Black Lives Do Matter But Do They Move?

[Cosmic Kitten]

Does Real News Network have any credibility?

DO Glen Ford and Bruce Dixon have credibility?

BALL: Well Glen, let me also ask you then the same, or at least a similar question. Why should there be a focus on what you both there at Black Agenda Report call this black misleadership class, even above and beyond the particular critiques or interruptions of the lower-level white mainstream Democratic political candidates?

FORD: Because the black misleadership class for the last two generations has allowed and facilitated the erection of this black mass incarceration regime. The regime that killed Michael Brown. The regime that kills thousands of us every year. The regime that puts millions of us in prison. A regime created for the purpose of containing and terrorizing black people in the United States. And that’s a regime that the black misleadership class has made a huge role in creating. And in facilitating and continuing. So they are our internal enemy working for these external forces.

In terms of the Black Lives Matter shutting down these candidates, I’m totally with that. I wish they would shut all of them down. But I get a little bit confused. If our only demand is that these Democratic, and I guess Republican, candidates for president declare and recognize that black lives matter, so what if they do? What after that? What is the real demand? Are you then going to vote for these same criminals just because they said the magic words, yes, black lives matter? Movements are defined by their demands. And a year after Michael Brown’s death, a year after the emergence of this incipient movement, this movement needs to be about getting its demands together, and that would be something to strategize about and to move forward.

[giftedgirl77]

1. Great show & more people agreeing that shutting down

candidates is a good move, so what's your point?

[Cosmic Kitten]

2. I don't have a point. More a question.

Interestingly, the excerpt posted addressed
the thread from yesterday regarding a 'plan'.

But I get a little bit confused. If our only demand is that these Democratic, and I guess Republican, candidates for president declare and recognize that black lives matter, so what if they do? What after that? What is the real demand? Are you then going to vote for these same criminals just because they said the magic words, yes, black lives matter?

Yes, confusion abounds...
what after that?

[giftedgirl77]

5. Oh that's easy, how about we start with

STOP KILLING US?

I gave you links yesterday to the Black Lives Matter website so that you could better educate yourself & stop with the nonsense.

[Cosmic Kitten]

6. We are talking about Real News now.

The guest addresses the issue of a "plan"

Is Glen Ford clueless?
HE is ASKING...

so what if they do? What after that? What is the real demand?

It seems that to him, that there need to be more than what you are saying?
Stop Killing Us isn't a "real demand".
Stop killing us or we will <insert action to be done>...
is a 'real demand'

What will be done if the crooks don't capitulate to the 'demands'?

If you don't know, that's fine.
We don't need to discuss further, OK?

[giftedgirl77]

10. I just told you, the movements goal's haven't changed

since yesterday when they were explained to you. Stop killing us is a very real & easy to understand request. Stop executing all people of color whether they are young, old, documented/undocumented, male/female, straight/LGBTQ, is that too much to ask?

Maybe I'm giving you too much credit to assume you are being condescending. Maybe you truly believe this movement is not being fought on several levels which would just be sad after the through education you received yesterday.

[aspirant]

16. A quest and a request,

and a request, ...... Where is the inquest?

[Cosmic Kitten]

18. Demands, Goals, and Plans...

What are we talking about?

THe OP and the Real News video
is speaking to BLM and the 'plan'...
"then what?"

Stop killing us is half of a demand.
In fact it can be seen as demanding,
without any consequence.

Lets break this down:

Capital vs Labor
Capital: Work in my factory, and pick my crops.

Labor: Its hard and it's dangerous. Make it safe... or we will form a union
(the demand with consequences)

Capital: NO

Labor: (forms a union) Now create safe conditions or we strike

Capital: NO

Labor: We are going on strike

Capital: (factory shuts down, crops wither on the vine)
I'm losing profits, what do you want to come back?

Labor: Safe working conditions

Capital: OK

----

See how that works?

----

Now with BLM...

BLM: Stop Killing Us!

Police: What?

BLM: Stop Killing Us!

Police: You are under arrest!

BLM: What? What did I do?

Police: STFU, you are under arrest.

BLM: Don't kill me.

Not an exaggeration, and not funny.
THIS is what making Real Demands is about!

So tell us, Glen Ford and Bruce Dixon what are the
real demands, because even they don't seem to know.

[NCTraveler]

12. Some really good replies to this op yesterday that directly address some of the things.....

you mention in this post. The board moves so fast sometimes these things can slip by us. Read some of the thoughtful replies here.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027069312

[BlueJazz]

3. "In terms of the Black Lives Matter shutting down these candidates, I’m totally with that."

I'm not totally with that. It's a bad decision. My personal belief is if you want real change, get all of your group to vote. Also work to allow felons who have served their time to be able to vote. Blacks have many people in prison and that's not because of their personality but the unfairness of the justice system.

Most of the Democratic candidates do not deserve to be "shut-down". The plight of the black race is a long and complicated one. Pissing off people (as the Bernie thing) ain't going to work.

[Cosmic Kitten]

4. That would be a very effective tactic!

Get organized and vote the criminals out.

Run for local office, take over town councils,
get elected anywhere possible!

That IS how change happens!
Any doubts?
Look at what the DLC/3rd-Way is doing.

[HooptieWagon]

13. I agree here.

My mama used to say "there's steam that blows the whistle, and steam that turns the wheels". So far, BLM is just blowing their whistle, and nothing is getting done. It may not be possible to get a meeting with Obama and Lynch at this moment (who could take prompt action), but they can be meeting with members of CBC, registering people to vote, meeting with ACLU, SPLC, and ADL, and other concrete steps. Protests and demonstrations have their place, but should be employed carefully and strategically.

[BlueJazz]

17. Yes! Those are wonderful suggestions. Maybe what they need are better leaders.

I have no idea who though..?

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. Jesus, where to start?

How do you know this is not happening?

I know, most of the press does not cover this... but they are.

People are playing for the inside and outside game. For the record, we cover this shit at Reporting San Diego. Meetings have been held with the Chief of Police, City council Members, and marches have been done, as well as silent protests.

[Glassunion]

30. Ha.

Get your group to vote? Great! But... For who?

Remember that none of these candidates had a plan until after their rallies were crashed.

Vote for the status quo? That would accomplish nothing.

No... We crash, they recognize our voice. They hear us. Then they act. If they were never crashed, our voice would be nothing but an ignored whisper in the wind.

[NuclearDem]

7. You seem rather concerned.

Please do tell us how concerned you are.

[Divernan]

8. FYI you were alerted on.

Here are the alerter's comments, in case the alert is sustained and this thread is locked, thought you would want to see this:

The person who sent the alert wrote: I don't care why this poster is so invested in tearing down blacklivesmatter on DU, but it's getting a little repulsive. "The black misleadership class". Are you kidding me? The demands of blacklivesmatter are simple. Stop Killing People Of Color. In pushing this idea that the movement is either some conspiracy or not organized enough to matter, and posting under the pretense of caring about what happens "after", what is the "real demand", etc. this post is insulting, insensitive and inappropriate.

(I voted to leave it alone)

[Divernan]

11. And the jury said . . .

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Thu Aug 13, 2015, 11:48 AM, and the Jury voted 2-5 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Not the poster's words. I would suggest using ignore
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: I believe this post is consistent with the idea of free speech - just the word 'misleadership' is not reason enough to hide it.
Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given

[Cosmic Kitten]

14. An alert, on a quote, from a black speaker WTF

Looks like an alert stalk

[Divernan]

19. Quite bizarre

Apparently the stalker/alerter believes only SOME blacks are allowed to speak to the issue. Can it get any crazier?

[Cosmic Kitten]

21. It's kinda obvious.

There is no plan.

Followers don't know what to do
or how to marshal their resources.

There is nowhere to focus the energy to move forward.

Looks more like expressing frustrations, cheers and jeers.

[LWolf]

9. Unlike many at DU,

I read BAR off and on, usually when I feel like I'm needing another perspective on something. Sometimes I agree with them, sometimes not, but I've valued their perspective.

In this case, I probably agree more than not. I'm not "with" shutting down any candidates; mostly, because I don't see what it actually accomplishes, other than feeding division. That's my disagreement.

I get the confusion, though.

Unlike Ford, I think I get the demands. I'm not sure I get the connection between "shutting down" candidates and achieving those demands.

I think maybe it's more about exposure than it is about the candidates, but I'm not sure. I think that Sanders is an obvious target simply because of the numbers he draws AND that he's more accessible than others.

One thing I'm clearly not getting is the determination on the parts of some to attack and divide, rather than unite. It might have something to do with shutting down a corrupt system through revolution, rather than cleaning it up from within. I get that, whether I agree or not. To be honest, I'm kind of a fence sitter, willing to do whatever looks possible from within, and also willing to go the other route if that doesn't work. I guess it's a matter of having different tipping points.

It might be the influence of Farrakhan, which I find troubling, to say the least, because of the aggressively divisive nature of his work.

[Cosmic Kitten]

15. Thoughtful reply, thank you

[Cosmic Kitten]

20. He speak to that particular issue

Unlike Ford, I think I get the demands. I'm not sure I get the connection between "shutting down" candidates and achieving those demands.

He doesn't see any meaningful connection.

He doesn't seem to see any strategy to move forward with?

this movement needs to be about getting its demands together, and that would be something to strategize about and to move forward.

Strategize and move forward!

Getting a candidate to say the magic words
is not a strategy.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. This is the NATIONAL DEMAND LIST

We will seek justice for Brown’s family by petitioning for the immediate arrest of officer Darren Wilson and the dismissal of county prosecutor Robert McCullough. Groups that are part of the local Hands Up Don’t Shoot Coalition have already called for Wilson’s swift arrest, and some BLM riders also canvassed McCullough’s neighborhood as a way of raising the public’s awareness of the case.

We will help develop a network of organizations and advocates to form a national policy specifically aimed at redressing the systemic pattern of anti-black law enforcement violence in the US. The Justice Department’s new investigation into St Louis-area police departments is a good start, but it’s not enough. Our ride was endorsed by a few dozen local, regional and national organizations across the country – like the National Organization for Women (Now) and Race Forward: The Center for Racial Justice Innovation – who, while maintaining different missions, have demonstrated unprecedented solidarity in response to anti-black police violence. We hope to encourage more organizations to endorse and participate in a network with a renewed purpose of conceptualizing policy recommendations.

We will also demand, through the network, that the federal government discontinue its supply of military weaponry and equipment to local law enforcement. And though Congress seems to finally be considering measures in this regard, it remains essential to monitor the demilitarization processes and the corporate sectors that financially benefit from the sale of military tools to police.

We will call on the office of US attorney general Eric Holder to release the names of all officers involved in killing black people within the last five years, both while on patrol and in custody, so they can be brought to justice – if they haven’t already.
And we will advocate for a decrease in law-enforcement spending at the local, state and federal levels and a reinvestment of that budgeted money into the black communities most devastated by poverty in order to create jobs, housing and schools. This money should be redirected to those federal departments charged with providing employment, housing and educational services.

http://blacklivesmatter.com/demands/



Mind you there is a more detailed list as well, but this is the general list.

Now I will give a voice to some of my local leaders, The feeling is that voting does not work, why? Becuase the Democrats and the NAACP and the Urban League were part of the problem that started the crisis of mass incarceration. They were in cahoots and they benefit. I could spend a few hours explaining the logic by the way. Once you get over the defensiveness of they are attacking my party... it is solid... not that many in this school will vote for republicans either. The level of nihilism is at times mind boggling from young people who are just outside the teen years.

Yes, this is the general feeling among some of my local leaders. They also feel that taking the time to go to city hall where they are limited to 2 minutes to speak (Brown Act, it drives them and me nuts), is meant to keep them quiet. It is not. I have explained how to get around it.

Other leaders use that effectively, aka make a speaker list, have a single speaker for a few more than just 2 minutes, They can get that way up to 15.

The other side of this discussion is arguing that yes you need to vote, and vote and vote, and vote. They see why this matter. They understand, but they also complain about how politicians stab them regularly in the back. You cannot understand the frustration I am betting. There is also a slight generational divide.

A feeling that you will hear often is that some pols (mostly democratic minority pols) benefit from this to keep their power base intact. Does this hurt your feelings? Well, I am sorry, this is a common source of deep discussion in the inner city locally and I suspect San Diego is far from the exception on this.

But if you are not really paying attention to the movement it is hard to understand that it is not monolithic, that the discussions are happening as to goals and methods, are evolving. Or that it has a direct continuity to the last civil rights movement.

I have said elsewhere that what happened in Seattle had a feeling beyond the movement... but now they are starting to shut down everybody. So be it. Doing this is very American. And if they do it to everybody, right left and center, so be it.

Oh and the first primary demand is for the police to stop killing people willy nilly. I will be blunt. Over the last few nights we have had reports of people shot where I happen to have a few of my sources. None (so far) have involved the cops, but I know the cops responded en force to the last two shootings. Hell, one had SWAT on alert. You know where my heart went? I was worried sick because I know what is happening in the streets.

I will be brutal here. But we are one spark away from actual riots because people are that frustrated. And you know what, better start listening or you will be taken by surprise. Suffice it to say yesterday I spent yet another night watching a feed, this time from Oakland, after the cops shot (this time he died) a young man. Official story...not a boy scout. Three twitter versions, one backing the official story, two of them would be good shooting, legally speaking. One is not, guess which one is getting the vast number of retweets. You think facts matter? Oh and many windows did pay with their lives yesterday, and a freeway was shut down for 15 minutes.

Hey, at least Starbucks has insurance and the windows can be replaced.

[Cosmic Kitten]

23. Thats a lot to digest

I'll simply address the most fundamental problem as I see it.

Voting and representation.

If the community is choosing poor leadership,
if elected officials stab the constituency in the back
what is being done?

The community need to express solidarity against
those who undermine the communities desperate needs.

The speakers in the OP video call that "misleadership"

C&P from BAR (not my words)

by Danny Haiphong
The Black misleadership class's existence is justified by the paradigm of "diversity." This paradigm places sharp emphasis on integrating Black and brown people into leadership roles within the institutions that oppress them. The Black misleadership class uses the spoils of empire to protect the ruling class responsible for the misery of US sponsored imperialism. Black FBI leaders, corporate managers, police authorities, Senators, Congressmen, Presidential advisors, and morally bankrupt celebrities like Jay-Z are given handsome salaries and positions to help manage the exploitation of the Black masses. Earlier in the year, the FBI used a Black person to call for the head of Black liberation heroine Assata Shakur. And of course, none other than Barack Obama has proven to be the most powerful of Black misleaders, wielding the resources of the financial capitalist class to pursue policies that would be impossible to achieve under a white commander-in chief without a mass response. George Bush could never tell his advisors that he was "good at killing people" without demonstrations, documentaries, and criticisms following soon after. When Obama says it, however, the coast is clear.
http://www.blackagendareport.com/content/black-misleadership-class-needs-unmasking

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. Here from the root today

Bernie Sanders, so far, is the only candidate with a comprehensive “racial justice” plan, which includes addressing physical violence against African Americans, whether perpetrated by the state or by extremists. His plan addressing this violence includes demilitarizing police and returning to community policing. He also addresses voter disenfranchisement, the prison-industrial complex and living wages. While admirable, again, none of these issues were part of his platform until after the protests from Black Lives Matter and after he hired Symone Sanders.

“None of the candidates have a really specified black agenda. There should be a black agenda specifically as it relates to cities that are majority African American,” said Will Hanna, a Baltimore community activist and black Republican. “In most major cities, we control a huge voter bloc in those cities. There has to be an agenda that addresses the socioeconomic issues in those areas.”

For black voters, Hanna said that John Kasich is as good as it gets on the Republican side, with Kaisch’s background as a governor in Ohio, a swing state. “He decreased the debt and increased access to health care, which wasn’t popular with the party but was in the best interest of the people,” said Hanna. “When you have someone that bold that would go against party lines and will say and do what’s in the interest of the people, that makes a candidate attractive.”

http://www.theroot.com/articles/politics/2015/08/bernie_sanders_black_lives_matter_and_the_search_for_a_black_agenda.html

As I said, I spend way too much time in the streets. I was not even intending to link to this article here, on DU... but it is a good intro to some of the discussion.

[aspirant]

29. The source is a "Black Republican"

talking up Kasich?

[nadinbrzezinski]

32. No, the source is an African American mainstream paper

you really are having a problem today. Go read the View and Viewpoint, the Grio and a few other publications. This is not an outlier as far as the African American press is concerned. I will grant you this... this piece would never see the light of day in the New York Times. It is not respectable enough.

[aspirant]

40. and qouting

a Black republican talking up Kasich.

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. And will give you a second read here

In city halls across the country, elected officials in the Democratic Party have championed privatization and law-and-order policies that have contributed greatly to the hardships that dog black communities. In just one example, nationally, Democrats have driven the process of school privatization and the proliferation of charter schools that have not only led to the unprecedented closures of predominantly black public schools but have also resulted in the dismissal of thousands of black teachers. In Chicago and Philadelphia, Democratic Party mayors have closed almost 100 public schools since 2012.

The national Democratic Party realizes that it has a potential problem in black-voter turnout because Barack Obama will not head the ticket in 2016, and that reality has created even more pressure on the party to orient its attention toward the Black Lives Matter movement and appeal to the young black voters who were crucial to Obama’s success in 2008 and 2012. This may have more to do with Bill Clinton’s recent apology for his role in the mass-incarceration crisis in black communities across the country than with actual contrition.

The quickness with which leading Democratic candidates can utter the words “Black lives matter” or “mass incarceration” is not because the party is being pushed to the left—it’s the process of the party doing whatever it can to redirect the energy of the movement out of the streets and into the 2016 elections. This is not new. In the aftermath of the Freedom Rides in the early 1960s, Robert Kennedy met black activists from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in an effort to redirect their direct action and confrontational demonstrations into voter registration and other “peaceful” means of change. Kennedy famously told the activists, “Why don’t you guys cut out all that s--t, ‘freedom riding’ and sitting-in s--t, and concentrate on voter education? If you do that, I’ll get you a tax exemption.”

http://www.theroot.com/articles/politics/2015/08/_blacklivesmatter_and_holding_democrats_accountable.html?wpisrc=topstories

[aspirant]

27. "One spark away from actual riots"

What do you call Ferguson and Baltimore and did the killings stop?

"Becuase the Democrats and the NAACP and the Urban League were part of the problem that started the crisis of mass incarceration." Are they protesting NAACP and the URBAN league or just "White Supremacists"?

"city hall where they are limited to 2 minutes to speak (Brown Act, it drives them and me nuts), is meant to keep them quiet." So why aren't they protesting in city hall and taking control of the mike. Riots will result in arrests so why are they scared of the Brown Act?

"complain about how politicians stab them regularly in the back." Do you think Bernie is a Back-Stabber?

"direct continuity to the last civil rights movement." It resulted in Civil Rights legislation and who has the power to enforce that now or must we wait for more "evolving"

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. I am sorry but neither were riots (unless you want to call them police riots)

nor were those thugs in the streets, unless you want to call the cops thugs that is.

Nice try though...

as to the rest




"Becuase the Democrats and the NAACP and the Urban League were part of the problem that started the crisis of mass incarceration." Are they protesting NAACP and the URBAN league or just "White Supremacists"?

Yes actually, believe it or not many of the young leaders are not too happy with either of these two organizations. They have made it quite clear... we have witnessed it as well.

"city hall where they are limited to 2 minutes to speak (Brown Act, it drives them and me nuts), is meant to keep them quiet." So why aren't they protesting in city hall and taking control of the mike. Riots will result in arrests so why are they scared of the Brown Act?

They are protesting at city hall, and they are actually speaking at city hall, though many feel they are wasting their time, you are surely not listening,

"complain about how politicians stab them regularly in the back." Do you think Bernie is a Back-Stabber?

Did I say Bernie, I said politicians, You need to get out more. Nor is this about ONE single politician, This is about a systemic problem. Poor you, might want to read the two links to just today's offering from The Root.

"direct continuity to the last civil rights movement." It resulted in Civil Rights legislation and who has the power to enforce that now or must we wait for more "evolving"

And we have taken a few steps back. Please get of your little shell and go read The New Jim Crow. If you open your mind it might actually be enlightening.

[aspirant]

31. Civilians were arrested, stores looted and

curfews enforced, ... "nice try though"

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. Were you around for the Rodney King Riots

how about Watts? Detroit? That is what I am talking about, Nice try.

[aspirant]

35. Define a riot

not just degrees of rioting. Bad Try.

[aspirant]

34. Since you added responses

"many of the young leaders are not too happy with either of these two organizations. They have made it quite clear... we have witnessed it as well." Have we witnessed direct protests and shoutdowns?

'They are protesting at city hall, and they are actually speaking at city hall, though many feel they are wasting their time, you are surely not listening," If they are "wasting their time" why are you wasting MY time by presenting it in your post as an issue?

"I said politicians,....... Nor is this about ONE single politician," Bernie is a politician and yes Bernie was singled out twice, so do you think Bernie is a Back-stabber?

"actually be enlightening." Enlighten me how the Civil Rights Act is irrelevant

[nadinbrzezinski]

37. I am more than done

A wall is much easier to have a conversation with.

I am sorry I hurt your feelings, Have a nice day talking to yourself. Just don't cry when you are surprised ok. And by the way, I will add a couple responses to your baiting on the way out

"many of the young leaders are not too happy with either of these two organizations. They have made it quite clear... we have witnessed it as well." Have we witnessed direct protests and shoutdowns?

You are in your own universe, have an excellent day

'They are protesting at city hall, and they are actually speaking at city hall, though many feel they are wasting their time, you are surely not listening," If they are "wasting their time" why are you wasting MY time by presenting it in your post as an issue?

If I am wasting your time, why are you responding. I am quite done so will stop wasting my time.

"I said politicians,....... Nor is this about ONE single politician," Bernie is a politician and yes Bernie was singled out twice, so do you think Bernie is a Back-stabber?

You are trying hard to put words in my mouth., Very good. Now pay attention, CAREFULLY. It is not what I THINK.

"actually be enlightening." Enlighten me how the Civil Rights Act is irrelevant

Tell me how exactly does this have anything to do with the New Jim Crow? you should go read it. I don;t expect you to. I know why too.

Good bye. have fun talking to yourself.

[aspirant]

38. No hurt feelings

you are the one making the snarky personal remarks.

How can anyone trust your words when you say you are "done" and then continue on?

"You are trying hard to put words in my mouth., Very good. Now pay attention, CAREFULLY. It is not what I THINK." So do you think Bernie should be lumped in with the Back-stabbing politicians?

Is the complete Civil Rights Act being enforced?

[LanternWaste]

39. Quite a movement of the goalposts from "The source is a "Black Republican" talking up Kasich?"

Quite a movement of the goalposts from "The source is a "Black Republican" talking up Kasich?"

(space provided below to rationalize and allege both sincerity and relevance)

[nadinbrzezinski]

41. Trying to ignore that there is a lot of dissatisfaction

With democratic politicians and demonizing the messenger is not going to make this go away. It does not matter who gets the nomination. I suspect we will see lower numbers of minorities voting. I base this in what we have been told.

The key demographic are the young to be specific. Between the policies that have stripped many of the vote through mass incarceration, voter suppression and plain out disgust this is going to happen

And partisans better figure this out pronto. Me, will just smile. It is not what I want to see, but frustration, even desperation, is always interesting to see.

I posted what I posted as information. What partisans do with it, their issue. I'm not one, and I am definitely better not seeing the world through that prism

[daredtowork]

36. Free Speech Movement

I agree with the "Booker T. Washington vs. W.E.B. DuBois" analysis of the current dilemma, and I with BLM the best of luck in addressing it.

There is something I hope that BLM will consider as they develop their strategy. Fortuitously read a book about the Free Speech Movement a couple of days ago.

This bears serious comparison to BLM, both in tactics and spirit.

The FSM felt politics as normal didn't work. It was sparked over students wanting the right to advocate for the Civil Rights Movement on UC Berkeley campus, by the way. Taking a cue from more radical Civil Rights thinks they engaged in direct action - picketing, sit-ins, disruptions of events (accompanied by chants of "LET HIM SPEAK!&quot , etc. At the extreme end, there was even a "Filthy Speech Movement" for the right of lower class people to use obscene words since Frat kids could get away with it. This involved a lot of street art tactics. It all looks very familiar.

Conservative elements in the community kept up an ongoing cry about how their tactics "wouldn't work" and how they were "alienating" people.

The FSM united conservative, liberal, and radical students behind one issue - free speech. They set ideology and everyone's politics aside. During the Filthy Speech Movement episode the Young Republicans ordered T-shirts that read "F- the Communists!". They were all able to align themselves behind their *issue*.

By pursuing their issue only, they got what they wanted on campus. However, they also created entrenched enemies who kept up their campaign of reaction. IMHO, this is also something for BLM to think about.

Just 2 years later, Ronald Reagan, who had jack political experience, ascended to Governor of California because he promised "to do something about" the students at Berkeley. The enemies of the FSM had painted them in a negative fashion in op-eds and had plotted against them behind closed doors with people in the State Legislature. Once Reagan was in power, they struck. The National Guard was sent into Berkeley to "shut it down" the hard way.

The FSM did win in the larger sense that our culture is more free today because of it. However, the price we paid as a Nation was the Reagan Reaction, ultimately leading to the Reagan Presidency. Is that level of "reaction" to the BLM's apolitical pursuit of their goal worth it? I hope they are weighing that possibility.