As the Black millennium generation introduces their Black Lives Matter movement to America, everyone is trying to understand their mission and goals. The organization has disrupted candidates’ presidential events, and held local die-in events to protest police brutality and the murder of young Black men. There appears to be a disjointed infrastructure and leadership with no concrete initiative and plan.
The movement is growing and cuts across cultural, racial, religious, gender, and age barriers. Main stream media can argue the definition and purpose of the movement, but everyone understands what they are saying when they state Black Lives Matter. Many feel that this organization is exclusive, and it should include other groups, but the leaders and the founders see their movement as a grass-roots change organization.
There is a network of 26 chapters around the country, and each local chapter is determining how they will engage politically. Some chapters are meeting with local candidates on local issues, and other groups are using disruptive tactics to stage crash-ins at national presidential candidates’ events. These are public displays of anger, and the older traditional civil rights African American groups don’t understand what the Black Lives Matter movement is trying to achieve.
Patrisse Cultors, a 31-year-old Fulbright scholar and former activist for prisoners’ rights, co-founded Black Lives Matter as a grass-roots response to police killings and other violent acts against inner-city Blacks. “This is a public display of the agony and anguish Black people feel on a daily basis, and many of you don’t have to see it or deal with it or go home to it, so we’re going to bring it to you” says Cultors.
Everyone is questioning their tactics, but these Black activists are popping up everywhere, and everyone is asking what do they want. They are at rallies, town halls, stopping candidates from speaking, and chanting “Say my Name.” As a result of their behavior or revolutionary valor, main stream media is interviewing the leaders and the participants and the movement is gaining attention.
Rather than throwing their support behind one candidate, movement leaders say they plan to keep the pressure on everyone.
“There is no support for any of the candidates. Each candidate should expect to be held accountable. That is our political position in this current election cycle” says Elle Hearns, Strategic Partner in Black Lives Matter movement, in an interview with CNN’s, Ana Cabrers.
The Black Lives Matter is an internet political phenomenon which has the potential to get the millennium generation engaged in the political process. This movement has the ability to organize and mobilize the younger generation to get involved, and run for office. But before this organization can make a difference in Black American politics, it must create a policy statement with goals, objectives, and a mission.
As the infrastructure takes shape and the operating methodology is initiated, there is a need for financing. At this point the movement leaders and chapters are living on the fat of the land. Their accountability is to no one, but at some point and time, everyone will be forced to pay their bills. Black Lives Matter started as a social movement and it has evolved into a Black political organization.
To this point, President Obama has been hands-off and the organization has not disrupted any of his events. But the president is fair game and it is important that his security is heightened, because at any moment the movement can strike. It will be interesting to see how the president responds to the Black Lives Matter organization if/when they disrupt the president’s political events.
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