The message in the photo here is commendable, but does it reflect the Black Lives Matter movement in its present form? Do all black lives matter to the BLM leadership, from what an outside observer can tell? Clearly not. Only black lives lost in confrontations with law enforcement officers seem to count, because BLM can manipulate those deaths as a tool to seek the destruction of America’s present system of law and order in favor of some new system they haven’t yet unveiled. Given the fact that BLM’s founders have made no secret of their Marxist leanings, the USA they envision bears little resemblance to that of our Founding Fathers.
The fiction that black lives matter to the BLM movement is belied by the silence coming from its leaders regarding the deaths of blacks in any other context than police encounters. For example, did BLM bemoan the murder of retired police captain David Dorn on June 2nd in St. Louis by rioters? No. Did it condemn the black-on-black gun violence in Chicago over Fathers’ Day weekend culminating in 15 deaths and 105 injuries, or that occurring last weekend where 18 were killed (including three children) and 47 injured? No. Sadly, this epidemic of black-on-black violence has a stubborn history in our nation’s recent past, and is being replicated in many cities across this country. But BLM is not interested in these deaths, for they carry little political potency for radical change of our republic.
My point in all this is not to minimize the evil of true cases of police brutality against blacks by pointing to the much larger reality of black deaths at the hands of black perpetrators (or murderers of any color, for that matter). I firmly believe that officers committing homicide must be investigated fully and fairly, and if found guilty of unjustified homicide should face the appropriate judgment for their crime. The issue at hand, however, is the hypocrisy of Black Lives Matter, claiming to fight for justice on behalf of all black victims but in reality ignoring most black deaths. And of course, BLM limits its scope to a small segment of black victims only in the United States, as if the black race ends at our national borders. If all black lives truly matter, one would expect BLM to be grieved and angered by the wholesale slaughter of blacks taking place elsewhere, particularly on the African continent, perpetrated primarily by Muslim protagonists.
For example, in just the last month, 17 villagers were slaughtered in Macomia, Mozambique (5/30) when jihadis stormed their town. That same day in Burkina Faso, Muslims attacked two villages, Barsalogho and Loroum, killing 13 and 15 noncombatants respectively. The next day, at a livestock market in Kompienbiga (also Burkina Faso), Muslim militants fired into the crowd, killing 30 innocents. That same day (5/31) in Itakpa, Nigeria, jihadis with machetes hacked 13 locals to death in their homes. On June 3 in Kujuru, Nigeria, Fulani mercenaries dismembered 9 women and children attempting to flee their attackers. Three days later in Auno, Muslim insurgents overran a military base and killed six local soldiers. On June 9, also in Nigeria, 81 villagers are gathered from the nomadic village of Faduma Kolomdi by Muslim radicals and executed. On June 11 in Cabor, Mozambique, 10 members of a family are beheaded by jihadis. Also on that day, in the border post town of Kafolo, Ivory Coast, a Muslim militant attack takes the lives of 13 guards. On June 13 in the two towns of Nganzai and Monguno, Nigeria, the Islamic State of West Africa massacred 61 locals for the crime of interacting with Westerners. The next day, in Bouka Were, Mali, two dozen local security guards were killed by Islamic State affiliates. Over the weekend of June 20-21, the Islamic State affiliated group ADF in the Democratic Republic of Congo killed “at least twenty civilians) in separate attacks on two villages. And this last Saturday, in Damboa, Nigeria, the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram ambushed and killed 11 local security guards.
These represent the attacks with larger casualty rates in Africa over the past month, but many more lethal attacks on smaller numbers over the same period could be listed, all carried out by Muslim militants. Did BLM take notice of any of them, expressing grief or anger over the senseless killing of more black lives? Hardly. Apparently these black African individuals are of equally little value to BLM leadership as the multitudes of black Americans killed at the hands of anyone other than law enforcement.
We’ve been told that it is impolitic to say “All lives matter” in response to the race-specific claim that “black lives matter.” I disagree. In point of fact, it is a racist statement to imply that black lives matter more than those of any other race. From a Christian vantage point, all lives matter equally before God regardless of the color of one’s skin, and all are to be treated equally and provided the same opportunities in life, as much as is possible in any imperfect society. Where that doesn’t happen, we must work to rectify it both in our hearts and in our institutions.
But even for those committed to the rallying cry of “Black Lives Matter!”, I’d be more inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt and listen compassionately to their arguments if they really believed and acted as though all black lives really did matter. Unless and until that happens, all this protest noise, attended by violence and mindless destruction, is simply adolescent political theater. I pray it either matures into something substantive and positive for human society, or dissolves into the fog of oblivion where all juvenile dreams find their ultimate end.
Cross-posted with permission from The Personal Blog of Mateen Elass.
owensgate says
“Black Lives Matter”? Would they really be saying that EVERYWHERE in the World? Say, for example, are there BLM riots (almost said “rallies”, ha ha) in, say, Gambia? Nigeria? Do “White Lives Matter” in South Africa? This is NOT about Lives, Black OR White, it’s about the destruction of Western culture, Capitalism, true “Justice-is-blind” Justice per our Constitution, which is under attack and in critical danger of being superseded by Global One-World COMMUNISM. Period. Full stop.
gravenimage says
+1
PHOENIX says
BLM is a domestic terrorist, Marxist entity fed with money by George Soros and ‘corporate’ America..shame on these supporters. along with Teacher’s Unions endorsing them. You are absolutely correct when it comes to ‘which’ black lives matter. The African countries you mentioned, especially Nigeria kill 100’s if not 1000’s of ‘Christians’ who are black. I’m so angry with local politicians pandering and ‘bowing’ to BLM and de-funding the police. How ignorant. Should a citizen need police do they call 911 and ask for BLM to come assist?
Christiana olufunke says
Thank God, someone knows, Christains in Nigeria,in the Northern parts are going through hellish situations,where are the black lice matter idiots, it’s a Political extension of the demoncrats
PHOENIX says
Tes, BLM is endorsed by the Democrats. BLM is a dangerous, Marxist group of misfits trying to destroy America. If they accomplish this they will reveal their true purpose and that is to create a Marxist state and I assure you they won’t be at the bottom they’ll be at the top taking all the money and wealth of the country for their own use the rest can go to hell.Conservative Americans must rebel by voting in Donald Trump and his conservative party they are the true Americans they are the true leaders of the democratic society God bless America
mortimer says
The real meaning of BLM ? ‘Blacks Loving Marxism’.
Jayell says
Apart from Africa, one has to ask to whom exactly black lives are supposed to matter If you look at murder statistics within the black communities from all around the rest of the world. I believe I saw a report of four African Americans being shot dead within a short space of time recently in black-on-black crimes in or around Minnesota – with hardly a word on the international media, and that’s just one of many such reports across the USA that I noticed. i’ve already mentioned the murder statistics from London UK, showing 48% of murder suspects and 44% of victims being from the ‘black’ community, when this group is only 13% of the total London population. What’s the situation elsewhere in Europe? And Australia/New Zealand? Does one get the impression that black lives are supposed to be the responsibility of everyone else except the black community itself, who apparently are exempt from responsibility and can do exactly as they please without criticism? Perhaps we won’t go back to the days of the slave trade and ask who was responsible for making all those African slaves available to the European traders in the first place – and who carried on the business well before and after we’d thought we’d stopped it in the West? Or can’t they be held responsible for all that as well?
We also have a situation here in the UK where an Asian Cambridge ‘professor’ can not only publicly utter the most vile blatant anti-white racist propaganda (actually an offence?) but then go on deliberately to repeat the offence and keep her job, but a private citizen who flies a banner from an aircarft stating ‘White Lives Matter” (= simply ‘Black lives matter’ with one word replaced, and not an offence) is fired from his job; and a person displaying a placard saying ‘All lives matter’ is attacked as being ‘racist’. One has to ask what the hell is going on, since this is now well beyond illogical but apparently extends into the criminally lunatic.
Owensgate is right. There is indeed something very nasty going on here. And it’s now very, very obvious.
Giacomo Latta says
How about ”The Quality of Black Lives Matters?” Apparently no such sub-committee exists within BLM, otherwise they would be raising a stink about all the FGM occurring in Africa, or even North America.
No, identical to feminist movements in North America no such concern is shown. While it would be difficult to call BLM anti-black racist, they do display the same condescending attitude to third-world residents as do North America feminists. It is as close to racism as you can get.
Jerry says
In the Post Apartheid South Africa the National Socialist White regime was replaced by the ANC National Socialist Black regime, under a sham democracy where the economy, business and taxpayers are plundered by the Black ruling elite, partially for corrupt self enrichment and partly through an elaborate scheme of money laundering transferring a major cut of GDP in order for them to have their orgy of a Party
There is a long ongoing slow genocide of White farmers.
About a dozen Apartheid racist laws were replaced by more than 130 Post Apartheid racist laws including those concerning AA (Affirmative Action) and BBBEE (Black Broad Based Economic Empowerment).
The ANC is now engaged in a process to strip the Constitutional right to private property by allowing the expropriation of private property without compensation.
In theory, there is a constitutional right to life for all, but under the so called Disaster Management Act using the Corona Virus – COVID-19 as an excuse, Constitutional Rights are suspended, and the democratically unelected Command Council rules by decree.
So what does all this have to do with BLM?
A Black Man, Colin Xhosa was sitting in his own private yard in Alexandra, having a drink in defiance of the arbitrary ban on drinking in public places, thus not even in breach of the arbitrary restriction.
He was beaten to death by Black Soldiers of the Black National Socialist regime, with Black Police either acting as accomplices or simply in dereliction of their duty to protect him from being tortured and beaten to death.
Whites were jailed for simply using a racist derogatory word towards blacks.
Black inciting murder of Whites remain unpunished.
Anti Jewish, anti Israel and anti Christian genocidal propaganda is permitted in mosques and the streets under an assymetric freedom of religion, but if a non-Muslim offers an honest and factual translation he or she faces arrest for alleged hate speech for exposing the Islamic hate speech.
White Lives obviously not matter in the racist Post Apartheid neo-Apartheid South Africa, but under the rabid Black Marxist regime Black Lives no longer matter.
underbed cat says
A few years back I watched a documentary called ‘Farmland’, regarding the conditions of Post Apartied..for the white Dutch population that migrated to South Afirica 400 years ago and built a small country in nearly desolate land,
I was horrified by the violence and the American western World Press went silent, not much news as the negative events unfolded, white farmers were being attacked, who created the farms and became the food producers that feed not just white people, that also feed the surrounding area country, how many farmers will survive, a country of South Africa now struggling to survive daily and cannot speak openly about the post apartied conditions and the desire to remove or replace an enire population into an untenable situation.
The black and the now hispanic populations in America have been on the list for conversion for many years with education and mosques by the Saudi King in this country, the end of apartide was the goal that was assisted by Islam? It has may appear also South Africa.. were these results….this appears to be like another political power grab for Islam, by working with minorities under the deceptive veil of a religion, as long muslims act peaceful and they keep silent about sharia but join in the chant about racism, and we keep quiet too fearful to speak about the goal we are now starting to see the future here in America as we are clueless about some dangers as we are lead into racial diversity with a twist of fate of danger …instead of peace.
gravenimage says
+1
Grace says
The leaders of BLM have taken the movement to International status.They also admitted, during a press conference, that they were Marxist trained. Need we say more. They were also women.
Brian Ozzy says
Spot-on owensgate!
Ade Fegan says
off topic … but justifiably so
gravenimage says
Not entirely, Ade–the fact that Blacks being genocided in Africa by Muslims is not of concern to BLM is indeed salient here.
Wellington says
BLM is phony and stupid through and through. And the following as well:
Marxist (by the admission of its three founders in 2013—Opal Tometi, Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors—they are, and I quote, “trained Marxists”).
Racist (at gatherings in states like Missouri and Washington whites were told to go back to the end of the crowd {which pathetic, self-flaggelating, ill-informed whites did}).
Anti-Israel (BLM has accused Israel of genocide which is absurd on its face) and pro-Palestinian (a made-up people if ever there were one).
Most certainly anti-police (e.g., “pigs in a blanket, fry ’em like bacon”).
Also anti-nuclear family—just another oppressive feature of Western (read “white” here) Civilization.
Into all the trans-gender, cis-gender, etc. nonsense relating to sexuality.
And on and on and on with this rot.
Show me someone who supports BLM (and virtually all Democrats do and not a few Republicans, e.g., the ever increasingly pathetic Mitt Romney), and I will show you a fool at best, a horrible, truly evil person at worst.
As long as BLM is extended any respect whatsoever, you know there is still much to do to set things right for real freedom to prevail and true equality under the law to continue as major principles of the American Republic.
I can respect no person who supports BLM. No exceptions. In fact, I will go so far as to say that BLM is evil.
Yes, while I wish black America and all of America well, I do not wish BLM well, anymore than I wish Islam, Nazism, the KKK, Antifa or Marxism well. Oh yeah, BLM belongs in the same category with these wretched belief systems or organizations. It sure does and the sooner the vast majority of Americans and so many others grasp this about BLM the better.
owensgate says
One basic thing about History – if you don’t know where you’ve been, you can’t know where you’re going. That suggests there might be a bright side to “cancel culture” erasing history, destroying monuments and all reference to “slave owners”. With no history of slavery left, it will be possible, in less than fifty years, to say “You were never slaves in history”, there is no proof, your days of “Victimhood” are over, you’re on your own now, make it by your MERIT or not at all. A Civil war? WHAT Civil War? There was no Confederacy, no “Fort Sumter”, no “underground railroad”, what you say? Prove it.
Wellington says
Per Winston Churchill, the three most important areas of study are history, history and history.
Nothing teaches our species more than an informed study of the past. Thus, I cannot agree with you; indeed I must completely reject your suggestion that there is some “bright side” to cancel culture.
Doubt me? Well then, just reflect upon what Churchill asserted and keep Orwell in mind as well. Obliterate history and you obliterate humanity.
I know you meant well, owensgate, but I could not more vigorously disagree with you if I tried. What you put forth has no merit. Actually it is a road to the ultimate Nowheresville for mankind.
curious george says
Wellington
+1
From time immemorial, the one constant is human nature. We see that played out in generation after generation, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
owensgate says
My “hypothetical” was off base, I admit, but since absence of proof is not proof of absence, if we apply that to slavery, means we must have the monuments, as “mile markers” of the historical road we’ve been on for the last 250 years. There is none righteous among us, not one. It is not possible to know the mind or heart of Robert E. Lee, and other leaders of the Confederacy, or the effect of the conditions they were exposed to had on them, but it’s entirely possible Lee and some of the others fought for other reasons primarily beside the Southern economic norm of racial servitude. The Civil War was something they were “caught up” in, as was everyone at the time, including Blacks who fought FOR the Confederacy. Lee was at least honorable to his convictions, misguided as they were. Unlike today’s politicians, who are totally worthless and without honor. The USA was the only thing NEW in History, but unfortunately Franklin was correct – a Republic? – we couldn’t keep it.
Wellington says
You redeemed yourself, if you don’t mind my saying so—and perhaps it is presumptuous of me to state such—by your 10:49 P.M. post.
mortimer says
Seconding the superb comments and quotes from Wellington on the importance of the youth studying history to learn about human nature.
“Dwell on the past, lose an eye. Forget the past, lose two eyes.” – Russian proverb
gravenimage says
owensgate wrote:
The Civil War was something they were “caught up” in, as was everyone at the time, including Blacks who fought FOR the Confederacy.
…………………..
This is mistaken, owensgate.
The only cases of this appear to be Confederate officers who kept slaves as valets, and some slaves who were used as labor. None of them were engaged in fighting.
In fact, the Confederacy banned the recruitment of Blacks for most of its existence.
gravenimage says
owensgate–with all respect–I don’t think that our forgetting that we bravely abolished slavery would actually be a good thing.
owensgate says
graven, it’s hard to tell what the “BLM movement” is trying to establish – that slavery existed and was abolished, or that the memory and proof of it must be abolished. It seems to me that “right thinking” should be a Pride in the USA for having abolished it, but perhaps it is a realization that all the efforts of Lincoln, all abolitionists, and over 300,000 Union casualties did not actually END slavery, only move it from the Private Sector to the Public Sector, thanks to the Democratic Party.
gravenimage says
I still think it important that we know our history, whatever it is that BLM is trying to ‘accomplish’ here.
Gray says
‘Those who do not remember the past are condemned to re-live it.’ True?
gravenimage says
Almost always. That most of us know so little about Islam is a terrible weakness.
Westman says
I was thinking that if I followed the attitude of the BLM mobs that tear down historic statues and demand the renaming of everything remotely connected with slavery or just manufacturing offense – I would take all the family pictures of my (ex) first wife and cut her out before giving them to my children. No sense seeing the good, right? The historical perspective is not important, right? Like 1984’s Winston and the BLM we’ll just remove her from history. Won’t change anything for the kids, eh?
This whole BLM/Marxism/revolution has gone too far. People are dying.
James Lincoln says
Wellington,
An excellent and 100% accurate post, my compliments.
Interestingly there is a fairly large percent of very naïve Americans who believe that BLM is some type of “civil rights” organization. These same types of people also believe the same thing about CAIR.
And nothing could be further from the truth – but you knew that already…
curious george says
I wonder, how many participants in the BLM movement have recently THANKED their mother for “not” exercising her so-called “Pro-Choice Constitutional rights?”
Wellington says
I think it eminently arguable, curious george, that everyone supporting such “rights” should ask themselves the query you posed, regardless of race, ethnicity or gender.
Often when dealing with a “very” pro-choice person (most likely a leftist female though there were many exceptions), I rhetorically asked them weren’t they glad that their mother made an exception in their case? I usually got either a flummoxed look or some fallacious statement to the effect that my question to them was unfair (N.B., I never thought it was unfair).
James Lincoln says
Wellington,
I feel compelled to relate a very disturbing story:
I once had a conversation with a Navy corpsman riding back from a training course. Just her and I were in the car, so I had to be careful in my conversation.
She was a rising star in the Navy, very fit and attractive, and had just been accepted into nursing training.
I told her “great”, and asked her what her future plans were in nursing.
She stated that she wanted to become a nurse practitioner. Again, I said “great”.
She then stated that she wanted to provide abortions in states that allowed nurse practitioners to perform this procedure. I said nothing.
She specifically asked me what I thought. I told her that, since she had asked, that I felt that it should be limited to cases that involve rape, incest, or the life of the mother – and within the first trimester if at all possible.
She disagreed. She stated that her own mother tried to self abort her, obviously unsuccessfully.
I asked her if she were glad that her mother was unsuccessful in her attempt .
She surprisingly stated that she was not. She felt that her mother had the unrestricted right to abort her.
Wellington says
Telling (and damning) story, James. That woman is “dedicated” to a cause to the point of her oblivion. Makes no sense to me but then a lot of “true believers” in sundry causes make no sense to me.
gravenimage says
Very troubling, James.
Westman says
Darnned important question that goes directly to personal selfishness and the avoidance of responsibility.
US infidel says
Should not be called black lifes matter should be called black looters matter nothing but a bunch of violent thieving thugs. Should call it like it is .bunch of worthless losers
Brian Ozzy says
+1 from me Wellington. You surely have that right!
curious george says
Bishop Wooden Monologue 1-26-20 “Controversial & Extreme Views?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaHioK3Ljz0
Jerry says
What would have happened to Jesus if Mary was a pro-choice Liberal activist?
unbeliever1 says
Very interesting angle there, Jerry.
GreekEmpress says
BLM attacked praying Catholics at the statue of St. Louis IX in St. Louis MO, threatened the cathedral, and disrespected a priest. So that’s where we’re at these days. And Umar Lee was instrumental in setting that protest up.
My beautiful church was vandalized recently.
So black lives matter, but Catholic (Christian) lives don’t? Guess not.
gravenimage says
Also, there are quite a few Black Catholics, including in places like New Orleans and–yes–St. Louis.
curious george says
Meet the Catholics who practice Voodoo in New Orleans
https://religionunplugged.com/news/2019/9/27/meet-the-catholics-who-practice-voodoo-in-new-orleans
I listen to a podcast from a Pastor in New Orleans on occasion. He is a former Roman Catholic; he has talked about this blending of Roman Catholicism and Voodoo being quite prevalent in New Orleans.
unbeliever1 says
Have you noticed that wherever the Catholic religion is the practiced by the majority, there is the widespread practice of voodoo?
gravenimage says
Sorry, unbeliever1–this is just silly. Are you saying that most Italians and Mexicans practice voodoo?
And curious george, most Black Catholics in New Orleans are mainstream Catholics, not practitioners of voodoo.
curious georeg says
gravenimage,
I respect your knowledge and your sincerity; however, I take issue with your dishonoring a Pastor, a person who was born and raised in New Orleans as a Roman Catholic. This individual has first-hand knowledge, not hearsay, of what takes place in New Orleans. I have listened to many of his sermons; he is a man of integrity and honor; he is someone who says what he means and means what he says.
If he says that there are Catholics in New Orleans practicing a blend of Catholicism and Voodoo, I have no reason to doubt what he has said.
gravenimage says
curious george, my saying “most Black Catholics in New Orleans are mainstream Catholics, not practitioners of voodoo” is *not* my dishonoring a Pastor.
This is certainly a phenomenon that exists–I never said that it does not. In fact, I am quite aware of it and its history.
But about 42% of New Orleanians are Catholic–over 164,000 people. In contrast, there are fewer than 3,000 Voodoo practitioners there even before Katrina, according to the article you yourself linked to.
My main point in citing Black Catholics here is that BLM is also targeting them in St. Louis when attacking a Catholic Cathedral.
libertyORdeath says
BLM only supports communists and criminals in an attempt to upend our civilization, they could care less about the common black people being slaughtered everyday. This is nothing but a new form of a black liberation army. Even though the data suggests otherwise they insist that America and its police are inherently racist, but I think that the leadership knows better. These protesters are nothing more than a Marxist fifth column attempting to destroy our culture, heritage and country to be replaced by another psuedo socialist regime similar to that which has been seen time and again on the African continent. This type of movement inevitably leads to a corrupt dictatorship and greater levels of suffering for the common citizens, regardless of race.
Wellington says
Seconded. BLM is nothing more than the Black Panther Party or Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) from a half century ago, though smoother, far more, respecting the way they present their hatred to others. After all, the Ford Foundation never gave the Black Panther Party or SLA a hundred million dollars but it has BLM. And as an aside, I will not purchase a Ford product again because of this. I do wish millions of others would let Ford know this. Screw Ford’s pick-up trucks et al.—Apple products, Google of course and virtually every major university across America as well (and don’t forget “worthy others” like the NBA and NFL).
And follow the money. The leaders of BLM will eventually reveal themselves as the worst kind of capitalists, i.e., ones without a proper moral foundation or any respect for a decent legal system, all the while denouncing capitalism. Rank hypocrites (though rich ones) to be sure.
Yes indeed, They’ll be living high off the hog, taking private jet trips to conferences where they will lecture pathetic whites only too eager to be told about how terrible they are, eating lobster and other great cuisine, misusing money ad nauseam, etc., but with no hint of remorse or self-awareness that they themselves (who could doubt it but a hater like me?) that they are superior human beings.
I see all this unfolding with crystal clarity respecting the probability likelihood of all this happening. It’s almost as though I can see the future, skeptic though I am about such an “ability.”
So, I say count on it. Place your wagers now.
roberta says
These people are not capitalist, they are just greedy thug marxist.
They want the gains of being a capitalist, but lack the brains and work
ethic. They provide no true product or service, only threats. No wonder they are in bed with the muslims.
Wellington says
roberta: In theory I agree with you. They hate capitalism (which itself is stupid since it is the only economic system that has ever produced true wealth). But they will definitely not deny themselves the fruits of capitalism all the while pretending otherwise.
In short, they’re hypocrites.
gravenimage says
+1
Westman says
We’ve seen this anti-capitalist story before in the 1960s. Now most of them have 401(k) investments. The poster child for anti-capitalist hypocrisy would be Steve Jobs. He and the Woz split up over it.
Even the Bolshevic Revolution spawned a two-tier system, as every revolution does. The beauty of the American Revolution was the creation of a meritocracy, granting sweeping personal rights, that allowed the hard working and the bright to move within the full range of society, regardless of where they began. Obama himself is proof of that great opportunity
However, BLM is demanding a free ride. We have already done that number and those who advanced left their community and never came back. Even Waters doesn’t live among her constituents.
Black lives are mostly taken by blacks and the failure starts in the home with absent fathers and teen-age motherhood. Most of us have cheered for the advancement of blacks, however, there is a point when we realize things have been going backward and the “victims” have victimized themselves.
James Lincoln says
Wellington says,
“And follow the money. The leaders of BLM will eventually reveal themselves as the worst kind of capitalists…”
Yes, the leaders will get very wealthy indeed. All the more reason to keep the BLM “movement” alive…
gravenimage says
Good points, libertyORdeath and Wellington.
roberta says
”roberta: In theory I agree with you. They hate capitalism (which itself is stupid since it is the only economic system that has ever produced true wealth). But they will definitely not deny themselves the fruits of capitalism all the while pretending otherwise.
In short, they’re hypocrites.”
I sometimes wonder if they are really hypocrites, liars for sure, but maybe not hypocrites. I spend a lot of time working in very affluent areas, just dripping with wealth. Homes that are truly palatial, lakes with swans and groomed orchards. kings of old did not live nearly so well as
these (other than wealthy) common Americans.
One day while viewing this wealth it began to cross my mind that maybe the fact that wealth is attainable to the masses could be part of what drives these leftist haters. They want a system that wealth is only available to the few. In their thoughts/hearts, what good is wealth if so many have it?
They dont one bit want equality and a man made paradise for everyone. Where is the fun in that? Sure they hate capitalism, they hate it because it produces wealth for the masses, and wealth for the masses just isnt any fun. Watching the masses toll and suffer under unbearable poverty,
now there is a feast for their leftist eyes. So what if their system doesnt work for everyone? It works for them, and thats enough.
These fools on the streets burning and vandalizing are just as much a tool as the stupid slogans they scream. Their minds and lives are cannon fodder for the left. They chant slogans as the left runs them off a cliff. If they were not taking this country off the cliff with them (I wouldnt give a damn)
Im rambling and hungry, gotta go to the kitchen and enjoy that it is full of food and has running water, while it is still full of food and has running water. These things will be in short supply if the left has its way.
Wellington says
Interesting perspective, roberta.
gravenimage says
Interesting points, Roberta.
I believe that most Americans want to be wealthy because it gives them security, comfort, and almost unlimited choices.
But there are some people who only care about being rich because other people are not.
Decades ago I read an article about a Muslim in North Africa who was finally able to afford a cement floor for the family home. He was not excited about his home being safer and cleaner for his family, but just over inciting envy in his neighbors who could not afford such a “luxury”.
A Western aid worker described the lifestyle of the average American–car, tv, stove and refrigerator, etc, etc,–and asked him if he would like to have access to all of this. When he found out that most Americans lived like this–and that no one in the US would envy him for it–he declined. He’d rather live in poverty so long as his comparative wealth would be the envy of his neighbors.
I always found this story grim.
roberta says
”I always found this story grim.”
It is kinda a poor mans version of ruling in hell vs serving in heaven.
gravenimage says
True, Roberta.
Ade Fegan says
Violent armed robber drug addict lives don’t matter
Chrissie01 says
Actually, they also do. But what also matters is an obduction report that said that Floyd’s blood content of Fentanyl was fatal. And that he had a history 25 year of drug abuse and that his heart failed.
gravenimage says
Which Black Lives Matter?
…………………..
Damn good questions from Mateen Elass.
Myron J. Poltroonian says
I have an answer for whomever held up a cardboard sign at a BLM “Peaceful” rally asking, “When Does My Son Go From Being Cute To A Threat?”, that [presumably] a Black Parent put up.
When you don’t start keeping track of his “Whereabouts” and who he’s “Hanging Out With” in the neighborhood. When you didn’t start keeping track of where he is in his school work and, setting firm study times and learning goals for him instead of just letting his overworked, under paid and underperforming school be his “Baby Sitter” for you. When you didn’t set firm, clear rules and let him slide on the few you did set, instead of expecting him to live up to your high standards. Finally, teaching him (hopefully by example) how to be a man and, eventually, if he does have children, to be a Real. Productive Man and Father to His Children.
Offended by what I have to say? Well, as Clark Gable said in the latest shiny object in the Cancel Culture’s eye: “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a Damn”. As my mother used to say: “You made your bed; now lie in it”.
Rod says
“BLM’s founders have made no secret of their Marxist leanings, the USA they envision bears little resemblance to that of our Founding Fathers.”
Marxist leanings? For god’s sake are you people still able to be frightened by Reds under our beds? Isn’t that old fantasy a bit outdated, not to mention childish? Perhaps Jihadwatchers are so naive that they can still be frightened by the mere sound of the word “Marx”, without having any idea of who Marx was.
Well, Jihadwatchers, all you need to know is that anybody who wants to remedy ignorance, corruption, racism, intolerance or stupidity can safely be called a Marxist and then forgotten.
As for the USA of our Founding Fathers, weren’t those saintly Founding Fathers slave owners? How revered do you think they are among those of us who really and truly do believe that all black, yes black, lives matter?
gravenimage says
It seems that the appalling “Rod” is sneering at the horrors of Communism and what it has done to its victims over the past hundred-plus years. But then, who can be surprised by this?
And the implication that one will be untroubled by the brutality of Communism if they only take time to learn about it is sickening in the extreme.
Then, the idea that BLM ignoring violence and slavery against Black people in Africa is somehow remedying “ignorance, corruption, racism, intolerance” is just bizarre.
The idea that if one cares about Black people being enslaved and murdered that this somehow means that one doesn’t care about Black people makes no sense whatsoever. But then, would one expect anything different from this appalling apologist for Jihad and Shari’ah?
Notice that he will not say anything critical about the enslavement and genocide of Black people in much of Africa–but then, why would he?
Wellington says
Great reply, gravenimage. And I guess Rod thinks that being concerned about Nazism, per his logic, is also something superficial or silly.
gravenimage says
Thank you, Wellington.
As for the Nazis, “Rod” probably realizes they are not as fashionable as are the Communists.
Rod says
It’s really curious that you folk devote so much attention to what you imagine I “think”, while carefully refusing to address what I “say”. Not hard to see why.
As for the Founding Fathers and BLM, I’m sure they put a great deal of importance on their Black Lives, for which they had paid a good price, and from which they expected a good return. Odd to find such a shameful aspect of your history mentioned here.
Last week you told me these terrifying peaceful protestors were all Antifascists. Now somehow they’ve morphed into communists. What next? Well, we don’t come here for any rational discussion of reality, do we?
gravenimage says
Note that “Rod” will not actually say what any of the Anti-Jihadists here got wrong. Quite telling.
The founders of BLM are indeed Marxist:
“Black Lives Matter co-founder describes herself as ‘trained Marxist’”
https://nypost.com/2020/06/25/blm-co-founder-describes-herself-as-trained-marxist/
Is “Rod” saying that Patrisse Cullors was lying? Why would she do so?
And who here said that they were antifascists? If he means that they have in many cases allied with the violent “Antifa”, this is a very different matter.
Chrissie01 says
being European, much of the founding of the US was flawed in my eyes, that’s true. Much of its later history was. But what is perfect in this world? The Soviet Union? Cuba? China? And also flawed is any “whataboutism” (I think that’s what they call it)
Marxism means millions of deaths under the cruelest condition, starting with Stalin and is camps, continuing to Mao and going on to Che Guevara, Ho Chi Minh and Pol Pot…
Yes, I am horrified at the word “Marx”, or Mordechai, to quote his correct family name and at the way he is now presented as a productive well-doer. His is a program of societal desintegration that never worked and has always ended in bloodshed and oppression.
Central idea is the “dictatorship of the proletariat”…
Dictatorship, right? Cultural revolution, right?
Look at the statues that are falling now. And look at Mao’s “Cultural Revolution”…
Rod says
Marxism does not mean millions of deaths. Karl Marx wrote a book. He died in 1883. You might be talking about Stalinism. But of course there were other regimes which caused millions of deaths. Whatever happened to the indigenous North Americans, millions of them? Or the many who were massacred as European Christians prosecuted their relentless invasions, occupations and exploitations of so much of the non-European world, even before old Karl had commenced writing his book.
Then, of course, Vietnam, etc, etc. The moral high ground is difficult terrain, Chrissie. Hard to keep your footing.
Kerala in South India has had communist (Marxist?) governments democratically installed and removed on and off for decades. Yes, there have been civil disturbances, (as in Minnesota and some other places), but by and large, health, education, social harmony are exemplary. While many non-communist states are pathetically dysfunctional (like Minnesota perhaps).
Slavery existed all over the world. So US citizens are entitled to hold up their Founding Fathers as paragons, examples which demonstrators outraged by racism should strive to emulate? The moral high ground does seem to be slippery today.
gravenimage says
“Rod” wrote:
Marxism does not mean millions of deaths. Karl Marx wrote a book. He died in 1883. You might be talking about Stalinism.
………………………..
Of course, the idea that it was just Stalin who cause millions of deaths is *quite* false. Note that “Rod” desperately hopes we ignore Mao, Pol Pot, and the Kims of North Korea.
The fact is that all Communist regimes have been brutal and unfree–but of course that has nothing to do with Communism…sarc/off
More:
But of course there were other regimes which caused millions of deaths. Whatever happened to the indigenous North Americans, millions of them? Or the many who were massacred as European Christians prosecuted their relentless invasions, occupations and exploitations of so much of the non-European world, even before old Karl had commenced writing his book.
………………………..
The West has acknowledged its wrongs–would that were true of Communism–or of Islam.
More:
Then, of course, Vietnam, etc, etc. The moral high ground is difficult terrain, Chrissie. Hard to keep your footing.
………………………..
Vietnam has also been an ugly Communist state–yet “Rod” only castigates those who hoped to forestall this tyranny.
More:
Kerala in South India has had communist (Marxist?) governments democratically installed and removed on and off for decades. Yes, there have been civil disturbances, (as in Minnesota and some other places), but by and large, health, education, social harmony are exemplary. While many non-communist states are pathetically dysfunctional (like Minnesota perhaps).
………………………..
The idea that Kerala and Minnesota–whatever their problems–have been Communist states is ludicrous. For one thing, both of them have been states within democracies. “Rod” hopes we don’t know that.
More:
Slavery existed all over the world. So US citizens are entitled to hold up their Founding Fathers as paragons, examples which demonstrators outraged by racism should strive to emulate? The moral high ground does seem to be slippery today.
………………………..
The seeds of abolition were present in the work of the Founding Fathers–and three generations later slavery was indeed abolished here.
Islam *never* abolished slavery, and enslaves its victims to this very day. Note that “Rod” says *nothing* critical about Islamic slavery–but then, why would he?
Wellington says
Yes, Rod, most of the Founding Fathers were slave owners but slavery existed all over the world and by every race. And what difference does it make if you are enslaved because you are thought to belong to the wrong race, the wrong tribe, the wrong ethnicity or the wrong gender? Slavery is slavery.
And what if you had been born in the 18th century, what are the chances you would have thought ill of slavery? The first statement we have against slavery anywhere in world history was by a group of Quakers in Philadelphia in 1687. If you could to go back to the 16th century and tell people that slavery is wrong, you would be met with incredulity or even hostility. Taking one’s mindset back into past times and judging the past by your own time’s perspectives is one of the most fallacious approaches to history that can be employed.
Moreover, the Founding Fathers set into motion a process whereby the distinct possibility existed that American society could become more expansive and inclusive, which is exactly what occurred.
And might as well sneer at ancient Athens because though it invented democracy the franchise and expansive freedom only applied to certain men—full citizens, and not to slaves, free men who did not have both parents Athenian, or women, BUT the idea of at least some people being full citizens with voting rights is a huge first step and it is democracy that has the capability to evolve, to become more flexible over time, to admit to wrongdoing, to make amends and to become more inclusive. Other systems of government show no such flexibility, expansiveness, inclusiveness or any capability of admitting to wrongdoing. You can get a more inclusive and flexible democracy. You don’t get a more inclusive and flexible Nazism, Marxism, anarchism, oligarchies, aristocracies based on birth, etc. Only democracy has demonstrated a capacity to develop “a more perfect Union.”
You dismiss too much all the while being so confident in what you take to be something sapient when it most definitely, seen from my perspective and I think the perspective of many others here at JW, is not.
gravenimage says
+1
Lenny Leaps In says
Will the BLM activists now take a knee to the great many black on black murders? Some how I don’t think so.
Chrissie01 says
why actually “BLM”? Come out and say it: WLDM..
“White lives don’t matter”…we hate you, whitey…and your world and we are envious to the point of screaming…
Maximilian Jehuda Ewert says
Read the program of the euphomistic called movement”black lives matter” compared to the initial incidents furling it: each time it is about a black hetero man killed ( in 2020 murdered) by a white policeman.Tpoliceman.The BLM manifest starts with the general incident, connecting the incident to slavery if blacks in the US.Than goes about the different solutions to the people they address to support.From single moms to LGBT.Nothung about black hetero men.Like the white supremacy in Germany included Iraq,Iran,Japan an west Syria, and had no problem to murder 5 million Sinti and Roma and 6 million Jews ( shooting sqads not included, program not included), and to slaughter in Blitz krieg millions of the European at the time only white population neighbouring countries.The “protection of a group” in BLM all blacks is the lure not the practice.Because , as from all humanoid species that race homo sapiens,the human race in all colors is not by color a different race, to dump it down a chocolate Labrador and golden Labrador are from the species dog one race.Like in Islam, with Surat 3:11 calling Muslims “the best if nation’s” joining the movement,religious political support of a firm if government is called a biologic unity.
Reziac says
Which black lives matter?
Only those of politically-useful black thugs. The lives of black useful idiots matter not at all, and the lives of everyone else (black, white, green, or plaid) matter even less.
Saint George Floyd was a thug who died of a drug overdose (the cop was incidental and not causal; read the autopsy and the toxicology reports!) and is therefore a fitting Messiah for the New Religion of BLM.
mortimer says
Good point from Reziac: the long-time habitual drug user George Floyd was loaded with drugs when he died. The pathologist found a long list of drugs in his body.
Taking street drugs is extremely dangerous … one out of five street-drug users will die each year.
If you follow a group of 100 users, most of them will be dead within five to ten years.
James Lincoln says
Reziac says,
“Saint George Floyd was a thug who died of a drug overdose (the cop was incidental and not causal; read the autopsy and the toxicology reports!)”
As I have said in previous posts, if George Floyd had been young and physically fit with no drugs in his system, it is likely that he would not have died during the restraint procedure used by the police.
That being said, George Floyd was a “very old” 46 year old with multiple medical problems along with illicit drugs in his system. Legally, however, the restraint used by the police officer was the “proximate cause” of his death, i.e., it pushed him over the edge.
If the team of police officers had all carefully restrained him, and perhaps considered administering Narcan, George Floyd would be alive today.
George Floyd was a thug with a felony rap sheet.
But he should not have died at the hands of the police. That is an inconvenient truth.
mortimer says
Black SLAVE lives *DON’T MATTER’ if the slaves are OWNED BY MUSLIMS !
The Ongoing Fight To Free Thousands Of African Slaves In Yemen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVuQTiQNJOE
gravenimage says
Thanks again for that link, Mortimer.
No Muzzies Here says
The lost Black lives don’t matter to the left. They are nothing but an excuse for the left to attack the foundations of this country. If the deaths help the cause, the left pretends to care.
OLD GUY says
If the Black Lives Matter organization is so concerned about the of lives of the black communities they need to support the freedoms offered in the United States. Yes the system and its individuals are not alway correct and there always will be bad people in positions of power. However the freedoms and incidences of abuse against individuals in America are far fewer than in most other countries around the world. All you have to do is watch the world news services to see the killing of black men.women and children in large numbers. A huge number of these killings are black on black in Muslim countries where slavery and killing of christians is a daily occurrence. What is taking place in these Muslim countries is nothing short of brutal genocide.
We are so fortunate in America to have the freedoms we take for granted. Many of the freedoms we have are not available in socialist and communist countries, where the government controls everyones daily lives and there is no chance for almost all members of society to raise their standard of living. Only those in power live well and they will do and kill anyone to maintain their life style.
In America its up to us, if you choose to work hard, get a basic education or choose a higher education its up to the individual. There are millions of Americans of all races who are vary successful through their own choice of taking responsibility for their lives. There is no such thing as a free lunch.
unbeliever1 says
BLM reminds me of Queers Against Israeli Apartheid. That group supported Palestinian rights while ignoring the fact that they would either be jailed or killed for being openly gay, had they lived in any of the Palestinian areas or any Muslim country. What a bunch of hypocrites!
cynthia curran says
Well, there was a demonstration for Palestinians in DC calling Israel child murders. Most the demonstrators were whites from European ancestry than middle eastern, Maybe, BLM is getting smart when it use to do these demonstrations most everyone was middle eastern. now they are more white. BLM are trying to get white folks to support Palestinian more by using whites.
grandpahalfdime says
During the 3 weeks of CHOP in Seattle, more Black lives were lost there than there were in all of 2020 by police shootings. Nationwide, in the month of June, more Blacks died rioting than by law enforcement for the entirety of 2019.
Obviously, all they are really after is anarchy…
gravenimage says
Yes–CHOP has been quite violent:
“Seattle: one teen killed and another injured in shooting in police-free zone”
Six people have been shot in area of Capitol Hill Organized Protest zone in 10 days, prompting officials to look at dismantling it
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/29/chop-chaz-shooting-seattle-police-free-zone
And note: Capitol Hill is *not* known as a violent area–it is known for cafes, music, and nightlife and has a large gay and student population.
This just shows the kind of violence drawn to an area when it becomes know that it has no law enforcement.
Wellington says
Woodstock on steroids, gravenimage. Every fifty years or so, mankind, especially the weakest link of mankind, i.e., the young (though not always as Lenin and Hitler prove), goes extra nuts believing itself the depository of wisdom.
Reminded here of another Orwellian assessment, to wit, that every generation thinks themselves wiser than the generation that came before it and more knowledgeable than the generation that comes after it.
In short, man never learns. The same stupid mistakes are repeated again and again and again. The best remedy against this (though it will probably still fail) is an intensive study of history, as Churchill opined, but of course most in every new generation won’t diligently, astutely and wisely study history and thus the ad nauseam repetition of stupidity.
N.B., Tearing down Confederate and other statues will do nothing to advance the cause of knowledge or wisdom. Guaranteed.
gravenimage says
All grimly true.
tgusa says
Which black lives matter?
I would advise them to contact their democrat representatives in their democrat run communities patrolled by their democrat led police departments and pose that question.
However, the response they receive will no doubt be a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
gravenimage says
Here’s some more insanity:
“Boston Taking Down Lincoln Emancipation Statue After Unanimous Vote”
https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2020/july/boston-taking-down-lincoln-emancipation-statue-after-unanimous-vote
Note–this is a statue of Lincoln *freeing* the slaves.
It’s known as the Emancipation Memorial, and was commissioned by freed slaves and dedicated by the abolitionist Frederick Douglass.
These idiots are ripping down a statue *put up by freed slaves* and dedicated by a Black abolitionist.
Wellington says
Confederate statues are just the beginning, gravenimage. Once you tear them down, anything is game, including Lincoln and Grant. And the massive amounts of cowards and/or ignoramuses in BOTH PARTIES are pathetic beyond description (e.g., from my state, Pennsylvania, Democratic Senator Casey and Republican Senator Toomey).
I know we need to get rid of the Democratic Party. I’ve known this for years now.
But recently I think it arguable we need to get rid of both major parties. The one has lost its mind and the other has lost its guts. They’re both useless but in different ways. No one, I think, knows this better than Trump who has so many Republicans who despise him, let alone virtually all Democrats (for the record, while Trump is technically and officially a Republican, this means very little; Trump is a maverick trying to save America from itself). And if I am correct here, then, yes, both parties need to go.
America is in very deep trouble right now and the major reason is that the two chief political parties in this nation, from the national level to the local level, have become useless, risible, pathetic and very, very, very annoying.
America is drifting. It should not be drifting.
gravenimage says
All too true.
Bat 21 says
ISIS did the same thing when they entered Mosul, taking sledgehammers to statues, ransacking libraries and burning books that did not agree with their sick ideology.
gravenimage says
True, Bat 21.
tgusa says
All those statues that are in hostile territory need to be bought and then moved out of the area to a place that dignifies them. These people are in to desecration/destruction of history and those statues and the people of the past that put them up deserve better.