I don't support the Riots, but instead of criticizing them, why don't you look at the reason they're happening in the first place?

@WriteOutofTime

BROOKLYN YOU'RE A QUEEN
thank you so much for this post omg wait i'm going to go to the appreciation chat and mention you
this is so beneficial, breaks things down really clearly, and addresses so much.
seriously, thank you!!!!

@south-is-a-tad-bit-outraged

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! this information is so incredibly helpful and so well worded. you're amazing!! also, thanks so much for the 2020 protests site, because that's helpful for someone like me who lives in a small town in a small state who tries to go to as many protests as possible

@Brooklyn_Is_Here

Hey @andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer) , do you think it would be possible to pin this thread? It's always important for people to educate themselves on what's happening and it would be easier for people to access instead of going through pages and pages of threads.

(I'm also doing this to bump this thread up so people can see it.)

Deleted user

don't all lives matter no matter the color or race?

(yes I get the slogan and the reason for it just asking)

@Brooklyn_Is_Here

Like I said before
Yes all Lives Matter, that is the end goal
However, right now not all lives matter
However, right now, black people are explicitly at risk and are currently being lynched.
We have to take it one step at a time here, the government ain't going all yee for Black Lives so why would they for other lives.
All LIves Will Matter when Black Lives Matter.
It like if you have two children, one of them gets a cut and the other one has a heart attack. Of course, both of them need medical attention, but the one with the heart attack will get it first because of how serious and dire of the situation.
Do you get what I'm saying here?

Deleted user

This is amazing! Thank you, Brooklyn for sharing all this. It really informed me more about what is happening. I really appreciate this.

@Max_Miracle_DroppedMostOfTheirRPs

Like I said before
Yes all Lives Matter, that is the end goal
However, right now not all lives matter
However, right now, black people are explicitly at risk and are currently being lynched.
We have to take it one step at a time here, the government ain't going all yee for Black Lives so why would they for other lives.
All LIves Will Matter when Black Lives Matter.
It like if you have two children, one of them gets a cut and the other one has a heart attack. Of course, both of them need medical attention, but the one with the heart attack will get it first because of how serious and dire of the situation.
Do you get what I'm saying here?

This is so far my favorite explanation of this

@ccb group

this is an AWESOME resource and you rock for writing+compiling this. popping in to say i’ve been to a few blm protests now, and while i’m by no means an expert, if anyone wants protest safety advice i’m around

@ninja_violinist

this is all well researched and neatly compiled!! thank you so much for creating this!
(I've been researching the implications of BLM and the history of racism in various European countries, so if anyone wants resources on that feel free to hit me up!)

@Brooklyn_Is_Here

Don't worry dude, I totally feel you, I've been trying to educate this person about why they shouldn't say ALM, but they kept ignoring me.

@ccb group

Don't worry dude, I totally feel you, I've been trying to educate this person about why they shouldn't say ALM, but they kept ignoring me.

oh? who was that

@Brooklyn_Is_Here

Don't worry dude, I totally feel you, I've been trying to educate this person about why they shouldn't say ALM, but they kept ignoring me.

oh? who was that

hm not sure

@Brooklyn_Is_Here

You know what? That's completely fine, you acknowledged your mistake, you educated yourself, and you got better, that's all that counts.

@Brooklyn_Is_Here

I would let to have a gentle reminder that BLM is NOT a trend, it is something that has been happening for decades, and even though it's "dying" down doesn't mean it's still happening.

@ccb group

(hi brooklyn i don't want to derail or over-politicize this but would it be okay if a shared a link to a blm/police brutality related petition based in my city? we're trying to stop the construction of a new police station in a neighborhood where 1. crime has gone down since the police have left and 2. police tear-gassed and threatened peaceful protesters with snipers on the roof of a target store just a month ago (i was there lol). they aren't consulting any community organizers or community outreach programs)