Black Lives Matter Statement On Dallas Police Shootings

The Black Lives Matter Movement released this statement on the tragic police shootings in Dallas.

The Black Lives Matter Network advocates for dignity, justice, and respect.

In the last few days, this country witnessed the recorded murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile at the hands of police, the latest victims in this country’s failed policing system. As we have done for decades, we marched and protested to highlight the urgent need to transform policing in America, to call for justice, transparency and accountability, and to demand that Black Lives Matter.

In Dallas, many gathered to do the same, joining in a day of action with friends, family, and co-workers. Their efforts were cut short when a lone gunman targeted and attacked 11 police officers, killing five. This is a tragedy–both for those who have been impacted by yesterday’s attack and for our democracy. There are some who would use these events to stifle a movement for change and quicken the demise of a vibrant discourse on the human rights of Black Americans. We should reject all of this.

Black activists have raised the call for an end to violence, not an escalation of it. Yesterday’s attack was the result of the actions of a lone gunman. To assign the actions of one person to an entire movement is dangerous and irresponsible. We continue our efforts to bring about a better world for all of us.

Black Lives Matter doesn't make black people dislike cops, bad cops do.

By George L. Cook III [EMAIL]

After the tragic shooting in Dallas of 11 police officers, 5 of whom dead there were those who jumped at the chance to blame BLM (Black Lives Matter). Some going as far as to say the shooters were BLM members which we now know is false.

But even those who didn't go that far keep pushing the idea that it's BLM's anti-police rhetoric that leads to the hate of police in minority communities. Now President Obama and the likes of Al Sharpton have also been blamed for ginning up anti-police feelings.

If you subscribe to that theory, then you must believe that millions of black men enjoyed their mistreatment, harassment, and belittling, at the hands of police and didn't think to be upset until someone told them to do so. Cause you know, black people never think of anything on their own.

Newsflash!

Black men and their communities don't need any group or individual to tell them to mistrust or dislike the police, bad cops are doing a great job of making sure that happens. Decades of abusive police patrolling black and brown neighborhoods leads to decades more of hate and mistrust toward the police, even the good ones. Many young black boys grow up wanting to be cops until they are mistreated themselves or see an older family member harassed by the police. They now view people they once saw as heroes as a threat and not someone to run to for help. That's not the fault of BLM at all.

Almost every black man can tell you of a police encounter where they feared they might die or get arrested for doing nothing wrong. I remember one of the times I was stopped for no reason. I was home on leave from the US Army and a cop pulling me over because he thought I didn't belong in "his"town. He, of course, used the old tried and true excuse of there being a B&E and my car matching the description as a reason for the stop. He went off on a tangent about how I should get a job and do something with my life without knowing who I was at all as three more police cars pulled up around me. How do you think I felt seeing that? After running my license (for 30 minutes, LOL) and seeing I was clean, the officer was obviously upset and told me he was letting me go although I hadn't done anything, to begin with for him to have to let me go. No apology, no I'm sorry for the inconvenience or anything, he just handing me back my papers and walked off. My distrust of the police is no fault of BLM.

All black men know that whether in a sweat suit or a business suit any mundane encounter with the police can be their last. How do you think that makes a black man feel toward police. That again is not the fault of BLM.

Trust and respect are earned not given. When ALL police treat everyone with dignity, politeness, and respect that they afford white Americans, then they will be viewed and treated differently. Police have to remember that you get back what you put out. So if you want to act as an occupying force, you will be handed like one.

To be clear I am talking about bad cops here who abuse the right to wear a badge, not those that truly act like all lives matter. If all police behaved that way groups like Black Lives Matter would not exist.

George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com