Main

Is the Black Lives Matter movement racist?

In CNN's town hall, Black, White & Blue: America 2016, an audience member asks if the Black Lives Matter movement is racist.

CNN

7 years ago

YO UR QU ES TI ON ? >> T HA NK Y OU F OR H AV IN G T HE CO NV ER SA TI ON . SO R UD Y G IU LI AN I R EC EN TL Y M AD E TH E A SS ER TI ON T HA T B LA CK L IV E MA TT ER MO VE ME NT , A M OV EM EN T T HA T IS R OU ND ED I N N OT IO NS O F RE SP EC T, DI GN IT Y, JU ST IC E, A ND SA NC TI TY O F B LA CK LI FE , T HI S WA S IN HE RE NT LY RA CI ST , I NT ER ES TE D O N YO UR T HO UG HT S. >> D O Y OU A GR EE W IT H TH E F OR ME R MA YO R O F N EW Y OR K CI TY , R UD Y GI UL IA NI . >> I T HI NK I F
TH ER E WA S A MO VE ME NT C AL LE D W HI TE L IV ES MA TT ER , I T WO UL D B E C ON SI DE RE D RA CI ST . SO I T HI NK T HA T A LL L IV ES MA TT ER . I S PE NT 3 5 Y EA RS - - A S A MA TT ER OF FA CT , T OD AY I S M Y 3 5 th AN NI VE RS AR Y A S A P OL IC E OF FI CE R. ST AR TI NG H ER E I N N EW Y OR K CI TY . AN D F OR 3 5 Y EA RS I 'V E B EE N TR YI NG T O RE DU CE C RI ME A ND S TO P MU RD ER S. AN D D ID N' T M AT TE R I F T HE Y WE RE BL AC K, WH IT E, GR EE N, O R PU RP LE . I' M A B EL
IE VE R T HA T W E HA VE T O GE T B Y T HE DI FF ER EN CE S, W E HA VE TO H AV E A N H ON ES T C ON VE RS AT IO N WH IC H I H OP E T HI S IS G OI NG T O OP EN UP . AN D A T T HE E ND O F TH E DA Y, W E HA VE T O HA VE E XP OS UR E T O E AC H OT HE R, A ND W E HA VE T O S IT D OW N AN D RE AL LY R IP A T T HI S T HI NG A ND GE T A FT ER IT . >> J US T AP PL AU SE , P EO PL E W HO BE LI EV E T HA T B LA CK L IV ES M AT TE R IS R AC IS T A ND OF FE NS IV E. IF Y OU B EL IE VE T HE RE I S A W HI TE
LI VE S MA TT ER , W OU LD I T B E CO NS ID ER ED RA CI ST ? DO Y OU T HI NK I T WO UL D B E CO NS ID ER ED R AC IS T? >> T HE RE 'S N O R EA SO N - - T HE Y DO N' T N EE D A W HI TE L IV ES MA TT ER . BE CA US E I T' S AL RE AD Y, I T' S AL RE AD Y U ND ER ST OO D T HA T W HI TE LI VE S MA TT ER . >> E XC US E ME , H OL D ON , H OL D O N ON E SE CO ND . >> I 'M G OI NG T O U SE A S IM PL E AN AL OG Y. IF Y OU A ND I W EN T T O TH E ST OR E, BO TH O RD ER ED HA MB UR GE RS A ND T HE Y GA VE Y O
U Y OU RS A ND I D ID N' T G ET MI NE . IS I T DI SC RI MI NA TI ON ? IS I T R AC IS T B EC AU SE I S AY W HE RE IS M Y BU RG ER ? TH EN Y OU S AY A LL B UR GE RS MA TT ER , I' M G LA D Y OU H AV E Y OU RS , B UT WH AT A BO UT MI NE ? >> G O AH EA D, GA RY . >> I 'M SO RR Y, DO N, B UT T HE D AT A YO U S HO WE D U P T HE P OL IC E S HO T MO RE W HI TE P EO PL E T HI S Y EA R T HA N BL AC K FO LK S. NO W B Y T HE WA Y, I 'M N OT DI SM IS SI NG T HE I SS UE I N N O WA Y, SH AP E, O R F OR M A M I
D OI NG IT , I' M M ER EL Y P RE SE NT IN G A N AL TE RN AT IV E TH OU GH T. >> LI ST EN , H AN G ON , EV ER YB OD Y. HE T HI NK S T HA T Y OU A RE DI SM IS SI NG H IS I SS UE B Y

Comments

@dennissmith6204

I am black, and this movement doesn't help us

@benhardcastle2305

The burger analogy is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard 😂😂😂😂

@Courtneybtw_

MLK would be so disappointed in us

@bj820

I'm Korean and was just a school kid when 1992 LA riots happened and the police didnt come. My dad's medical practice had to shut down for a while. He was one of the few doctors working in this kind of community. There was no doctor that week or so. Initially had some mixed feelings about black lives matter movement because of course I experienced institutionalized racism but I saw black racism against Asians as well. Not sure if this movement is ultimately a good thing for our society.

@DerangedLeftWingers

"whatever starts as a movement always turns into a business then eventually becomes a racket."

@donnacarr9660

It absolutely is and alot of us Black folk that are not playing the victim all the time will tell you this .

@jamieray8753

This whole BLM is a joke, I’m disappointed in humanity

@caratjoy8586

I’m asian and there are many others suffering, not just blacks. We need to start a movement as one whole human race to end racism for EVERYONE

@therealist1103

The burger analogy was grade school level critical thinking skills. LMAO!

@bobjames785

As a Punjabi male I can easily say the most disrespect and assault I’ve faced in life has always been by blacks. To act like gang culture and black people should not be in the same sentence is insane!

@stover14

That policeman has got balls. Big respect.

@LUCSchnl

I'm 17 and I don't remember racism even being a thing when I was little, I even asked some adults if they noticed alot of racism back then and they said no, not as bad as now. I don't know why but nowadays everything just seems to be about race, it wasn't even like that a few years ago. (Not as bad at least)

@SteveBellinghamatHappyScience

Yes it is racist, and when you add "Silence is violence" to try and make people feel guilty for not joining your racist movement, that is gross manipulation.

@mfnjoey

How did this guy compare his whole “movement” to a burger - back after two years, realized I started a race war. Love y’all peace and prosperity

@freakjob0

"Are you listening to him?...you are dismissing him." Says the guy who is dismissive of the 35 yr veteran of the police.

@IruskaCape

"a movement that is grounded in notions of respect, dignity, justice, and sanctity of life" Never had to laugh so hard in my life. Is he actually believing this?

@Elevat3_KG

In the 50s and 60s, black Americans fought every meaning of the word segregation. Now they segregate themselves (having their own tv channels, having their own months ect.), which I don’t necessarily have a problem with. The issue for me is the double standard.. if a television company made a channel dedicated for white people, or if their was a month dedicated specifically for white heritage, or if a white person wears a shirt that says “white pride” it’s immediately viewed as racist. Why does every other ethnicity get to be proud of their race except white people. Why do black people get to call me a white boy as if I’m supposed to be ok with that but if I label/identify a black person by their color, I would get confronted 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️ That logic is idiotic to me.

@turtlenoheart

Anyone else notice how Darnell Moore's eyes started trembling and shooting back and forth when he got challenged?

@jzilla3770

I’m black and I can say that white people always given me respect it’s the black folks that are angry and curse a lot

@aminostruth3494

'In an age of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act'. - George Orwell