I would like you all to think about the question I am about to ask, what’s social media? Is it a news outlet? A way to attach yourself with friends? Well, both answers that were stated aren’t really wrong; however, it can most definitely be defined as an influence to our society thanks to its ability to attach people across the world. Studies show that in 2019, there have been 3.5 billion social media users worldwide, and growing, which equates to about 45% of the present population. This exact fact also means social media can influence about 45% of the earth’s population with its messages or posts. Albeit, there are many popular social media platforms to use lately, the one which will be getting discussed today is Twitter.
What’s Twitter? Well, Twitter is one among the most important social media platforms to use and it works by letting its users post messages online for people to discover. You can do things like press the like button on somebody else’s message and if you really enjoy a message from someone else, it gives you the feature of resending that message for more people to discover what he or she said. On Twitter, the messages even have a unique name to them called “tweets” and resending someone else’s message is called a “retweet”. Twitter also can have an influence and may be used as a platform to shout out support. Twitter has shown support to several topics which include the LGBT community and COVID-19 efforts; however, their recent gesture of support was directed at the black community. Recently, people all across the world were outraged by the killing of George Floyd and demanded justice for the policemen who killed him. This unfortunate event led to an outburst within the Black Lives Matter movement with more Americans showing their support to the cause. The Black Lives Matter movement is a movement that fights for equality and racial justice for the African-American people. Like Instagram, Facebook, and a plethora of other social media platforms, Twitter has also shown their support to the Black Lives Matter movement. Not only did the platform, Twitter show its support, but also, their users showed an enormous amount of support also. Although there are less people using Twitter than other social media platforms, Twitter still served as a major influence within the Black Lives Matter Movement.
Twitter used its hashtags and community to be used as a medium within the Black Lives Matter movement. Twitter’s community includes all kinds of individuals as shown in Ying Lin blog about Twitter stated, “Instagram and Snapchat may have snapped up the young demographic, but Twitter has its own crowd to appeal to. Approximately six of each 10 (63%) Twitter users worldwide are between 35 and 65 years old (theVAB, 2018)”. In 2014, an African-American teen named Michael Brown was shot and killed in Ferguson by a Caucasian, middle aged policeman named Darren Wilson. Michael Brown was stopped on the streets of Ferguson by Darren Wilson, who said that Michael Brown attacked him and that he feared for his life after a struggle occured; however, other witnesses were saying that Wilson shot Michael Brown while Brown had his hands up. Either or, Wilson shot an unarmed black teenager and left his body on the streets of Ferguson which also led to an eruption within the Black Lives Matter movement, with many Americans either rioting or protesting. In Meredith Bennett-Swanson’s ‘Media Coverage of Black Lives Matter, she states, “In 2014, events in Ferguson, Missouri were discussed so frequently on social media that #Ferguson became the most-tweeted hashtag in what was then Twitter’s ten-year history. After Brown’s shooting, political activists added the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter (BLM) to #Ferguson tweets, and it became the third most-tweeted hashtag within the same time span” (98). This quote shows that, albeit Twitter itself isn’t as big as maybe Instagram or Facebook, it still can function as a medium to people by its hashtags that spread awareness around the community. Also, in line with Jelani Ince, Fabio Rojas and Clayton A. Davis’ journal, ‘The social media response to Black Lives Matter: how Twitter users interact with Black Lives Matter through hashtag use’, they state, “We found that Twitter users were most likely to convey approval of the movement and assert their solidarity. As #BlackLivesMatter developed in 2014, there have been more mentions of specific tactics and a corresponding decrease within the discussion of events like Ferguson or police shootings” (1827). This tells us that the users of Twitter all shared a standard goal of supporting the movement and even approved of the movement by also sending out #BlackLivesMatter hashtags. This also means Twitter users continue to use the hashtag of BlackLivesMatter to extend the quantity of awareness on social media. the simplest example of this is on a twitter account of the username, @MonicaRAnders, telling everyone that after the Michael Brown shooting, the quantity of #BlackLivesMatter hashtags accelerated. She stated, “The use of the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag accelerated following the shooting death of Michael Brown – from a 2016 @pewresearch analysis http://pewrsr.ch/2b8TX8V #Ferguson”. Therefore, this insight not only tells us all that the hashtags spread to other users, but also, it accelerates in trend making people around the community more observant about the subject.
Twitter gave updates and knowledge about the difficulty to its users and gave out charitable donations to non-profit organizations to function as a medium to the Black Lives Matter movement. Not only did Twitter give out information about the present topic, but also, made it easier for other users on the platform to connect with one another, because of Twitter’s usefulness in both of its protesting and organizing. W. Carson Byrd, Keon L. Gilbert and Joseph B Richardson, Jr in their journal, ‘The vitality of social media for establishing a research agenda on black lives and the movement’, stated, “Twitter, especially, is beneficial in both organizing and protesting in addition to research pursuits. Users can distinguish themselves from other users by classifying their tweets (i.e. messages composed of 140 characters) by hashtags, which permits users to unite with others in pinpointing social issues within communities in efforts of solidarity and collective action” (1873). This quote tells you all that Twitter’s usefulness in organizing, protesting, and research pursuits helps their users connect with other users to seek out social issues around their circle in order that they can take action. Also, in line with W. Carson Byrd, Keon L. Gilbert and Joseph B Richardson, Jr, they state, “Social media sites like the Washington Post and the Guardian (The Counted) on Twitter have provided real-time data on police-involved homicides, particularly shootings that might be impossible to trace using traditional data sources like the UCR (Uniform Crime Reporting). In fact, the Director of the FBI, James Comey, and former U.S. Attorney Generals, Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch, have criticized the Department of Justice (DOJ) for its inability to record and report police-involved shootings in real time in novel ways” (1874). This here proves to us that Twitter can provide better information to its users about a topic making Twitter an informative place to travel to once you need an update on a current situation. Alongside informing their users, Kevin Roose of the New York Times states, “A similar show of support unfolded at Twitter, where the corporation changed its official Twitter bio to a Black Lives Matter tribute, and Jack Dorsey, the chief executive, pledged $3 million to an anti-racism organization started by Colin Kaepernick, the previous N.F.L. quarterback”. This action proves to us all that not only is Twitter’s platform acting out as an agent of knowledge and awareness to its users, but also, it’s financially helping the African-American community.
As you all see, Twitter is often utilized in a variety of options, whether it’s to connect with your friends, to inform people, or to unite together as a community. We discussed the functions of Twitter and the way it works, alongside all the essential features you’ll be able to use to tweet, retweet, or post. We mainly talked about how Twitter can function as an enormous influence to the Black Lives Matter movement by using its hashtags and community, and by giving out updates and knowledge about the dilemma to its users, making their users more informed on the subject. From informing its users to connecting a community with a standard goal at hand, it’s most definite that Twitter served as an immense influence within the Black Lives Matter movement and served as a medium to its users.
In the last two years, there have been some distinguished social movements to advance social changes in society (Imhonopi, Onifade, and Urim 76). They involved multiple issues that activists wanted to address and bring to public attention. These issues ranged from environmental, wages, immigration, police profiling and killings, and transgender among others. Although none of these issues addressed by recent social movements is novel, activists have focused on them for many years, and the last two years have presented opportunities to engage stakeholders who have previously not participated in social movements, including the police, politicians, media houses and unengaged public among others.
Similarly, social movement events that took place in the last two years attracted a large number of people across the US. Notably, people with diverse characteristics were represented. These movements attracted parents, students, some law enforcement officers, community leaders, politicians, and more, specifically to address issues associated with racial discrimination and police brutality. It is imperative to recognize that various events have been organized to address these social topics for decades now. However, these recent social movements aim at creating social change today and in the future to advance human relations.
For instance, following the killings of Eric Garner in New York, Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, Philando Castile, a young black man in Minnesota, a 13-year-old Tyre King, Terence Crutcher in Tusla, and many more, new national discourses about race, racial relations, police brutality against the African Americans and equality have emerged in the recent past. In this paper, Black Lives Matter is examined as a recent social movement. The research covers the goals, ideology, programs for social change, degree of commitment, stage of development, and societal reaction to the movement.
Black Lives Matter
Following the murder of Trayvon Martin in 2012, the founders of the #BlackLivesMatter claimed that the 17-year old Trayvon was posthumously placed on trial for his own murder while the suspect, George Zimmerman was set free. They subsequently founded the movement in the cyberspace as a sociopolitical media forum, giving it the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter (Ruffin par. 1). Three women, namely Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi, and Alicia Garza founded the organization based on experiences of Black Americans in the US to resist dehumanization. The movement is a call to action and a reaction to strong anti-Black racism that rocks the US.
Black Lives Matter is a movement that goes beyond police killings of Black people to include other social issues that negatively impact people of the black race. It is now a national organization focused on promoting the validity of Black life and rebuilding the Black liberation movement.
The Goals
Black Lives Matter’s main goal is to create a society in which Black lives are not subjected to methodical and intentional police brutality and killings (Black Lives Matter par. 1). The social movement affirms its efforts to reduce oppression, enhance resilience, and contribute to society and humanity. By embarking on street protests, the movement strives to ensure that all Black lives are important and, thus, should be liberated from oppression. Online forums supported by social media have ensured that stakeholders establish strong links to create bonds and allies that struggle for anti-Black racism, to elicit dialogues and embark on facilitating the right connections required to advance social action and engagement.
Ideology
The founders of the Black Lives Matter based their social movement on ideological and political ideologies to advance interventions in a society where Black lives were under oppression. The movement aims to restore Black resilience, humanity, and worth.
Black Lives Matter strives to widen the discussion regarding various forms of state violence. That is, it covers different deliberate methods applied to ensure that Black people are powerless before the state. Specifically, the ideology focuses on various ways Black lives have been denied core human rights and dignity. As such, Black Lives Matter claims the following as state violence:
Black poverty and genocide.
2.8 million Black people locked in cages in this country.
Black women bearing the burden of a relentless assault on children and families.
Black queer and trans folks bear a unique burden from a hetero-patriarchal society that disposes of them like garbage and simultaneously fetishizes them and profits off of them.
500,000 Black people in the US are undocumented immigrants and relegated to the shadows.
Black girls used as negotiating chips during times of conflict and war.
Black folks living with disabilities and different abilities bear the burden of state-sponsored Darwinian experiments that attempt to squeeze them into boxes of normality defined by white supremacy. (Black Lives Matter par. 4)
The guiding principles of Black Lives Matter are numerous and include the following. On diversity, the movement commits to acknowledge, respect, and celebrate differences and commonalities while restorative justice focuses on collective, devoted, and courageous interventions for Black people’s freedom and justice, which influence the entire community. The movement purposefully creates and nurtures a treasured community linked together through restorative efforts.
Black Lives Matter notes that unapologetically Black is its position. This ideology does not seek to qualify Black lives but affirms it while striving for freedom and justice to self and others. Through globalism, the movement recognizes that Black people are a part of the global community, and Black Americans understand various ways in which they are affected or privileged as folks in a different part of the world.
For Black women, the movement seeks to create an affirming space without sexism, male dominance, and misogyny while collective value concentrates on facts of Black lives irrespective of real or supposed multiple variations, such as location, beliefs, disability, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, and gender expression among others. In addition, transgender affirming shows that Black Lives Matter embraces transgender persons to take part in social programs and leadership roles. It encourages self-reflection and eliminates abuse. This ideology aims to uplift the lives of Black transgender folks, specifically women who continue to suffer disproportionate trans-antagonistic violence.
Further, Black village’s ideology is rooted in the notion of supporting extended families and villages while disrupting the Western culture of focusing only on the nuclear family. The ideology of empathy also goes together with this ideology to engage other stakeholders with the aim of promoting learning and connection with immediate contexts. Black Lives Matter strives for black families with friendly outlooks and encourages the full participation of children and parents.
Thus, the social movement strives to undo patriarchal practices that put much burden on women and mothers. In addition, the ideology of loving engagement allows the movement to promote justice, liberation, and peace in all relations with others. The queer affirming ideology aims to establish a strong network to free Black people from heteronormative philosophy or rather, the notion that everyone is ‘straight’ unless they disclose otherwise (Black Lives Matter par. 6).
Finally, the ideology of intergenerational fosters an intergenerational and communal network without ageism because the movement subscribes to the idea that all people, irrespective of age, show up with the ability to lead and learn.
One can observe numerous principles that guide Black Lives Matter. Sociologists note that ideology is primarily vital for comprehending social movement and various political formations. These ideologies are complex and deep to reflect numerous social construction processes of thoughts, perception, education, and socialization, and they tend to organize, coordinate, and mobilize members of a social movement (Carley 23-43).
Programs for Social Change
The programs or rather the demands for social change of the Black Lives Matter so far are many, diverse, and not exactly cohesive. Traditionally, activists have focused on raising awareness and creating favorable conditions for discourses at higher levels among stakeholders on mainly a major. Some critics have however claimed that the Black Lives Matter movement lacks any agenda or is a single agenda based. In fact, majorities believe that the movement totally lacks any agenda, apart from the noise, protests, and disruption.
On the contrary, the Black Lives Matter actually has several demands made public since its inception. These programs aimed for social changes include immediate and transparent legal inquiry of all police shootings and killings involving Black persons, official tracking and recording data of all Black people killed by law enforcement officers separated by race, demilitarization of local law enforcement officers, and creating community accountability systems for law enforcement officers who are rogue. In addition, Campaign Zero calls for body cameras on all police officers, police training, eliminate the broken window theory, community representation, and end for-profit policing.
Degree of Commitment
In the last three years, the movement has gained national attention in response to the police killing of Black people in the US. Major protests have erupted after the killings of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, and other recent cases. Across the US, many concerned persons have embraced Black Lives Matter and pressed for justice and change.
Critics are not however convinced about the extent of commitment about this social movement. It has been accused of lacking clear demands, confrontational, and applies divisive tactics that make it difficult for seniors to join. Nevertheless, it is generally observed that the movement has resulted in moral calls to action and provided a wide arrange of policy suggestions to facilitate social change. How much of these suggestions become actual policies would greatly depend on the future activism of Black Lives Matter. Overall, Black Lives Matter declares its commitment to several principles previously highlighted.
Stage of Development
Some scholars have identified four stages of social movement development as “emergence, coalescence, bureaucratization, and decline” (Christiansen 1). In its emergence stage, Black Lives Matter started as a bold approach to protest against injustice and create public awareness about police killings of Black persons. Notably, the movement significantly relied on social media campaigns and organizations using #blacklivesmatter to appeal to online communities. In addition, it also introduced traditional practices of civil disobedience, such as protests, sit-ins, marches, and confrontations with police. At this stage, the movement generally lacked any leader.
The ad hoc movement quickly gained popularity, especially among the younger generation, and became accessible to the public. At this point, mainstream politicians could not ignore it further. It was largely blamed for a lack of clear purpose, well-articulated goals, a common ground, a single issue of focus, and a lack of structure.
From the current activities of Black Lives Matter, it can be concluded that the movement is now in the second stage of its development, coalescence. One must, however, observe that there are various chapters of the movement based on state formations.
The coalescence stage is associated with some improvements, specifically overcoming some setbacks related to a lack of clear agenda (Christiansen 3). The movement is now popular, and it appears to have some well-defined principles. Black Lives Matter has now identified its challenges, sources of those injustices, and the police and justice system as responsible. The movement now has some coordinated events and individuals leading them. It is focused on some core issues and collective in its approach. Individual participants now start to recognize each other. In addition, some forms of leadership have started to emerge, and currently working on strategies or the above-mentioned programs to realize social change.
Moreover, Black Lives Matter has been able to hold some national protests to demonstrate its power both online through social media and on streets to demand change. More significantly, Black Lives Matter has become more than just an accidental group of aggrieved persons. It now appears to be more organized in its strategic demands, approaches, and tactics.
In the recent past, the movement has attained a national status due to its implausible organization and community involvement in major cities across the US. That is, from an online forum to street protests while portraying social media as a tool for 21st-century protests (Utpal 107-109). For example, it organized one of the biggest protests in the Mall of America despite several threats and intimidation strategies from opposing bodies. It has also been credited with the 4th Precinct occupation to protest against the killing of Jamar Clark on 15 November 2015 in Minneapolis.
Notably, the movement has majorly attracted young, queer, black people from inner cities and Metro areas. These protests are known to persist for several days and could lead to confrontation with police. In fact, the success of the protest surprised many people who did not understand the movement, its ideologies, and considered as a constituent of ‘Black Power’.
Today, the movement has indeed shown that Black lives do matter irrespective of brutal and injustice practices, such as white supremacy, police killings, and widespread racism. Black Lives Matter aims to show that all lives are equal in the US regardless of race.
At this stage of development, critics seem not to understand that such social movements cannot have central, effective leadership. Yet, this new generation of activists focuses on grass-roots engagements to be more effective using social media platforms. Social media are disproportionately used by youth, and they have exceptionally used such tools to advance social change (Harper 1-4).
While social media have been effective tools to advance social issues, some critics have observed that they could divert attention from real issues (Gerbaudo and Treré 865-871). For instance, a lack of a collective approach or leadership could affect outcomes. Moreover, when other opposing groups introduce new hashtags such as All Lives Matter, then confusion may emerge. Over the years, Black Lives Matter is expected to develop through other stages involved in social movement developmental stages.
Societal Reaction to the Movement
It is generally observed that Black Lives Matter has gained widespread popularity across all states in the US among White and Black citizens (Ruffin par. 16). Nevertheless, attitude toward the movement is not consistent.
Previously, that is, prior to the rise of Black Lives Matter, various groups had presented their well-detailed policy recommendations to realize social change involving police brutality, racial relations, and militarization responses among others. However, concerned stakeholders did not consider their recommendations for implementation.
Based on inspirations from Civil Rights Movements of the 1960s, 1980s feminist protests, South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement, the hip hop influences, the 2000s LBGT movement, and the Occupy Wall Street of 2011, Black Lives Matter has leveraged the power of social media to distinguish itself from these previous movements (Ruffin par. 17).
On the contrary, some critics argue that Black Lives Matter will not create real change because of its broad approach to critical issues in society. In addition, the movement is seen as destroying itself. For instance, some have accused it of using divisive tactics and confrontational tactics that limit the participation of seniors who took part in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. For months, it appeared as if Black Lives Matter had not clearly thought beyond raw rage and not projected its development at all. As such, many seniors had expressed their fear about the future of the movement. Specifically, the lack of leadership has been a point of concern for many observers who do not wish to see the movement disappears.
Although many observers have argued that Black Lives Matter is in self-destruction mode, it is closely linked to the Democratic Party and, thus, helping them to the campaign by raising fundamental issues that affect Americans. Consequently, Democratic politicians have formulated their policies to capture most issues raised by the movement aimed at reforming the system.
Notably, Republicans, including Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Ben Carson, have previously criticized the movement as a tool for promoting violence and racial division to appeal to their conservative supporters. At the same time, Chris Christie and other lawmakers have been appealed to initiate reforms through changes in the current laws to address issues raised by the movement, and these reforms aim to address racial discrimination during police recruitment and sentencing among others. Overall, the effective integration of feminism and social media activism has ensured the success of Black Lives Matter.
Conclusion
Social movements are responsible for initiating social changes in society. In the recent past, the most notable social movement is Black Lives Matter. It is observed that Black Lives Matter has been effective in initiating new methods without using violence to address racial profiling and police killings in the US in the modern period. The movement has largely borrowed from past practices of earlier movements to advance its agenda. However, it introduced social media activism to reach the public across the US and indeed globally with limited resources.
Without a clear focus on a single issue, the movement has been able to address issues related to race, gender, age, economic status, disability, restorative justice, sexual orientation, and state violence among others. This approach on multiple issues is applied to avoid failure in efforts to promote social changes for humanity.
Works Cited
Black Lives Matter. #BlackLivesMatter Organization, n.d. Web.
Carley, Robert. “Ideological Contention: Antonio Gramsci and the Connection Between Race and Social Movement Mobilization in Early Twentieth-Century Italy.” Sociological Focus vol. 49, no. 1, 2016, pp. 28-43.
Christiansen, Jonathan. “Four Stages of Social Movements.” Research Starters, 2009, pp. 1-7.
Gerbaudo, Paolo and Emiliano Treré. “In Search of the‘We’of Social Media Activism: Introduction to the Special Issue on Social Media and Protest Identities.” Information, Communication & Society, vol. 18, no. 8, 2015, pp. 865-871.
Harper, Ruth A. “The Social Media Revolution: Exploring the Impact on Journalism and News Media Organizations.” Inquiries Journal, vol. 2, no. 3, 2010, pp. 1-4.
Imhonopi, David, Comfort Adenike Onifade and Ugochukwu Moses Urim. “Collective Behaviour and Social Movements:a Conceptual Review.” Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, vol. 3, no. 10, 2013, 76-85.
Utpal, Jha Vinit Kumar. “Social Networking Sites: Instrument of Social Change.” Journal of Media and Communication Studies, vol. 4, no. 5, 2012, pp. 107-109.
The Black Lives Matter is an international movement that opposes violence and systematic racial discrimination against African Americans. The movement regularly organizes protests and marches, where it declares its indignation and the unacceptability of police brutality against African Americans as well as other issues of racism including the systematic injustice in the legal and economic systems of the United States. Besides this, the movement is widely represented online. It was founded in 2013 when a police officer was acquitted by the court after killing an African-American 17-year-old young man Trayvon Martin.
The three prominent activists referred to as the co-founders of the movement are Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi. Today, the movement is the topic of a heated social debate. Many criticize it for its aggressive tactics and emphasizing the importance of just one group of the population. The All Lives Matter and the Blue Lives Matter (for police officers) movements were established by activists as responses to Black Lives Matter. However, if the anti-black racism in the United States is reviewed, including the systematic economic and social discrimination, it can be argued that the Black Lives Matter movement’s confrontational discourse and philosophy are justified by the decades of oppression and unequal treatment as well as continuing discrimination against African Americans in the American society.
The Black Lives Matter movement has been heavily criticized by various individuals and groups in the United States and other countries. The major point of the criticism is that the movement’s slogans, activities, ideas, and agenda emphasize the importance of just one portion of the population while disregarding the rest of it. The opponents and the critics of the movement have claimed that it overlooks the significance of other people, e.g. white police officers, who are the targets of the movement’s reproof, although they often fall victims to violence, too. Even some prominent members of the African-American community, such as civil rights activists Chip Murray, Najee Ali, Earl Ofari Hutchinson, and Barbara Ann Reynolds have made critical statements on the tactics and approaches of Black Lives Matter claiming them to be aggressive, divisive, and confrontational. Barbara Ann Reynolds compared it to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and stressed that the movement led by Martin Luther King Jr. was nonviolent and it managed to gain support by acting in a respectable manner and to change the legislation by conveying a message of unity. The Black Lives Matter movement differs dramatically from these methods.
Another point of criticism was the anti-police position of Black Lives Matter. When two police officers were killed in Brooklyn, New York, in 2014, officials and activists started the Blue Lives Matter movement. The movement was critical of Black Lives Matter because of the latter’s anti-police messages and agenda and exaggerating the problem of police brutality in the United States. The matter of trust for law enforcement authorities is an important social issue because when police officers are feared, it undermines a fundamental principle of a society—the principle of security. Such fear can be ignited and boosted by media coverage and unbalanced representation of police violence. It has repeatedly been emphasized by many speakers that anti-police attitudes are dangerous to the normal functioning of a society. That is why Black Lives Matter, with some of its marchers chanting slogans promoting death to police, is considered a destructive movement.
However, the Black Lives Matter movement can be justified on the basis of specific characteristics of the anti-black racism in the United States. It has been a major issue in the American society throughout its history, and it remains such today. Although slavery and involuntary servitude were abolished in 1865 by the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which was an empowering thing for black people across the country as it declared their equality, Black people kept suffering from various forms of exclusion, discrimination, and segregation, including ones provided for by laws. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s managed to achieve serious changes in the legislation as well as in social attitudes towards African Americans. Nevertheless, the White supremacy is still observed in the United States according to many activists. It is expressed in subtle, rarely declared practices of exclusion, unequal treatment, and prejudice. Multiple cases of violence towards African Americans from White individuals based on hate and the ideas of racial inferiority have been registered in the United States within recent decades.
Based on the notion and the actualities of the anti-black racism, Black Lives Matter built its own philosophy and defined its mission. The movement claims to have adopted the traditional patterns of black freedom movements in the United States. The website of Black Lives Matter states that the movement is a unique phenomenon that is not only about unlawful violence and police brutality towards African Americans but also about affirming the importance of all the lives of all African Americans including women, LGBTQ, individuals with disabilities, those without legal statuses, inmates, and former inmates of prisons. The narrative of embracing and uniting minorities against racist violence has been fundamental to the movement since its inception. Since the movement offers a strong, resolute response to inequality and injustice, the leaders and prominent activists of Black Lives Matter have repeatedly publicly rejected several important aspects of Black liberation movements of the past such as church involvement, political support for the Democratic Party, and respectable discourses.
Among influences that shaped the movement, Black Lives Matter speakers claim the Black Power Movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Pan-Africanism international movement, and the Anti-Apartheid Movement that was unfolding around the world as a response to the racial segregation in South Africa. Also listed among influences are hip hop, LGBTQ social movements for equalized acceptance, and the Occupy Wall Street movement. Hip hop is an important part of the African-American culture with protest and resistance to oppression as its integral parts.
LGBTQ movements demonstrate solidarity of minorities in their struggle for equal opportunities. Occupy Wall Street movement was a strong example of protesting again social and economic inequality. All these influences shaped the Black Lives Matter movement’s tools and instruments of public communication, protesting, and the culture of civil disobedience. However, the movement does not officially declare the values of Black supremacy or publically call upon its supporters to commit violence against any groups or individuals due to whatever affiliation or identity. Although Black Live Matter is a protest movement, its mission is to stop violence, not propagate it, and its philosophy includes strength and perseverance, not militancy and assault.
Another point that the Black Lives Matter movement rests upon is the systematic discrimination against African Americans in the United States. What is meant by systematic is that institutions have been working consistently under fundamentally discriminatory regulations and practices. For example, the Build Black Futures movement promotes the agenda of systematic discrimination. It says on the movement’s website that African-American communities deserve to receive more attention from the government by means of changing economic policies for the purpose of providing them with necessary resources to create safe and healthy living conditions. Therefore, Build Black Futures is not only a protest movement but as well a call for change with certain suggestions and recommendations.
It is argued by the movement’s activists that the policies adopted by the entire economic system of the United States fail to provide African-American communities with equal treatment in terms of investments and distribution of wealth. Also, heavy policing, surveillance, and frequent incarceration applied to these communities contribute to the systematic discrimination. In order to improve the living conditions and treatment of African Americans in the United States, it is suggested by the movement to promote structural economic changes and define development goals that would include the communities suffering from underinvestment and unfair distribution. The movement is also close to Black Lives Matter as it seeks to attract support from all African Americans including vulnerable groups such as women, LGBTQ, the convicts and former inmates of prisons, and the underprivileged people living in poor conditions. Black liberation is declared to be the major value and the main goal of the movement.
Finally, the All Lives Matter movement emerged as a response to Black Lives Matter. The All Lives Matter slogan is critical of the Black Lives Matter slogan for underestimating the value of life of every human being and stressing just one particular group. Many social activists and intellectuals, including African-American ones, supported All Lives Matter as they disapproved of the Black Lives Matter movement’s aggression and claims for exclusiveness. However, in turn, All Lives Matter has been criticized for overlooking the reasons for the narratives and tactics of Black Lives Matter. It has been suggested that the slogan “All Lives Matter” as a response to the slogan “Black Lives Matter” dismisses, neglects, and denies the anti-black racism in the United States.
After reviewing the issues of racism that shaped the Black Lives Matter movement and its philosophy, as well as considering its criticism, in can be concluded that the approach and the tactics of Black Lives Matter are justified by the circumstances of the daunting racial discrimination and oppression. Anti-black racism has been present in the American society for a long time building systematic oppression, discrimination, injustice, and White supremacy. The economic system of the United States has been working towards systematic underinvestment in the African-American community as well as oppressive law enforcement, restricting monitoring, and, most importantly, discriminatory policies and regulations.
African Americans have been subjected to privation and persecuted for decades, and even now, more than sixty years after the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement, racism is still a daunting problem. Black liberation provokes a strong response from the society and the White majority in particular. The All Lives Matter movement is a form of such a response. However, the slogan “All Lives Matter” has been criticized for the dismissal, neglecting, and denial of the issues of racism. The Black Lives Matter movement was ignited by particular cases of hate-based violence against African Americans. This fact justifies the movement’s narratives and its opposition to the “All Lives Matter” slogan that fails to recognize the oppression and persecution of African Americans in the present-day United States.
Today, the USA passes through a period characterized by a high level of social tension. The old conflicts, along with the opposition between the political parties, views, and mentalities, affected people in the state and made the future conflict inevitable. For this reason, the previous year triggered two broad social movements, such as Black Lives Matter and protests related to Presidential elections in the USA, ending with the Capitol Building Riot.
The events were preconditioned by various factors, resulting in differences in their evaluation, attitudes, and authorities’ response. These events can be viewed as critically important for modern US history. That is why there are multiple articles, papers, and photos devoted to them. The selected document highlights the Black Lives Matter and the Capitol Building Riot and differences in their treatment.
The discussed photo consists of two parts and depicts protesters trying to attract attention to their position and influence the government in their ways. The first image depicts people staying on the stairs of the Capitol Building with flags and their slogans, showing their support to Trump (Chason & Schmidt, 2021). The crowd consists of mostly white people in a high mood because of their feeling of power and the ability to impact the state by their actions. Another picture shows a group of people with their slogans on papers standing in the front of the White House (Chason & Schmidt, 2021). Their hands are raised, meaning that they are ready for actions and full of energy. The overall mood of the photo is also high and inspiring, as it shows one of the acts of democracy, which is central for the USA.
There are several reasons for selecting the photo. First, as stated above, it depicts the two fundamental events in the modern history of the USA. The freedom to assemble is one of the basic human rights that are protected by the Constitution. For this reason, the citizens of the USA can use it as a lever of influence to attract attention to problems affecting them and ask the government and the President to change something. However, from another perspective, the photo shows the differences in reasons that triggered these protests and how the police responded to them (Chason & Schmidt, 2021). The selection of the picture is also explained by another fact.
It shows that regardless of attempts to attain success in unifying the nation, it remains divided. People belonging to various social groups have different visions of the states’ future, how it should evolve, and what values cultivate. For this reason, being the attempts to express their opinion, the Black Lives Matter and the Capitol Building Riot also demonstrated the high level of aggravation in the society, and the selected photo shows it.
At the same time, the historical context of the photo is fundamental. Its two parts depict the symbolic buildings for the USA, such as the Capitol and the White House. Being the embodiment of the executive and legislative branches of power, they always attract the attention of people. For this reason, protesters selected them as the place for their meetings. At the same time, the photo touches upon another problem linked to the historical context.
Black Lives Matter activists are opposed by the police and armed men, while the Capitol attackers stand in the building, meaning that there was no severe resistance, and they were allowed to enter the area (Chason & Schmidt, 2021). This fact reflects the deep division in the US society and mentality of people. The police, as the central tool used by the government and the President to control the situation in the state, usually follow the dominant doctrine and reflect a central mood. At the same time, the police consist of individuals with various views, as there were multiple cases when officers supported Black Lives Matter activists and their visions.
In such a way, the photo has a significant historical context. It shows the division of the US society and the need for its unification. At the same time, it emphasizes the fact that in similar conditions, people can be treated differently, and the police can use various measures to resist the crowd, or disregard it and allow protesters to enter the restricted area. These events might become a reason for serious changes in the future, for this reason, their images are vital for improved understanding of recent events.
Altogether, the selected photo shows the Black Lives Matter protesters’ meeting at the White House and the Capitol Building Riot. The image is essential for realizing the social movements in the USA today and how people view them. The difference in how the police responded to these demonstrations is also vital for understanding the historical context and the social processes peculiar to the state. However, in both parts of the photo, people are in high moods, meaning they believe in what they do. For this reason, there is a need for the dialogue to find a compromise and the selected image proves it.
Reference
Chason, R., & Schmidt, S. (2021). Lafayette Square, Capitol rallies met starkly different policing response. The Washington Post. Web.
Black Lives Matter is an important event that has influenced the reality of the modern United States arguably more than COVID-19. The social causes and prerequisites of this protesting movement have been thoroughly discussed and studied due to the high rate of controversies and polarized opinions on its circumstances. As such, Hooker’s article on the topic aims to comprehend the nuanced reaction to the recent Black Lives Matter rallies against police brutality. In turn, Mir and Zanoni claim to dedicate their research to highlighting and confronting anti-Black discrimination in the existing theories, behaviors, and organizations. Although both articles articulate the repressive actions of the police and the violent response of the protesters, they differ in their view of the scale of the movement, as well as its significance.
Black Lives Matter
The descriptions of the participants of the Black Lives Matter movement in the articles could be compared. For example, in Hooker (451), “unarmed black persons—men, women, and children, queer, straight, trans” are mentioned as traditional protesters of the past who differ from the modern, somewhat violent Black thinkers. In this article, the actions of Black people contain the disruption of retail stores and public property. Hooker believes that this behavior is the expressed anger against the systematic racism and striping of the Black persons of their democratic freedom in the US. In turn, Mir and Zanoni (4) claim that protesters are “not just in the United States but across the world.” Their actions are interpreted in the paradigm of global history of discrimination rather than local conflict. Mir and Zanoni (3) emphasize “the Black community’s outrage” as the significant behavior of the movement’s participants. Hence, although both articles center around the aggressive demand for justice of the protesters, they differ in their understanding and description of the actions of these people.
There are other people involved in the enactment of the protesters’ will. Namely, Hooker (449) mentions “disproportionate police repression against citizen protesters” of “violent, predominantly white … officers.” Apart from the authorities, Hooker describes white observers’ public that acts with condemnation of the “riots” and behaves in a way that could be explained by the notion of systematic racism. Mir and Zanoni in their article, concentrate on the role of the police in the Black Lives Matter movement, also describing the actions of its participants as aggressive and their behavior as prejudiced. Namely, Mir and Zanoni (4) argue that officers act as though “Black lives are degraded and devalued.” Hence, the studies somewhat coincide with the view of the forces outside of the protesters’ domain.
As a result, each article tells a somewhat different story about the event, even though it is based on the same facts. While Hooker describes a local American uprising caused by police discrimination, Mir and Zanoni claim that Black Lives Matter is a global movement against prolonged racism. Hence, these studies lead readers to varying conclusions about the events: the first one presents the uprising as a fight for democracy, while the second is an outrage against the existing system of discrimination worldwide.
Conclusion
To conclude, the articles demonstrate a difference in the comprehension of the meaning, cause, and purpose of the Black Lives Matter movement. Although both studies describe the oppressors in similar terms as violent and aggressive systemic racists and protesters as angry individuals, they form varying conclusions. Thus, the movement is viewed as a resistance to the American system of discrimination in the democratic organizations and, in other research, as a protest against global discrimination.
Works Cited
Hooker, Juliet. “Black Lives Matter and the Paradoxes of U.S. Black Politics.” Political Theory, vol. 44, no. 4, 2016, pp. 448–69. Crossref, Web.
Mir, Raza, and Patrizia Zanoni. “Black Lives Matter: Organization Recommits to Racial Justice.” Organization, vol. 28, no. 1, 2020, pp. 3–7. Crossref, Web.
Black Lives Matter aka BLM is one of the organizations that has effectively engaged social media to gain followers and send messages globally. It is a not-for-profit organization founded by Patrice Cullors in 2013 and headquartered in the United States (“About Black Lives matter”, 2020). It is a decentralized political and social movement that protests against police brutality and racial violence against black people. It comprises a wide array of people and organizations around the globe. BLM is headquartered in the United States but can be found in many countries globally. Essentially, the organization advocates for African Americans against violence propagated by police towards them and other policies that relate to black liberation. The movement was launched in 2013 after the co-founder Alicia Garzia shared the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter following the killing of a young man, Trayvon Martin 2013 (“About Black Lives matter”, 2020). The movement has relied upon social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter to spread messages to members. It has gained numerous followers and has been known for street demonstrations following other deaths such as that of Michael Brown which caused unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner in New York City. The movement has been involved in politics as evidenced by the 2016 United States presidential elections.
Description of Digital Media Influence
The BLM demonstrations staged in 2020 were captured via videotapes and images that were spread through social media platforms. It was in the midst of the coronavirus, and many countries were experiencing lockdowns hence, social media was the best way to spread the message. An officer was videotaped kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, who later died because of this. Following the tragic death of George Floyd, the video was available across all digital media to raise awareness of police brutality. The movement staged protests daily across 50 states of America and in over 20 countries globally, including European countries such as the United Kingdom and France. Countless eyewitness accounts of the police surfaced on social media in the form of videos and images captured via phones. These media circulated across the globe and garnered immense support from sites including Twitter and Instagram, where a single share brought hundreds of views each hour (Illingworth et al., 2020). The 2020 BLM demonstrations against George Floyd’s murder led to the arrest of the police officer who had killed him, Derek Chauvin. In addition, the protests that were filmed live and spread via social media created awareness of the black community globally.
The demonstrations showcased across different media platforms brewed mixed reactions. Amnesty organizations and governments reacted to the videos, and appropriate measures were taken evident in the United Kingdom, Canada, and France, which have high populations of black communities (Matzakos, 2020). Again, sharing the images was a way of expressing care for the black community, which the organization achieved satisfactorily. The organization was able to gather multitudes to demonstrate against police brutality. Intuitively, BLM uses social media platforms as a way of communicating with its followers since such videos spread easily and reach large masses. In this era of digital, almost everyone has a smartphone where they can access the Internet for the news feed. Instagram was used to send the images and clips of the video, and it gained a massive following. The attention given to the case led to the arrests of the officer and the restructuring of the police unit policies. Chauvin, the officer who killed Floyd, was charged with second-degree unintentional murder and second-degree manslaughter. Additionally, the three officers who presumably aided and abetted second-degree murder were tried.
In Minneapolis, the City Council agreed to stop the use of chokeholds by the police and stated that officers should report cases where a colleague uses unauthorized force(O’Malley, 2021). In Louisville, the Metro police department, a police officer who was involved in the shooting of Breonna Taylor was fired. A letter that was posted on a Twitter account by the Department’s chief Robert Schroeder accused the officer of violating policy via the use of excessive force.
In the United Kingdom, there were thousands of protesters in Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, London, and Newcastle following the death of Floyd George. MPs and anti-racists also urged the government to hold a sale of rubber pellets, British tear gas, and riot shields to the United States(O’Malley, 2021). In addition, the ministers were to clarify whether the UK-manufactured products were used in the United States during the protests.
A diversity commission was launched by London mayor Sadiq khan to give directions on the statutes to be retained, and those that had slavery ties to be eliminated and others erected. This was a positive move as it drummed for inclusivity and diversity across the United Kingdom. In other countries, such as Canada, Mexico, and the Netherland, demonstrations were staged following the death of George Floyd.
Analysis of Digital Media Influence
The 2020 BLM demonstrations were perceived differently by people. While the black community emphasized Black Lives Matter, the whites too stated that their lives matter. The campaigns were hence seen to widen the division between whites and blacks. However, the campaigns raised awareness of police brutality against the black community globally. The demonstrations in some states led to deaths and property destruction, fueling the struggles between blacks and whites in the United States. Globally, the changes brought about by the campaign were seen to impact sports. For instance, the kneeling sign and all football jerseys for the English Premier League (EPL) were branded with the BLM logo (Ankel, 2020). After Floyd’s death, protests began in Minneapolis, forcing the police to control the rioters via control equipment, including tear gas and rubber bullets, to prevent the crowds from gathering.
Later, the protests spread to other cities like Louisville, Memphis, and Los Angeles. Anti-racists also protested in memory of the deaths of Ahmad Arbery and Taylor. Following were proposals by the Democrats Congress to reform American police to enable prosecution of police for misconduct, address racism, and ban chokeholds. From the cultural perspective, Gone with the Wind was taken down from Home Box Office (HBO max) temporarily after persuasion for it to be removed from the United States streaming since it reflected slavery same as the US reality show Cops. Later, Gone with the Wind made a comeback to HBO max with the show’s introduction streaming historical context (Ankel, 2020). After the demonstrations, various cities across the United States enacted effective measures against racism on local levels.
The demonstrations that were live across different media platforms brewed various reactions. The main objective of using social media was to send images to reach wider masses globally. Amnesty organizations and governments reacted to videos and appropriate measures were taken in the United Kingdom, Canada, and France, which have big populations of black communities. Again, sharing images was a way of expressing care for the black community, which the organization achieved satisfactorily. The organization was able to gather many people to demonstrate against police brutality. Intuitively, BLM uses social media platforms as a way of connecting with its followers since such videos spread easily. Instagram was used to send the images and clips of the video.
Summary
In conclusion, BLM uses social media as a way of spreading messages among its members globally. As noted, the organization is an international one headquartered in the United States. In the current technology era, the organization has chosen to engage social media platforms that have connected the world. As a result, the organization has achieved its mission of organizing black communities and drumming against racism globally. It can, however, be noted that BLM has raised reactions among other communities since their lives also matter. For instance, in the United States, it was used to widen the gap between Blacks and Whites, which can be seen as a negative impact of the movement. The demonstrations in some states led to deaths and property destruction, fueling struggles between Blacks and Whites in the United States. Globally, the changes brought about by the campaign were seen to impact sports.
References
About Black Lives matter. (2020). Web.
Ankel, S. (2020). 30 days that shook America: Since the death of George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement has already changed the country. Business Insider. Web.
Illingworth, A. G., Gawthrop, A., & Illingworth, C. (2020, July 14). The role of social media in black lives matter: Redbrick life& style. Redbrick. Web.
Matzakos, D. (2020). A reflection on BLM in the era of the Coronavirus and the role of social media [PDF document]. Web.
O’Malley, K. (2021). How Anti-racism protests have changed the world in less than a month. ELLE. Web.
It has recently been a year since the event that must have shown even those who claim that racism does not exist that it does. What happened on May 25, 2020, made the problem even more obvious than it was in the USA and the world. The death of George Floyd started the Black Lives Matter movement that involved thousands of people in America and other countries. While the movement has good intentions, there are people who find some of its claims too radical. Racism certainly needs to be combated, and some measures have already been taken, but this fight should not turn into something irrational: any great idea or concept, when taken to the extreme, can become absurd.
One of the protesters’ main claims has been for the government to change something in the structure of the police force. Their demands include reforms in the law-enforcement strategies, as well as defunding or completely abolishing police. While the latter has not been implemented, some reforms have been. Thus, new police laws limit its use of force and restrict no-knock warrants as well as neck restraints (The New York Times, 2021). According to these laws, officers are also required to intervene when they witness their colleagues using disproportionate force.
At the same time, the government is reconsidering the practice that equals “investing in public safety” to “funding armed law enforcement officers” (Vera Institute of Justice, 2021). In Minneapolis, for instance, $8 million has been shifted from the police department to violence prevention and reduction programs, as well as other public services. $12 million was shifted from the Boston police department to investing in “trauma counseling, housing services, and other public health and social service agencies” (Vera Institute of Justice, 2021, para. 4). Although these steps are positive, they are insufficient, and the government has to introduce much more changes to the way the public safety system works.
One of the main concerns is the fact that police officers are generally trained to “attack first” (Deutsche Welle, 2021, para. 10). There is more emphasis on officers’ firearm training and self-defense skills than on de-escalation training. It has been estimated that an average police officer in America receives about 60 hours of firearm training and not more than “10 hours of de-escalation training” (Deutsche Welle, 2021, para. 11). This is probably the main reason for police brutality; officers are taught to respond with force to any kind of calls: from criminal activities to calls of the mental health crisis. Therefore, one of the ways to improve this flawed system is through expanded and better de-escalation training programmes.
Another side of the racism issue has to do with education and upbringing. Most people become biased not even through personal experience but often because of individuals that surround them and impose their own stereotypes and irrational beliefs. That is why the topics of hostility and discrimination have to be discussed with children at the early stages of their lives. Educators should bring the concern to the classrooms and discuss it openly, engaging even younger students to express their opinions on the topic.
Teachers often see these controversial subjects as too complex for children aged 4 or 5 years. However, young children are able to speak about such complex issues more freely and openly than adults. They are curious and genuinely want to learn something about the world. At the same time, they are considerably less likely to have any strongly biased opinions due to their early age. That is unless they were subjected to the heavy influence of their parents’ opinions, who could have imposed their discriminatory attitudes and behaviors on children. Even in that case, it is essential for teachers to bring these issues up in the classroom, encouraging students to discuss why such views are wrong and completely without any basis.
The main principle to adhere to is remembering that violence is not an option. Continuing to uphold the non-violence principle, people have to find a way to put an end to racism in all its forms.
More reforms in the field of law enforcement have to be introduced concerning police brutality. While taking these measures, efforts also may be made to develop a new system of city agencies that would replace police departments, at least in several cities. Since it is not likely that police departments will be abolished in the nearest future, it is important to make changes in the present system.
All this allows the conclusion that there is still much to be done. Steps have been taken, such as introducing new police laws or implementing anti-racism curriculums at schools, but America is still far from completely eliminating this problem. It is important to continue current trends of change, such as shifting funds from police departments to programs and services that people need more. De-escalation training hours also have to be increased so that the focus of law-enforcement officers is on using nonviolent methods to resolve conflicts. Educators all across the country have to include anti-racism programs in study plans. Despite all the tragedies that happened because of racist bias, people still manage to believe in their ability to put an end to racism and create a better future. The Black Lives Matter movement has played a highly significant role in directing society’s activities to serve this goal.
Black Lives Matter is one of the common movements spread around the world which promotes support related to the discriminated parts of nations with untypical skin color. According to Includability (2021), BLM fights for race equality and develops an ethical relationship with people of different backgrounds. The movement aims to build a world where Black and Brown people are not afraid of being outside their homes and have the same rights as others. BBC My World (2020) shows that the beginning of the movement was registered in the 19th century, but until the 60s’ of the 20th century, African Americans were forced to live away from White people. Black and Brown people started feeling discriminated against, and more social movements were created, but BLM became one of the massive. People continue protesting these days as severe cases are happening in the USA in the modern world. Young children are killed by their peers, and police officers shoot innocent men. All these actions give a beginning and scale up the BLM movement.
Since slavery, Black and Brown people could not have the same rights as White people, and the quality process became one of the most complicated in the BLM movement. The key progress became the allowance to mix children of different races in school classes. People of different skin colors became more connected to each other, and many stereotypes were destroyed (Clayton, 2018). This step helped Black people show their equality and explain to other people that their color does not define their personality. It also helped African Americans receive their rights to American citizenship as the government became more loyal to different races. The strategy of massive protests helped Black and Brown people to achieve their goal and develop the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868 (Young, 2018). Moreover, using social media allowed people to be aware of the BLM movement and join it to make positive changes in the world.
In conclusion, Black Lives Matter is one of the crucial movements in the modern world which decreases the negativity aimed toward people of different backgrounds and skin colors. Moreover, it is oriented toward the protection of specific rights which might be violated by police officers making Black people feel more protected and not afraid of public protests. The key strategies which are considered by individuals and the government help to decrease the negativity which was formed several centuries ago.
Today, there is a severe struggle against racism firmly strengthened in the system. Looking back at the country’s past, one can recall many examples of disrespect when Black people’s lives did not matter to others – slavery, lynching, Jim Crow laws, and other situations. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) is the famous movement of the continuing struggle for justice that supports some of its predecessors’ traditions. The movement’s representatives seek to eliminate violence against African-Americans and defend their rights. The movement’s struggle attracts public attention, and those who do not understand the need for societal changes can criticize BLM. For example, the slogan “Black Lives Matter” can be ambiguously interpreted and cause condemnation as excluding other races as important. Despite potential criticism of the movement and its recent emergence, I believe that the BLM supports the old struggle for equality through its actions and statements, including the slogan.
The phrase “Black Lives Matter” aims to protect and support oppressed groups and achieve equality. I think it is essential to understand that the expression does not belittle other races but draws attention to the fact that Black people should be treated equally as other people. Highlighting one race, the phrase does not discriminate but draws attention to the problem that this group suffers. This assumption is justified by the history of oppression and the long struggle against it. Marginalized people usually do not seek to become new oppressors but want to enjoy their rights, which they are deprived of. In a situation where people do not receive the protection and privileges guaranteed by human rights, feelings of anger and frustration due to injustice may arise, as well as questions about these deprivations’ causes. Therefore, the phrase “Black Lives Matter” is a requirement of recognition that Black people should enjoy their rights the same way as all citizens.
The discussed phrase is not just the movement’s slogan but, in fact, its beginning and the way of protest. The hashtag # BlackLivesMatter spread on the Internet in response to the killing of African Americans by the police in circumstances where the use of force was not necessary. All people in society, regardless of race, deserve and expect protection provided by law enforcement agencies, but the murder incidents fuel inequality and lack of rights for oppressed groups. BLM seeks to stop the violence directed at the African-American community and strive for justice in society. Having begun their activity on the Internet, BLM representatives also expressed their protest on the streets in rallies. Consequently, by calling for demonstrations against murders and drawing attention to the lives of African-Americans, the movement has become very famous several years after its appearance.
I believe that despite its novelty, the BLM movement continues the old struggle, covering other activities and views, such as the Civil Rights Movement. BLM and the Civil Rights Movement creators continue the tradition of resistance to oppression, which has lasted since the transatlantic slave trade began. The Civil Rights Movement and BLM goals are directed to the most pressing problems of their time, and a non-violent strategy is used to attract attention and start a dialogue on these issues. Moreover, both movements devoted their efforts to the problems of the murder of African-Americans, although to varying degrees. It is also worth acknowledging that today incidents become known quickly getting into the news and the Internet. Moreover, everyone can express an opinion and share it on social media, thus finding like-minded people and calling them for protest. This fact makes the Civil Rights Movement protests so impressive, requiring considerable effort, and at the same time challenges modern movements in the search for new effective methods.
Thus, the BLM movement, which arose several years ago, seeks to stop violence against the African-American community. The movement’s slogan “Black Lives Matter” may be misunderstood, but it aims to protect and recognize the value of the Black population equally with other races. Although BLM arose recently and has unique modern features, it is part of the long struggle. Resistance to the suppression of race has lasted since the slave trade began and caused many movements’ appearance. One of the most influential is the Civil Rights Movement, which shares common features with BLM, revealing their connection. Both movements defend the rights of Blacks, fight for justice, and use non-violent methods, drawing attention to the problem. The differences in activities are caused mainly by the peculiarities of time.
Racism is one of the biggest problems facing Canadian society today. The issue is manifested in various settings in the structure of society. The police system in Canada is significantly affected by racism. Racial profiling is a problem that has existed for a long time within the Canadian law enforcement system. Cases of police killings of black Canadians, such as those of Jermaine Carby and Andrew Loku, have elicited strong and critical reactions from the community. The reactions have led to the formation of black revolutionary movements that have organized social protests and vigils whenever there is an alleged case of police brutality or any act of human rights violation against black people. This essay examines various issues that affect policing in Canada by reflecting on the lives of black people living in the country.
Black Lives Matter
The most prominent group that currently fights against police brutality in Canada is the Black Lives Matter movement. This association is a human rights activist group that originated from the United States. The group started as a social media hashtag in the aftermath of the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, who was an African American teenager. The group has been involved in street protests following incidents of killings of black Americans, such as the street protests in Ferguson and New York in 2014 following the killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.
Since then, the association has become an international black rights activist movement that is involved in the fight against the killings of black people by law enforcement officers. The Canadian chapter of the Black Lives Matter originated in 2014 following the shooting of Jermaine Corby by a police officer during a traffic stop. The Canadian chapter was co-founded by Janaya Khan and Yusra Ali. Since then, the Canadian chapter of the movement has been involved in various protests against racial segregation against black and other marginalized people of color. The underlying reasons behind this issue can be explained through historical, sociological, and psychological points of view. Understanding these viewpoints represent the key to finding a solution to the issue of police violence against black Canadians.
In order to find a long-lasting solution to this problem and many other social issues, it is imperative that they are viewed from different viewpoints. The inherent racial profiling in the Canadian police system and the emergence of groups such as Black Lives Matter can be explained from various social perspectives. One of the ways to analyze the issue of racism in the police system and subsequent movements is from a historical point of view. There has been a long history of racial discrimination against black Canadians. Racism against people of color range from differential treatment in prisons, courts to regular policing activities such as highway stops, and during arrests.
However, the government has continually dismissed the claim that there is a differential treatment in the justice system as a mere tool that activist groups use to gain popularity. However, over the years, high profile cases of racial prejudice have brought these allegations to the limelight. When leaders of black and other minority communities expressed their continued concerns of racial prejudice against the members of their communities, the Ontario provincial government reacted by forming the Commission on Systemic Racism in the Ontario Criminal Justice System in 1992 (Ross 2017). The commission’s investigations revealed that there were cases of police bias against black Canadians over the last 20 years.
The formation of the commission was also fuelled by the complaints of black communities experiencing differential treatment at the hands of law enforcement officers in the years leading to the 1990s. There had been shootings of black citizens under unexplained circumstances by the police. These incidents led to private citizens, communities, and leaders staging protests against the abuse of power by the police (Ross 2017). The black community made their frustration known in 1992 by causing a disturbance in Toronto. This followed the acquittal of two white police officers involved in the shooting and killing of Michael Wade Lawson (Ross 2017). The jury that was involved in the acquittal was entirely made of up of white members. Other cases that led to the escalation of the protests were the shooting to death of Raymond Lawrence and the case of Rodney King in which four white police officers were found to have committed no offense by a jury in the United States.
The historical account of police racism and the reaction from the activist groups helps to highlight the fact that the issue of racial prejudice has been embedded in the Canadian police system for a long time. The issues have persisted, and the increased calls for equality in the treatment at the hands of law enforcement officers have led to the formation of activist groups such as Black Lives Matter. When the groups take to the streets to protest the incidents of killings of black people at the hands of the police, they are also angered by the historical injustices experienced by the black people. It is therefore important for policymakers to take these historical events into consideration when they are making policies aimed at eliminating racism from the Canadian police system.
The issue of racism in the police system and black activism can also be viewed from a sociological point of view. There are various sociological theories that can help in understanding and resolution of the issue of racial prejudice in the Canadian justice system.
One of the sociological theories that can be used to understand the issue of race and activism is the conflict theory. The conflict theory is one of the most popular sociological theories. The theory states that the emergence of conflict in the society results when wealth, authority and status are unevenly distributed according to race, sexuality, gender and other indicators of social status. The theory was established in a bid to explain the occurrence of conflict in the society. The theory, advanced by Karl Marx, suggests that there are two groups in the society (Carney 2016). The two groups are the powerful minority who strive to exert their control over the majority that is less powerful. The conflict of theory also seeks to generate new norms and institutions within the society. These norms and institutions are aimed at fighting the social injustices that are perpetrated by the existing institutions.
Although this theory was established mainly to explain the economic inequalities, it can be applied to explain the cases of activism against racism in the police system. The theory suggests that those in power usually apply force and coerce the oppressed in a bid to have them under control. The use of force and coercion is usually met with resistance. Additionally, the use of racial discrimination stems from the socioeconomic inequalities in the society. The inequalities in the society lead to cases of racial profiling among the members of the police force. Such inequalities explain police actions such as stopping of black drivers on the roads by police officers on a higher likelihood than white drivers. It also explains why some people, including police officers, generally view blacks as being more likely to commit a crime. It is such perceptions that result in cases of police violence against black people and give birth to associations such as Black Lives Matter that seeks to reverse that order so as to restore equality in the society.
The critical theory is another theory that explains the emergence of groups that fight for rights of weak or marginalized groups in the society. The theory follows in the footsteps of Karl Marx’s conflict theory and aims at helping people understand the underlying societal issues and to change the whole society and how people view it. The theory also strives to improve the understanding of the society as a whole by presenting members of the society with ideologies that are usually hidden from them by those in power (Carney 2016). This theory goes against the traditional sociological theories that only aim at explaining the way the society functions without offering any solutions to change it or solve inherent social issues. The critical theory is founded on the basis that social issues should be identified, analyzed and practical solutions offered.
The emergence of Black Lives Matter best illustrates the application of this theory in the society. Police brutality in Canada and many other diverse cultures, as has been explained above, is a historical issue that has existed for many years. The authorities in the countries where these incidents happen usually attempt to overlook the issues and try to make it seem as if that is how the society works. However, when incidents of police brutality and other injustices against minorities occur, activist groups like Black Lives Matter emerge to try and change the way the society views black people. These groups emerge to educate the masses on the issues that affect the society and to encourage them to stand up and take actions that are aimed at resolving the issues. The groups also aim at forcing the authorities in place to ensure equality in the way the society is treated. It also explains why groups such as the Black Lives Matter are involved in different social issues including immigration.
The strain theory can also be applied to explain the formation of the Black Lives Matter Movement. The strain theory, developed by Robert Merton, implies that deviant behavior as being an unavoidable result of the strain that members of the social experience because a rational and available means of achieving objectives that are of cultural importance are not provided by the society (Carney 2016). The society, according to the strain theory, consists of the cultural and the social structure. It is through the cultural values that people develop identities. The identities are developed with respect to the societal structure in place. Deviant behavior is likely to occur when the society fails to provide the necessary means for the members of the society to achieve their goals. Activist groups such as the Black Lives Matter are as a result of the rebellion that comes about because of the strain experienced by black people and other communities of color.
Activists and communities that engage in these associations feel that they have been denied basic rights as a result of the violence perpetrated by the police against black people (Carney 2016). The systematic racial profiling in the police system has denied black people the customary respect they need to achieve their goals and aspirations. As a result, they have turned to civil disturbances, and protests as means of fighting for social equality. These activist groups are aimed at putting pressure those in power to offer equal opportunities and means for minority groups to achieve goals that they hold as important to them. The sociological explanations offer a social understanding of the issue of racial prejudice within the Canadian police system. The understanding of how the society has contributed to the issue of racism and the subsequent protests will help policymakers in the formulation of policies that will help in addressing the issue.
Apart from the historical and sociological viewpoints, psychology offers another perspective from which racial prejudice within the police structure can be viewed. The Black Lives Matter movement has had its events attended by a large number of people who sacrifice the comfort of their lives for a common course. Various psychological theories have been offered to explain the involvement of people in these movements. One such theory is the theory of grievances, which are driven by the concept of deprivation. People usually feel deprived when they compare their social situations to those of other people or to the situations that are considered standard (Rickford 2016). Such comparisons are made on issues like justice or equal treatment.
When that comparison compels some members of the society to conclude that they are not receiving the same treatment as other members of the society, grievances are likely to be raised that might lead to social protests and civil disturbance. The theories of grievance can be used to explain the popularity of movements such as the Black Lives Matter. Various police actions have led to grievances among members of the black community. The actions include the frequent stopping of black people by police officers on the road, the deaths of black people during arrests or in police custody and the differential of treatment of black people in courts. Black communities evaluate these actions and see that they are different from how white people are treated by the same institutions. This leads to the formation of activist movements that are fuelled by these grievances.
Efficacy theory is another psychological theory that explains the participation of people in the associations such as Black Lives Matter. Efficacy involves the belief by individuals that policies can be altered when authorities are pressurized through protests. The efficacy theory is related to the sociological theory of agency that dictates that actions by individual people can shape the society. When people have grievances against the treatment they receive from government agencies, they align themselves with civil rights groups which they believe can effect change within the society (Rickford 2016). Consequently, many black people have had grievances about racial prejudice and killings perpetrated by police officers and decided to support the Black Lives Matter because they believe it can effect change within the society. The growth of this group has been enabled by the belief that the problems faced by the black community can be solved through collective action.
Psychological explanations have also been offered to explain the thought process police officers go through that might lead to actions that the general public might perceive as racism. Psychologists explain that sometimes police officers display racial prejudice unconsciously (Rickford 2016). The reaction of police officers against black people can be explained through three thought processes. The first process dictates that people do the evaluation of people they meet for the first time within a very short time span. This short window for the evaluation is supposed to help gauge the level of threat carried by the individual. The evaluation depends on experience and previous occurrence. Within the short period of time, police officers have to decide whether to open fire or not. Due to the fact that black people have been traditionally viewed as posing a danger, the police officers most of the time evaluate black suspects as posing a danger and that may result in incidents of shooting. Such evaluations can explain incidents of police shootings like the Andrew Loku incident.
Another thought process that seeks to explain the racial prejudice within the police system is that of implicit stereotype. The sight of a black person elicits images of black people that the police officers have learned throughout their life. According to Rickford (2016), this kind of reaction takes place without the involved the person being aware or having the time to evaluate if the image is right or wrong. The cultures in diverse countries have traditionally portrayed black people in a manner that activates the notion of threat. Because of this notion, police officers usually view non-violent actions such as holding of wallets and moving towards their cars as potential dangers and trigger violent reactions. These actions are not necessarily racist as they are often perceived.
The perceived masculine threat offered by black men is another psychological process that has been offered by psychologists as a reason for differential treatment of black people in the hands of police officers. This process suggests that police officers’ reactions are not triggered by being racist but by the insecurity of the police officer about the masculinity of the black people. These psychological explanations attempt to offer an explanation of the racial prejudice that is inherent in the system. When these processes lead to the shooting or killing of black people, they elicit reactions such as those by Black Lives Matter movements. The solution to the issue of racial discrimination within the police system depends on the understanding of these psychological thought processes so that officers are given adequate training to help avert such incidents. Pertinent to the search for a solution to various issues faced in the society is the understanding of the minds involves in the issue under consideration. The psychological perspectives offer the understanding of both the protesters and the officers that might lead to these issues. These psychological explanations will come in handy for policymakers who strive to formulate policies to counter the issue of racial prejudice in within the Canadian police system.
Conclusion
The issue of police violence has continued to be a problem for the Canadian police system, just like any other country that has a diverse population. In order to find solutions that will resolve this issue, various viewpoints must be analyzed. Historical perspective represents one of the viewpoints from which the issue can be analyzed. The last decade had seen many incidents of police killing black people without concrete action from the authorities. These killings accompanied by the acquittal of the officers involved led to early protests organized by activist groups. These historical injustices plus the recent cases of police brutality have led to the formation of groups such the Black Lives Matter that aims at changing the status quo. Sociological theories also offer an explanation to these issues and the rise of activist groups that fight against the marginalization of the members of the black community.
The sociological theories that explain the issue include the conflict theory, the critical theory, and the strain theory. Psychologists have also weighed into the matter by using theories such as the grievance and the efficacy theories. The historical, sociological and the psychological perspectives represent some of the ways in which to understand the issue of police violence against members of the black community in Canada. To find long lasting remedies to this issues, policymakers must take into account the history of the issue, understand the sociological explanations that shed light into the functionality of the society, and the psychological reasoning behind the police officer’s action and the reaction of members of the public. Activist groups such as the Black Lives Matter fight for equality in the way people are treated in the hands of police officers and until their grievances are analyzed through the discussed viewpoints, the issue of police brutality will persist and such groups will continue to cause civil disturbances in Canada.
Reference List
Carney, N 2016, ‘All lives matter, but so does race: black lives matter and the evolving role of social media’, Humanity & Society, vol. 40, no. 2, pp. 180-199.
Rickford, R 2016, ‘Black lives matter: toward a modern practice of mass struggle’, New Labor Forum, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 34-42.
Ross, J 2017, Violence in Canada: sociopolitical perspectives, Routledge, London.