By Ray Cardello for November 16, 2021 Season 7 / Post 7

I have been leery of the Black Lives Matter movement since its inception in 2013. BLM started as an online movement after the death of Trevon Martin.

The name Black Lives Matter signals condemnation of the unjust killings of Black people by Police (Black people are far more likely to be killed by Police in the United States than white people) and the demand that society value the lives and humanity of Black people as much as it values the lives and humanity of white people.

BLM grew its influence by protesting and rioting after tragedies such as the shooting and deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, of course, George Floyd. They claim to be a non-profit political group, and they do lobby, pressure, and coerce local, state, and federal governments to adopt their philosophies. I wrote about the local New Hampshire chapter of BLM’s effort to force our local Select Board to adopt some of their radical views. These included restrictions and increased demands of mandatory community service by officers. The Board gave them their ears and time but fortunately did not bend a knee to the group’s demands.

BLM pushes for the defunding and or abolishment of police departments. In some cities where this has happened, like Minneapolis and Seattle, crime has skyrocketed. Citizens are now calling for departments to be restored. The Squad has been supportive of the BLM and its demands.

As historical statues have come down across the country, some cities have given homage to BLM by painting streets with their logo or naming city areas after the victims of shootings like George Floyd Square in downtown Minneapolis. In my opinion, some cities did this to assuage BLM and to overcompensate for any hint of racism against the BLM group or its beliefs. I think it was wrong and will be difficult ever to reverse.

The actions of BLM are part of our history over the last year or so. We watched in disbelief as some of our major cities had sections destroyed to the cost of billions of dollars, lost businesses, and personal injury. The protest to happenings that in some cases had nothing to do with the city being damaged. The media were in such denial of these riots that correspondents filed reports in front of burning buildings while calling the activities peaceful protests.

The latest action by a member of BLM occurred in New York City last week. Recently, Eric Adams, a former member of the NYPD, was elected mayor primarily on a promise of supporting the Police and restoring law and order to the Big Apple. This ruffled the feathers of BLM.

According to FOX News and The New York Daily News:

The head of Black Lives Matter of Greater New York met with Eric Adams, the city’s mayor-elect, to discuss policing and warned that there will be “bloodshed” if the city returns to its pre-De Blasio model, according to a report.

Adams, himself a former police captain, on Wednesday met with Hawk Newsome, the BLM leader, and others behind closed doors at Brooklyn’s Borough Hall, the New York Daily News reported. 

The meeting was tense and turned into a shouting match, the paper reported. One of the key issues raised was the possibility that the city could reinstate its anti-crime unit, which Newsome compared to the Nazi Gestapo.

“If he thinks that they’re going to go back to the old ways of policing, then we are going to take to the streets again. There will be riots, there will be fire and there will be bloodshed because we believe in defending our people,” Newsome told the paper. He said that the group prays for peace but prepares “for the worst.”

If Newsome had made these comments about the country rather than New York City, he could have been arrested on the spot. In this case, he has not broken any laws but has exposed BLM for what it is, an organized gang that is willing to harm property or people to drive their agenda. They are not a political action group but a dangerous group of people who will threaten harm if they do not get their way. This group needs to be disavowed by Police, elected officials, and citizens everywhere.

This article first appeared on The Liberty Loft and can be seen at thelibertyloft.com