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Pulling back from BLM

(59 Posts)
tickingbird Wed 01-Jul-20 09:23:28

I’ve read today that some football commentators, including a black ex player, are distancing themselves from BLM due to the UK branch of BLM issuing a series of tweets criticising Israel and calling for the defunding of our police. Apparently a statement may be forthcoming from various Premier League captains and the FA.

I, personally, have always believed there were political agitators jumping on this movement so maybe that’s the case.

25Avalon Thu 02-Jul-20 10:18:59

I was responding to growstuff’s posting in which she said “quite a few people were conned”.

Oopsminty Thu 02-Jul-20 00:08:52

25Avalon

So people were conned?

I'd not say they were conned, 25Avalon

Just uninformed. Some American friends of mine have been stunned at seeing footballers/police/politicians etc 'taking the knee'.

We were rightly horrified by George Floyd's, ( and others) deaths by the hand of the police.

But BLM has been running for 7 years now and has a full website that people can read for themselves.

It appears that people just thought they were against police brutality, (which I agree with) but as geekesse has pointed out, we are not USA and the issues faced there are different.

geekesse Thu 02-Jul-20 00:01:07

BLM originated, as one might expect, in the US. The way policing in the US is funded is quite different from the way it works in the UK. The calls to defund police make sense in a US context, where budgets are divided up from one pot, so defunding police frees up money to be used for social projects. It doesn’t make sense in this country, where policing and social services come from different budget streams, and those BLM people calling for defunding police in the UK seem to be unaware of the distinction.

25Avalon Wed 01-Jul-20 16:17:30

So people were conned?

AGAA4 Wed 01-Jul-20 16:04:39

Thanks Oopsminty. I was concerned when I saw Keir Starmer take the knee. I am glad he was unaware at the time.

growstuff Wed 01-Jul-20 15:57:22

The original Black Lives Matter Global Network is different from the Black Lives Matter Foundation, to which I believe BLM UK is affiliated. The latter is a left-wing organisation calling for extreme measures.

The original movement would do well to disassociate itself from the upstarts and re-establish ownership of the initiative. I hope it does.

growstuff Wed 01-Jul-20 15:47:58

janeainsworth

Thanks Growstuff. That sounds rather devious, doesn't it.

It certainly is and has done the whole movement a lot of damage. People will now associate more equality with extremist views.

Oopsminty Wed 01-Jul-20 15:47:57

GagaJo

Another extreme right-wing thread with the same old characters. How refreshing.

Gaga

Take a minute to read their website

There is nothing extreme right about these messages on this thread. The only extreme anything is the left

blacklivesmatter.com/

Don't you be disrespecting this group by insisting it's a different thing, because it's not.

Can't believe it's taken footballers to do a spot of research

Our politicians and journalists should have been on this

Black Lives Matter is a central target of disinformation and you are a key line of defense. Report suspicious sites, stories, ads, social accounts, and posts about BLM.

Keir Starmer himself is not happy now he's learned what they're about

janeainsworth Wed 01-Jul-20 15:43:01

Thanks Growstuff. That sounds rather devious, doesn't it.

growstuff Wed 01-Jul-20 15:38:46

Hang on a minute before you all jump on the anti-BLM bandwagon!

BLM UK always was a completely separate organisation from the international BLM movement, which was the inspiration for the original marches.

The BLM movement was a grassroots organisation with no official leadership, but there's a federation which issued a condemnation of BLM UK, which is a left-wing movement using the BLM name. Quite a few people were conned and have made donations.

It doesn't negate the original messages.

janeainsworth Wed 01-Jul-20 15:37:29

Gagajo It's about equal rights. Clearly not everyone on this site feels that the lives and rights of black people matter as much as those of white people.

Surely it's possible to believe black people's lives and rights matter at the same time as questioning the allegiances & origins of the BLM movement.
The two aren't mutually exclusive.
Any organisation should stand up to scrutiny, whether it's BLM or the Tory Party.

MawB Wed 01-Jul-20 15:28:29

GagaJo

At least BLM isn't killing off old white people. Unlike the Tories.

Another of those perceptive and reasoned comments it isn’t.
Do you ever think before you wade in Gagajo?

AGAA4 Wed 01-Jul-20 15:23:56

I saw Keir Starmer taking the knee on the news a few days ago.

Was he aware of this Marxist movement?

tickingbird Wed 01-Jul-20 14:53:50

We’re the extreme right now. Disgraceful labelling of any person with a different point of view or opinion.

The so called tolerant liberal left are just as fanatical, unforgiving and aggressive as religious fundamentalists. Totally unable to see beyond their own rigid, blinkered viewpoint.

JenniferEccles Wed 01-Jul-20 14:31:45

It’s a scary thought 25Avalon and I share your concern but thankfully it will never happen.

Although the Left wing, ‘ blame the Tories for everything’ brigade are very vocal on GN it is reassuring to remember that they and their views are in the minority in this country.

No matter how much they try to force their views, common sense prevails when it matters thankfully.

GagaJo Wed 01-Jul-20 13:59:21

At least BLM isn't killing off old white people. Unlike the Tories.

GagaJo Wed 01-Jul-20 13:58:20

Another extreme right-wing thread with the same old characters. How refreshing.

25Avalon Wed 01-Jul-20 10:35:49

Quite so Tickingbird. Hopefully the voice of reason will soon be heard. Otherwise we descend in to anarchy and finally a Marxist state where people like GagaJo et al not to mention the rest of us will not be allowed any say at all.

Gajahgran Wed 01-Jul-20 10:14:37

BLM did not make any secret of their aims from the start and their organisers made no secret that they were a Marxist organisation unfortunately a lot of people donated before checking out the background and website.
People have lost their jobs for trying to speak out and I do hope they will be reinstated at some point in the future when more comes to light. There has been a lot of confusion between BLM the organisation and activist group and the phrase "black lives matter' which few would dispute as of course all lives matter.

tickingbird Wed 01-Jul-20 10:14:04

Gagajo Anything you can’t blame the Tories for? BLM is a left wing organisation which has cynically used the injustices experienced by black people in an attempt to bring anarchy to bear in the UK.

The scary part Avalon is that some people will not see what their blinkered eyes and closed minds don’t want to.

Anniebach Wed 01-Jul-20 10:11:30

I didn’t know the wearing of the poppy was banned Avalon,
thank you

25Avalon Wed 01-Jul-20 10:11:07

GagaJo so you believe BLM is a political movement.

25Avalon Wed 01-Jul-20 10:07:55

Anniebach there is an FA rule that you are not permitted to make political statements or have such slogans on your shirts. The wearing of the poppy was banned on shirts for that reason. They have broken their own rules in allowing footballers to wear these shirts.
Now footballers black and white are realising what BLM Organisation is about and have spoken out against it and prefer lawful ways of promoting anti racism.

I see the military have banned any of their forces from taking the knee as it is political. FA and Police take note.

GagaJo Wed 01-Jul-20 10:05:10

Keep excusing yourselves. BLM is a grassroots movement. Leaderships may be forming, but this started from the people up.

It's about equal rights. Clearly not everyone on this site feels that the lives and rights of black people matter as much as those of white people.

If you want to start picking apart a political organisation, try starting with the Tory party. Responsibile for the deaths of thousands of elderly people.

25Avalon Wed 01-Jul-20 10:00:41

Finally people are listening. If only they had looked into BLMUK a few weeks ago they would have seen this is an extreme left wing organisation that wants the destruction of our country not just statues. I have been asking people on GN to read up on this organisation before jumping in. The organisers have duped everyone. Now the question of what this anonymous organisation has done with all the money it raised becomes imperative.