Do Black Lives Really Matter All That Much?   -   September 5, 2020

Black Lives Matter – If the Killer Is a Cop

Cops kill around 230 black Americans each year; blacks murder more than 6,500 black Americans each year.  Demonstrations ‘honor’ a small number of blacks killed by cops; those who care about blacks killed by blacks mourn alone.

George Floyd, a black man, died on May 25 during an arrest in Minneapolis by a white policeman who is now awaiting trial for murder.  Protests that began the next day were initially peaceful, but turned violent that night.  Civil unrest over the following months have led to many deaths and property damages of $500 million or more in the Twin Cities area.

Protests soon spread across America, including notably violent protests in large cities – Seattle, New York, Chicago, Portland, Detroit, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Washington DC and many others.  Estimates of property damage and looting run to $billions.  Innocent people have died.  Thousands have been physically injured.  Many demonstrations seem to be promoted or actively supported by Antifa, Black Lives Matter and other visible groups.  Protesters demand justice for George Floyd and much more including, especially, defunding and even abolishing police departments in many cities.

Leaders of many local governments, most visibly in large cities, express sympathy and solidarity with the protesters; the mayor of Portland actually marched with them!  “BLM” was painted on buildings and city streets, total control of some areas was ceded to demonstrators, local police were ordered to stand down, offers of federal help were rebuffed, federal agents were told to abandon their buildings, and police budgets were cut.

The hurt suffered by innocent citizens including many black residents, business and property owners garners only fleeting notice by most of the press and politicians.  Black lives ruined and even lost during the mayhem seem to be dismissed as collateral damage by the organized demonstrators.  But even more tragic is the seeming indifference of people proclaiming “Black Lives Matter” to the murders of blacks by blacks every day, 365 days/year!  Why?

Perhaps the protesters don’t know about these 6,500 killings; few are reported by the press or social media.  Perhaps the protesters are aware but have not the knowledge or inclination to do anything about it; solutions require vastly more commitment and effort than just a few days of wanton destruction and looting.  Perhaps the protesters don’t care about the anguish felt by family and friends of victims who are not killed by cops.

Or perhaps “black lives matter” is just a token cause for a vastly different agenda.

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