There have been numerous debates questioning the role and the agenda of the Black Lives Matter; however, since its inception, the movement has managed to propel the implementation of some policies to ensure that African Americans have been accorded the same treatment as the other US citizens (King). Some of the accomplishments which the group has achieved include the recent documentation of its demands. Documentation of demands was conducted with an attendance of more than 50 organizations that took part in the signing of the demands which were required to be met.
The proposed policies were accompanied by the key solutions put forward to provide answers to some of the issues affecting the Black people (King). Some of the solutions proposed were to decriminalize drug related laws to decrease the number of Black individuals who have been imprisoned for minor criminal activities such as consuming cocaine. Some of the essential achievements of the movement include the following: • Black lives matter campaign has managed to ensure that some sectors such as community oversight of policing have been improved to make sure that rogue police officers who use excessive force have been brought to face the law. Another achievement is the creation of the civilian review board in Cleveland, which ensures that all the injustices committed by the police force against the Black people have been reported for further investigation.
• There has been an increase in the number of police officers who have been charged with criminal conduct related to use of excessive force. Statistics indicate that 5 months after the creation the movement, the number of charges amplified for more than 5 times (Siscoe 20). • Finally, ormer President Obama took the initiative and banned all the police departments from procuring military equipment which included acquiring protected vehicles. There are numerous accomplishments which have been achieved by the group; however, the most noticeable one include the requirement for all the police officers to have their body cameras on to record all their daily activities. As a result, there has been an increased monitoring of the excessive use of force by the police. This is a technology which has promoted the integrity of the the officers.
Since its creation, the movement has made significant progress. Based on the achievements of the group, the future seems to be a positive one. The direction which the group has taken is similar to the one which was described by Malcolm; that is the progress of the BLM will focus on ensuring the all the States of America has been shamed for the continued acts of injustices towards the black people (Siscoe 20). For instance, the case of Ferguson and Baltimore has been under scrutiny for extended periods which revealed a link to militarism which is against the law.
The movement will continue to focus on the current concerns which include high levels of poverty in the black neighborhood such as Chicago and other injustices which face a Black man in developed countries. It is important to note that BLM has managed to move masses across the world which will facilitate reforms to take place concerning the injustices which are experienced by black people (Siscoe 20). The movement of masses in an attempt to resist poor treatment is comparable to what happened in the slavery era.
The future of BLM is driven by a common goal to achieve justice for all human beings regardless of the color of their skin (Bailey et al. 70). The group is seeking for new methods of facilitating fairness by compelling the public to think and see in a different perspective. Based on the impact which the group has been able to achieve, the future of the movement might be based on a mission directed at moving communities with common goals to go an extra length to demand their rights. In addition, the movement is geared owards attaining self-love for the black people who can spread to be a wave which may not be stopped by any force (Bailey et al. 70). The key agenda of the group will go into fighting for the contemporary injustices affecting a black man which includes the social, economic and political injustices. The 21st-century injustices aimed at a Black man calls for strict actions to counter the modern racial profiling of the US citizens. Black Lives Movement was developed in a way which is different from similar movements from the past.
The movement has been embraced on international levels with around 26 chapters in different regions across the globe such as Canada and Germany. The group is believed to be “leaderless” one as described by founders (Marguerite Casey Foundation). In regards to civil rights movements of the past, BLM is a very different in which does not identify itself with any central leader. There are founders; however, they only took part in making the initiative, but the leadership of the group remains undefined (Marguerite Casey Foundation).
The creators of the group describe BLM as a “leader-full” organization because most of the people who engaged in it are in charge of its leadership. This is a new form of leadership where all the people are included and empowered to fight for their rights regardless of their gender orientation and status (Marguerite Casey Foundation). The movement has not disclosed any of its funders; however, some organizations have been linked to supporting the organization of BLM events. The organizations which undertake most of the activities include Freedom Road and Ford Foundation.
The movement has not become an organization yet; however, it possesses a website which describes the movement aims and their primary agenda. However, at the moment the movement has attracted several funders some of which are known while others remain anonymous (Marguerite Casey Foundation). In addition, Ford has been engaged in funding BLM activities, and recently, the organization decided to facilitate funds generated for BLM by investing in the Black-Led Movement Fund, (BLMF) which is a ey driver for funds used by the movement. Another organization which has been alleged to be funding Black Lives Matter is the California charity which indicates that the movement has gained support and it will continue to progress in the future. California charity has played a crucial role in ensuring that the movement receives funds in the form of grants and donations. The Black Lives Matter Movement has been a source of criticism from the other activists who do not support the agenda of the BLM.
The main group which has intervened to counter the agenda of the BLM is the All Lives Matter which has been a chief critic by changing the movement name to suit their mission (Yancy and Butler 6). Another group which has been gaining popularity in an attempt to oppose the agenda of BLM is the White Lives Matter. This is an indication that for every group which exists there must be a backlash in an attempt to dissolve such groups. However, All Lives Matter has been more pronounced as compared to White Lives Matter.
The group identifies the loopholes in BLM and critique the movement as a disruption fueled by the need to engage in criminal activities such as attacking the police. However, BLM has defended its role saying that they are on a mission to educate the society on the numerous injustices which affect the people of color in the USA (Yancy and Butler 6). Black Lives Matter, through its founders, has explained that the formation of the counter groups are in poor taste because the reality is that Black people are subjected to numerous injustices, especially those related to the law and the police killings.
Another way in which the BLM group has explained their mission to the counter group is that group is not in any way meant to exclude the black from other population; however, the way Black people are treated by the police and other departments do not suggest that all lives matter. The group cites the poor treatment the black people receive from the criminal justice system and the police unjustifiable killings as a means of discriminating against the black people in the USA (Langford and Speight 85). The cruelty as led to the killing of many young black people, especially young whose mistakes were only minimal. The figures from criminal departments indicate that Black people are more likely to be imprisoned as compared to other American citizens. As a final point, the BLM has cited the current status quo whereby people of color are not accorded the same treatment and respect as their white counterparts (Burton). As a result, the movement believes that is the Black people need to be treated in a similar manner.
The absence of inclus osence of inclusive police force treatment for all Americans has been the basis for countering groups which do not accept the agenda of the BLM. Therefore, BLM identifies the difference in the gap, especially in the criminal and the law enforcement system and use it as a way sensitizing on the need to have an equal society for all American citizens (Burton). BLM is a movement that was established to counteract the past and current framing of the Black Americans by the law enforcement agencies.
It was founded by, Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi and Patrisse Cullors. Its growth was fanned by the brutal successive murder of two Black men in cold blood by White police officers. Therefore the BLM movement was formed to change the vice that is in American law enforcement arm of the government. It is also used as a tool to draw attention to the regular violence targeting the Black people in America as well as infuse positive message on the worth of Black people.
The founders affirm that blacks are noble people. The sentiments dispel the notion that blacks are violent criminals as the White people may think. Additionally, BLM is a movement that seeks for racial fairness and pushes for political inclusion of all races in America. What started as a Facebook post has turned out to be a force that calls for justice for all citizens. The movement is led by the three founders who uses decentralized structures to run the activities of the group.
