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20 July 2016

Sam’s Estimate: Assessment of the Black Lives Matter Guiding Principles


 
By Sam Frescoe

Welcome to the next installment of Sam’s Estimate. Sam’s Estimate is an evaluation, assessment, or appraisal of a particular issue, organization, or topic. Typically, items of interest are selected from the current American discourse; however, some are selected otherwise.
Opinion: a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge
Perspective: a particular attitude toward, or way of regarding, something; a point of view
Fact: a piece of information presented as having objective reality
Philosophy: an analysis of the grounds of and concepts expressing fundamental beliefs
Sam’s Estimate offers the opinions and perspectives of the author. Facts are cited and philosophy is championed as mechanisms to inform those opinions and perspectives. While the rigor demonstrated by The Estimate is not satisfactory for a comprehensive defense, this post is not intended to declare a matter “settled.” The intention is to be thought provoking in a grounded manner. – Sam Frescoe

From the American Discourse
This is the third of four planned Estimate segments focused on Black Lives Matter.
 
Black Lives Matter (BLM) is the subject for this installment of Sam’s Estimate.
BLM has been present in the American discourse for some time now: from Ferguson, MO to New York, NY, to Dallas, TX, points in between, and overseas. During that time I’ve observed the media associate BLM with loud demonstrations, peaceful marches, violent riots, and quiet sit-ins. Then, on 8 July 2016, media outlets began holding up BLM as an ideological justification for the premeditated destruction of human life. This change in scope is alarming, and why I selected Black Lives Matter as the subject.

This Post is based on the following Black Lives Matter publications (12 July 2016).

Getting Started
This post presents the Assessment in the following order: BLUF, sentiment, the Assessment, and supporting comments. This post attempts to estimate the impact of BLM’s Guiding Principles.

There are bulleted statements throughout the post that contain my thoughts, opinions and perspectives. Additionally, to better understand the breadth and depth of particular phrases and sets of statements as a whole, I employ an examination of synonyms; and then, attempt to reconstruct the spirit and intent of the original thoughts using those synonyms. This is not an attempt to put words in their mouths; whereas, an attempt to understand their thoughts.

Side Note – Start
It is assumed that conclusions from prior Estimates hold for this Estimate.
·         BLM believes black people experience physical violence sanctioned by the government.
·         BLM believes black people experience political, economic, and social violence sanctioned by the government; and, black people are powerless to stand against that violence.
·         BLM is popular, active, appealing, and dangerous.
·         BLM is angry, virtue signals, injudicious, racist, sexist, and politically progressive
Side Note – End  

Bottom Line Up Front
·         BLM is a contradiction and is disingenuous.
·         BLM is a racist movement.
·         BLM is a sexist movement.
·         BLM is a disruptive movement.
·         BLM is illogical.
·         BLM is a separatist social-political movement.
·         BLM is a homosexual-phobic organization. 

Popular Sentiment
“My experiences in Ferguson and everywhere else — as an activist and educator — are that all of our work and experience is, regardless of how [opponents] try to frame it, about love. Love for self, love for us, love for our people. Love for humanity and love for the real great potential we have as a culture but also this nation has by putting its best foot forward.” – Jesse Williams [1]

This movement is ignoring what our history has taught.” – Barbara Reynolds [2]

“Mob rule is not democracy. It threatens democracy, as it threatens lives — black or white — and all lives should matter.” – Thomas Sowell [3]

“Theoretic politicians, who have patronized a [democracy arrangement of government], have erroneously supposed that by reducing mankind to a perfect equality in their political rights, they would at the same time be perfectly equalized and assimilated in their possessions, their opinions, and their passions.” – James Madison, Federalist #10

Sam’s Assessment
1.    BLM has a collectivist leaning. It is clear that BLM intends to uplift black persons, with emphasis on black women, by seeking changes as to how those persons are permitted, promoted, or prevented by the institutions of society.  BLM seems willing to showcase their views as morally acceptable and obligatory. BLM seems to advocate for a form of mob-rule, black “freedom and liberation” as a prerequisite to the same for others.

2.    BLM has a leftist leaning. While BLM does speak to equal opportunity, such as its case for LGBTQ persons and working mothers, it also specifically excludes others, such as non-black persons and males holds authority positions. Therefore, it seems reasonable that BLM will be more interested obtaining outcomes that, in their view, represent equality.

3.    BLM has an outcome focused leaning. BLM has stated that they are exclusively committed to acknowledging, respecting and celebrating black persons and black women; and, at the same time, to denying, disrespecting and lamenting male authority figures.

4.    BLM has a progressive political leaning. BLM seems to believe that correcting the outlook of black persons requires the correction of society at large first. As a whole, BLM advocates that society at large is the illicit beneficiary of anti-black racism because anti-black racism (white supremacy) exists.

5.    BLM has a regressive political leaning. BLM is committed to reducing societal norms relating to black persons, black women, black LGBTQ persons, males in authority roles, and non-black persons in general. BLM does use politically correct language (ex: black privilege, space spaces) suggesting BLM is more interested in feelings than facts, is prone to unjustified self-esteem and hypersensitivity. It is likely that BLM is easily agitated by dissenting views. – As a way of illustrating the BLM state of mind: Non-black persons have social privilege because they are non-black; therefore, it is legitimate for BLM, on behalf of black persons, to oppose/dislike/loathe non-black persons. Now, BLM can say or do anything that may or does result in a harm, loss, or tort because non-black privilege brought about black oppression. Meaning, non-black persons are inherently evil and bad; whereas, BLM (and the black persons it claims to represent) is inherently graceful and good.

Guiding Principles

The Preamble by BLM
“Black Lives Matter is an ideological and political intervention in a world where Black lives are systematically and intentionally targeted for demise. It is an affirmation of Black folks’ contributions to this society, our humanity, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression.” [4]
·         BLM claims to affirm the contributions of black persons to a society that systemically and intentionally targets black persons for demise.
o   Given the construction of the paragraph, and that it was presented on the web page as a stand-alone summary statement, one must conclude that BLM affirms Black contributions to “this society,” “a world where Black lives are systematically and intentionally targeted for demise.”
o   Analysis of federal census data suggests an argument in opposition to the claim.[5]
·         BLM claims to affirm the contributions of black persons to black humanity. Given the construction of the paragraph, the relationship to black persons is inferred.
o   Affirmation: confirmation, verification, support, upholding, encouragement
o   Humanity: humankind, people, mortality, civilization
·         BLM claims to affirm the contributions of black persons to black resilience in spite of deadly oppression. Given the construction of the paragraph, the relationship to black persons is inferred.
o   Resilience: flexibility, hardiness, strength, resistance

BLM Guiding Principle-1
“Unapologetically Black: We are unapologetically Black in our positioning. In affirming that Black Lives Matter, we need not qualify our position. To love and desire freedom and justice for ourselves is a necessary prerequisite for wanting the same for others.” [6]
·         BLM is a racist movement.
·         It’s been stablished that BLM claims to be a progressive political movement for the exclusive benefit of black persons. Therefore, invoking BLM does qualify their position by direct association with prior statements.
·         BLM is advocating establishment of black “freedom and justice” prior to the same for others. – Placing black persons above non-black persons is racism by definition.

BLM Guiding Principle-2
“Black Families: We are committed to making our spaces family-friendly and enable parents to fully participate with their children. We are committed to dismantling the patriarchal practice that requires mothers to work “double shifts” that require them to mother in private even as they participate in justice work.” [7]
·         BLM is a racist movement.
·         BLM is a sexist movement. BLM lifts specific women up at the direct expense of men in general.

BLM Guiding Principle-3
“Black Women: We are committed to building a Black women affirming space free from sexism, misogyny, and malecenteredness.” [8]
·         BLM is a racist movement.
·         BLM is a sexist movement. It is not possible to have a female exclusive space free from sexism. 

BLM Guiding Principle-4
“Black Villages: We are committed to disrupting the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and “villages” that collectively care for one another, and especially “our” children to the degree that mothers, parents and children are comfortable.” [9]
·         BLM is a racist movement.
·         BLM advocates the belief that the black nuclear family is disruptive to the comfort of mothers, parents, and children. However, FBI crime statistics suggests an argument in opposition to the claim.
o   Poverty: In 2014, 22.9% of Black families lived in poverty, and 78% of black single mother families lived in poverty. [10]
o   Health: In 2011, blacks carried 50.3% of all HIV positive cases (females with HIV were measured at 2.4X greater than males). [11]
o   Education: Black drop-out rates for low-income high schools is 40-50%. Less than 50% of blacks graduate from university with a degree within 6 years of enrolling.[12]
o   Crime: In 2008, 60.2% of the national jail population was black. In 2007, 43% of murder victims were black with 93% of that number killed by other blacks.[13] In 2013, the percentage of crimes perpetrated by black persons was as follows: 38% assaults, 52% homicides, 48% kidnappings, 32% burglary, 32% vandalism, 32% vehicle theft, 72% robbery, 58% gambling, 33% prostitution, and 43% weapons. [14] 

BLM Guiding Principle-5
“Diversity: We are committed to acknowledging, respecting and celebrating difference(s) and commonalities.” [15]
·         As established before, BLM is a racist movement. Therefore, it is reasonable to infer that this statement is exclusively reserved for other blacks.
·         As established before, BLM is a sexist movement. Therefore, it is reasonable to infer that this statement is exclusively reserved for black women.

BLM Guiding Principle-6
“Globalism: We see ourselves as part of the global Black family and we are aware of the different ways we are impacted or privileged as Black folk who exist in different parts of the world.” [16]
·         BLM is a racist movement.
·         BLM is illogical. The presumption that something could be true does not mean that that something is true.

BLM Guiding Principle-7
“Loving Engagement: We are committed to embodying and practicing justice, liberation, and peace in our engagements with one another.” [17]
·         BLM is a racist movement. BLM advocates (exemplifies and performing) black justice, black liberation, and black peace unto BLM standards.

BLM Guiding Principle-8
“Restorative Justice: We are committed to collectively, lovingly and courageously working vigorously for freedom and justice for Black people and, by extension all people. As we forge our path, we intentionally build and nurture a beloved community that is bonded together through a beautiful struggle that is restorative, not depleting.” [18]
·         BLM is a racist movement. BLM advocates for restoring black freedom and black justice.
·         BLM is a separatist social-political movement. 

BLM Guiding Principle-9
“Collective Value: We are guided by the fact all Black lives, regardless of actual or perceived sexual identity, gender identity, gender expression, economic status, ability, disability, religious beliefs or disbeliefs, immigration status or location.” [19]
·         BLM is a racist movement.
·         Because this is not a complete statement, further estimation could not be performed. 

BLM Guiding Principle-10
“Empathy: We are committed to practicing empathy; we engage comrades with the intent to learn about and connect with their contexts.” [20]
·         BLM is a racist movement.
·         BLM is a sexist movement.
·         BLM is disingenuous. BLM has stated that they are exclusively committed to acknowledging, respecting and celebrating black persons and black women; and, at the same time, to denying, disrespecting and lamenting male authority figures.

BLM Guiding Principle-11
“Queer Affirming: We are committed to fostering a queeraffirming network. When we gather, we do so with the intention of freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking or, rather, the belief that all in the world are heterosexual unless s/he or they disclose otherwise.” [21]
·         BLM is a homosexual-phobic organization.
·         BLM advocates for the normalization of gender dysphoria.
 
BLM Guiding Principle-12
“Transgender Affirming: We are committed to embracing and making space for trans brothers and sisters to participate and lead. We are committed to being self-reflexive and doing the work required to dismantle cis-gender privilege and uplift Black trans folk, especially Black trans women who continue to be disproportionately impacted by trans-antagonistic violence.” [22]
·         BLM is a racist movement.
·         BLM is a sexist movement.
·         BLM is a homosexual-phobic (anti-homosexual) organization.

BLM Guiding Principle-13
“Intergenerational: We are committed to fostering an intergenerational and communal network free from ageism. We believe that all people, regardless of age, shows up with capacity to lead and learn.” [23]
·         BLM is disingenuous. BLM has stated that they are exclusively committed to acknowledging, respecting and celebrating black persons and black women; and, at the same time, to denying, disrespecting and lamenting male authority figures.

 Your View
Your thoughts and perspectives are important. I invite you to tell me what you believe with the comment section below or at samfrescoe@gmail.com. Please check out The Sam Frescoe Project on Facebook.

 Thank you. – Sam Frescoe

© 2016 – SamFrescoeProject.Blogspot.com – All Rights Reserved

 

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Critical Terms
·         Race: (n) an arbitrary classification of modern humans, sometimes, especially formerly, based on any or a combination of various physical characteristics, as skin color, facial form, or eye shape, and now frequently based on such genetic markers as blood groups.[24]
·         Racist: (n) a person who believes in racism, the doctrine that one's own racial group is superior or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others.[25]
·         Racism: (n) a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others. – (n) a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination. – (n) hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.[26]



[2] Barbara Reynolds, I was a civil rights activist in the 1960s. But it’s hard for me to get behind Black Lives Matter.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/08/24/i-was-a-civil-rights-activist-in-the-1960s-but-its-hard-for-me-to-get-behind-black-lives-matter/ (accessed 160711) ; August 24, 2015
[3] Sowell, Thomas. “The Demagogue’s War on Cops, the war on cops and racial strife are exacerbated by race hustlers and the media.” 12 July 2016. National Review Online
[14] http://www.colorofcrime.com/2016/03/the-color-of-crime-2016-revised-edition/ (FBI, National Incident-Based Reporting System)  (accessed 160718)

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