by Calvin Lawrence
I have empathy for the Black Lives Matter(BLM) movement. The movement comes from frustration, anger, and being abused as Black people. The defining emotion of all Black People is Anger. The challenge is to function in this world without that anger debilitating us.
However what Black Lives Matter members fail to realize is that their movement has followed some of the same processes as other black groups in the past. The groups were called different names but followed the same unsuccessful process.
Demanding change such as defunding the police, disarming the police, and disbanding the police, is never going to happen. A few cosmetic changes will occur that will benefit a few Black people but not the masses. They will not realize that they are tokens. Tokens don’t benefit the masses but only the tokens. By definition tokens replace the real thing.
When The Black Panther Party came to Nova Scotia l and a few other Black people were hired as police officers. We were looked upon as sell outs to the white establishment by some in the Black Community. However, a great deal of Black People demanded the hiring of Black Police officers.
BLM would not realize this because then haven’t taken the time to research what works and what fails in the past fight for equality in a Eurocentric society. Anything that BLM does that is not sustainable will fail. That includes but is not limited to, defacing statues, removing statues, marching, demonstrating, rioting, singing, and praying. BLM does not realize that our cultures are different. Our cultures were determined by where the slave ship let us off.
White people no matter how genuinely devoted to the BLM cause will not suffer the same backlash when not involved with any of the BLM activities. When the white participants in BLM go home they will be seen as members of the Eurocentric community. The only lasting progress that BLM can contribute to with results being lasting progress is turn our efforts inward in our own Black communities. 1. We as Black people need group economic or Sustained Economic Development. 2. Then Black people can buy their politicians. 3. Black people would hold police accountable because they have clout. 4. Black people would control and have media outlets on mass akin to CNN or Fox News. Even BLM holds assimilation fantasies. Demanding change in a position of economic and political powerlessness means nothing. When the power structures get fed up with the theatrics of BLM they will be crushed as if they were hit by a truck.
Calvin Lawrence is a retired RCMP officer, 7th generation Black Canadian and author of the book: Black Cop.