The Black Lives Matter movement is often seen as a conflict between African-Americans and police officers, sparked by numerous accounts of black people being killed by police officers unjustly. However, this is not the only group with which the Black Lives Matter movement has competing interests. In Los Angeles there exists an ideological opposition to the local Black Lives Matter movement that takes the form of older deeply religious African-Americans who prefer a more civil, community organizing approach based out of their church congregations (Friedersdorf:2015). While they are in agreement that the LAPD kills too many people each year they are still in competition for influence on local politics (Friedersdorf:2015). In October of 2015 …show more content…
Brewer sees identity formation as a result of social categorization, people’s tendency to group things and view them as either in-group or out-group (Brewer:2001). Brewer discusses how this type of identity arises from the dichotomous need to both belong and be unique from others, what she refers to as optimal distinctiveness (Brewer:2001). For these reasons, groups form around in-group positivity and provide cooperative networks that provide benefits such as that sense of belonging and even …show more content…
One thing Brewer sees as a helpful deterrent to conflict is a common threat that leads to common goals (Brewer:2001). In other words, having a common enemy among groups can help to eliminate the conflict between the groups. She also sees a couple of things as impedances to preventing conflict. A couple of these that are particularly relevant here are the ideas of power politics and lack of social structural complexity. Power politics refers to corrupting nature of politics and that when politics are involved in a group it can lead to manipulation, distrust, and an exacerbation of the conflict (Brewer:2001). A lack of social structural complexity refers to social structures that are obviously divided into defined social groups (often by ethnicity or religion) that keep groups distinct and definitively separate (Brewer:2001). Having a more complex social structure in which individuals can fall into overlapping social groups can help to eliminate the passionate differences between groups
The All Lives Matter supporters believe that black people who were killed recently showed violence against the policemen and they were not innocents. The president of Amherst College Republicans Robert Lucido responses, “First, the Black Lives Matter group was originally titled ‘F--- the Police.’ The organizers of the Awareness week claimed that every 28 hours a black man is killed by a law enforcement officer, but they never mentioned that a law enforcement officer is killed every 48 hours in the line of duty. The organizers may have thought it clever, but such a title is utterly shameful” (Lucido). The author uses ethos by showing facts in his response that illustrates the opposite of what Black Lives Matter group claimed; however, these
The issues of how technology is influencing our nation today has come into play with social media and surveillance in our personal lives. We use twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. to express our opinions on things and as a voice to inform people on what’s going on in today’s society. We have learned how to use the tools we’ve been given to change our lives forever; our government has access to all of our personal information in exchange for our protection against terrorism. In Bijan Stephen’s article on “Black Lives Matter” and Rebecca McKinnon’s chapter on “the Arab Spring”, they both touch on the power of technology in negative and positive ways.
A modern example of such discrimination is the countless fatal confrontations between police officers and African-Americans. An influx of these confrontations in the 2010s have resulted in over two-thousand protests for racial equality since 2014 alone, almost all of which have been coordinated by the Black Lives Matter organization (Elephrame). Black Lives Matter is “a chapter-based, member-led organization whose mission is to build local power and to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state,”(Black Lives Matter). Much of the attention brought to racial inequality today is by the work of Black Lives Matter, as they use social media to spread the word about police violence against African-Americans. While many societal changes have taken place since the countless marches and protests of the 1960s, many African-Americans are still stereotyped and treated differently for their
Today there are many controversial subjects discussed throughout the media. One of the most discussed is race and the Black Lives Matter movement. Recently, I came across an article titled “The Truth of ‘Black Lives Matter’”, written by The Editorial Board. The article was published on September 3, 2015, to the New York Times. In the article, The Editorial Board writes about what they believe African Americans are facing as challenges in society today, including the all-too-common police killings of unarmed African-Americans across the country. The Editorial Board is right that some African Americans have been treated unfairly, but all ethnicities have been. Life is a precious thing that comprises all ethnicities. This brings us to ask; why
This paper was written to discuss the hot button topic, “Black Lives Matter.” Specifically, in regard to law enforcement. This has been an ongoing and controversial issue ever since the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting of Trayvon Martin. This is when the movement “Black Lives Matter,” was born, with the belief that blacks are treated unfairly by law enforcement. I, however, do not believe that blacks are treated any more unfairly by law enforcement than any other race.
(Buchanan, Blue Lives Matter) Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the board among political self-education and a social identity crisis, the Black Lives Matter group is pushing for a civil rights movement and is hell bent on shaking the political pillars and releasing this country from its current cycle of violence and silence. (Sidner-Simon, The Rise of Black Lives Matter: Trying to break the cycle of violence and silence) Amid other routes, this plan has the possibility to take flight and soar, but the more likely solution will be that like its predecessors, it will most likely founder due to a government well versed in uprisings, and will leave is as a nation beaten black and
"This is not a moment, but a movement," (blacklivesmatter.com). Black Lives Matter is a multinational activist movement that began in the African-American communities of the United States of America. The Black Lives Matter Movement protests against the planned violence and racism that oppresses black communities across the United States of America and in other countries. Black Lives Matter started in 2012 after the state of chaos caused by the Trayvon Martin case.
America is currently living in a period where racial divide is the highest it has been in a long time. There is a divide between police officers and citizens, but most notably a divide between police officers and people of color. Alton Sterling, Freddie Gray, Sandra Black, Philando Castile, etc. have all been cases where a life has been lost at the hand of a police officer.
A seven-year study conducted by USA Today analyzing the FBI’s justifiable homicide database revealed that 96 percent of all cases involve Black people dying at the hands of white police officers, who are rarely indicted, let alone brought to trial.” (Kaplan 2014). “Some have called the Black Lives Matter a hate group whose rhetoric is partially responsible for the recent shooting of a sheriff in Texas”. Police cars were destroyed, and several police were injured.
The movement BlackLivesMatter have outed hundreds unlawful officers and victims that never got the justice needed. The same characteristics (color and style) that emulates strong, noble people can backfire. Black people in this country who actively resist dehumanization makes a call to action and a response to anti-Black racism in our current society. (Cullors, 2015) The growth of the movement has moved country-wide, first starting in the south; the south had always had history of racism and anti-black impulses. This movement is continuing to carry up north and west, and is projected that any officer can be the next one to unlawfully kill another black individual. These immoral police officers are no different from the rest of the police force, their uniforms are no different color or style they do not have different titles, there is no distinction between the these two types of officers. African Americans are persuaded to be more cautious and angry towards police officers; anyone with a cop uniform can be considered a threat to their life. Innocent cops were murdered in retaliation to the unfair judicial systems that are not punishing these cops. Once a police-like uniform is worn it not only once symbolizes honor and power, but t too many communities
Black Lives Matter is an international activist movement, originating in the African American community. It campaigns against violence toward black people and has become a uniting call for an innovative chapter in the black freedom fight. The clearance of Trayvon Martin’s killer in 2013 and the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014 stimulated this movement. Black Lives Matter isn’t just about the loss of Black lives; but mainly about the lack of consequences when African American lives are taken by Caucasian officers. The question is; do black lives truly matter to those that claim to protect it? The answer is no they do not because the movement’s alleged “peaceful” protests continuously
In discussions of The Black Lives Matter movement, a controversial issue is whether this movement exposes police brutality or promotes antipolice hate. While some argue, this movement’s purpose is to expose the realities of police brutality and how African Americans are often left powerless in the law. Others contend that this movement is an excuse for unjustified violence and the demonization of police. Subsequently, the death of Trayvon Martin is seen as the motive to construct a response to anti-black racism, similarly known as The Black Lives Matter movement.
Social comparison and positive distinctiveness. Our social identity contributes to our self-image so we look for positive social identities to keep a high self-esteem. Comparing in groups and out groups allows us to enhance superiority of a group. The Social identity theory explains that the in group will discriminate against the out group to en...
Social identity theory can be applied to many different problems and real life situations. It demonstrates the role of categorization in behaviors, and explores how being part of a group affects social interaction in everyday life.
Black Lives Matter is not a movement that believes all lives do not matter; nevertheless, it highlights the fact that black lives are taken for granted by the judicial system. Protests around the world have taken place to fight for justice in the black community. The immense number of deaths of unarmed black men and women is a clear sign that they are more likely to be killed by police than white people. Physical violence and excessive use of force by the U.S. police towards African Americans are seen in the news regularly.