I'm A White Cop and I Support Black Lives Matter

[TheDeuce]

On Friday morning, I woke up and deactivated my Facebook account, frustrated by the highly charged rhetoric coming from friends and activists on opposing sides of the Black Lives Matter versus Blue Lives Matter divide. Over the weekend, in the wake of the Dallas shootings, I watched along with the rest of the country as renewed protests and hundreds of arrests took place. The stark exposure of our national fault lines is distressing, and while there is hope, you have to search hard to find it.

 

I'm a retired police professional, a 20-year veteran of California law enforcement. I'm also a criminal justice reform activist, a board member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). So the diversity of my social media friends reflects my values—values that now appear to be at war with each other.

 

I greatly fear that the violence of this past week will further exacerbate the deep divides in our society. The loss of five police officers protecting Black Lives Matter protesters in Dallas can now be added to the losses of the scores of people of color, including Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge and Philando Castile in Minnesota, who have recently fallen victim to the troubling state of police-community relations in America—and yes, in too many cases, to law enforcement strategies based on structural racism. Every one of these deaths is not only tragic in itself, but also further poisons relations and entrenches opinions.

 

I’m a White Cop and I Support Black Lives Matter | VICE | United States

[75center]

Voice of reason.

[jericho]

I'm with him.

I agree with the reasoning of BLM. But they allowed the rhetoric and media exploit the bad things people said show all the hate and allow people to only think it was a hate thing. Which leads to white cops and sometimes other race of cop get hunted and killed.

 

If BLM main leaders would have a lot stronger louder vice and condem the media and others for this hate speeches and protest they have then maybe some could understand better.

[hidinout]

Author mentions Sterling and Castille mentioning some state of " troubling state of police community relations " Why not allow the facts to come out in both cases before taking any stance ? Why assume the officers were out of line or did something wrong ? Maybe they did , let justice play out in the court room first Am I wrong ?

[Clyde]

BLM is a concept.

 

Who are the real leaders? Who is the President? Is there a board?

[LIPTON BASH]

BLM is a concept.

 

Who are the real leaders? Who is the President? Is there a board?

 

I've found this argument to be a cop out and an excuse for people who participate who get out of line. For better or worse every organzation , movement or group through out history is judged by the actions of their participants. Whether the greater message disagrees with the bad behavior if the bad behavior is allowed to continue then rightfully they will be judged.

 

Every reasonable American can agree black lives matter , they matter equally to my life as a white man. That concept isn't the issue and has never been. It's the actions of some in the movement , words of some in the movement , or behavior that people disagree with.

 

I've read and heard that their civil disobiendence should make me feel uncomfortable. If your actions are intended to make me feel uncomfortable whether it's blocking a highway illegally or disrupting people out dining and shaming them if they don't agree. Well then don't act shocked when there is public backlash. Believe it or not people don't like that.

 

The movement can't have it both ways . You can't say there is no leadership or defined membership. Then when people committ violence in the name of BLM or destroy property then in turn try to act like they aren't a part of the movement.

 

If you want a clear message and your goals to be reach then have a clear leadership and defined message. The guilt approach and everyone who disagrees with you is racist or evil isn't working.

[halfback20]

BLM is a concept.

 

Who are the real leaders? Who is the President? Is there a board?

 

Didnt a group of "leaders" visit Obama at the White House? Like LB said, that's a cop out.

[Clyde]

I've found this argument to be a cop out and an excuse for people who participate who get out of line. For better or worse every organzation ' date=' movement or group through out history is judged by the actions of their participants. Whether the greater message disagrees with the bad behavior if the bad behavior is allowed to continue then rightfully they will be judged. Every reasonable American can agree black lives matter , they matter equally to my life as a white man. That concept isn't the issue and has never been. It's the actions of some in the movement , words of some in the movement , or behavior that people disagree with. I've read and heard that their civil disobiendence should make me feel uncomfortable. If your actions are intended to make me feel uncomfortable whether it's blocking a highway illegally or disrupting people out dining and shaming them if they don't agree. Well then don't act shocked when there is public backlash. Believe it or not people don't like that. The movement can't have it both ways . You can't say there is no leadership or defined membership. Then when people committ violence in the name of BLM or destroy property then in turn try to act like they aren't a part of the movement. If you want a clear message and your goals to be reach then have a clear leadership and defined message. The guilt approach and everyone who disagrees with you is racist or evil isn't working.[/quote']

 

Who are the leaders? Shaun King? Is he the person "allowing" these actions to continue?

[ggclfan]

I've found this argument to be a cop out and an excuse for people who participate who get out of line. For better or worse every organzation , movement or group through out history is judged by the actions of their participants. Whether the greater message disagrees with the bad behavior if the bad behavior is allowed to continue then rightfully they will be judged.

 

Every reasonable American can agree black lives matter , they matter equally to my life as a white man. That concept isn't the issue and has never been. It's the actions of some in the movement , words of some in the movement , or behavior that people disagree with.

 

I've read and heard that their civil disobiendence should make me feel uncomfortable. If your actions are intended to make me feel uncomfortable whether it's blocking a highway illegally or disrupting people out dining and shaming them if they don't agree. Well then don't act shocked when there is public backlash. Believe it or not people don't like that.

 

The movement can't have it both ways . You can't say there is no leadership or defined membership. Then when people committ violence in the name of BLM or destroy property then in turn try to act like they aren't a part of the movement.

 

If you want a clear message and your goals to be reach then have a clear leadership and defined message. The guilt approach and everyone who disagrees with you is racist or evil isn't working.

 

I absolutely love this post LB. Spot on.

[ggclfan]

Who are the leaders?

 

Shaun King?

 

How does Obama know who from BLM to invite to the White House?

[Clyde]

How does Obama know who from BLM to invite to the White House?

 

My guess is he invited the high profile members.

 

The argument put forth is that BLM "allows" certain actions.

 

I'm asking who is allowing them and how are they allowing them?

 

This is like saying Trump allows beatings at his rallies or HRC allows protesting at Trump rallies or Republicans allow racist comments online.

[Clyde]

Did Trump allow Sen King to say no group has contributed to society as much as whites?

[LIPTON BASH]

Did Trump allow Sen King to say no group has contributed to society as much as whites?

 

You are making very bad analogies.

 

If you read my post part of my point is the lack of leadership is part of the problem.

[Jumper_Dad]

There is a vacuum of leadership, I agree with LB on that. There is no voice that demands respect from both sides that can speak truth to power and be listened to, while also being able to tell the followers of when they are wrong...that this isn't a case to hang our hats on.

[Clyde]

You are making very bad analogies.

 

If you read my post part of my point is the lack of leadership is part of the problem.

 

This is what you said and seems to be what you base the "lack of leadership" upon:

 

 

Whether the greater message disagrees with the bad behavior if the bad behavior is allowed to continue then rightfully they will be judged.

 

So how does someone who leads a group/represents a group/is the face of the group allow bad behavior to happen?

 

You have a Republican senator make the quote I gave you. He's part of a group. Should we condemn that group's lack of leadership?

 

How can whomever you think is the "leadership" of BLM stop what some who use the BLM moniker from doing what they do? What would true leadership do in this type of disorganized-at-best group?