Slogan already being co-opted. No?

I heard someone use the term ‘BLM’ today in reference to “Black Lives Matter”. For a quick moment I was confused because When I heard BLM, I thought of the “Black Liberation Movement”. It made me think of the passive language being used recently. Like “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot!” Although I never liked it, I opted not to criticize this publicly because it was organic and speaking to the frustration of this current generation of activists. However, to me, “Black Lives Matter” sounds like whining and “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot!” sounds like surrender.

I commend people for their actions and voices during this time, but I encourage people to be mindful of their choice of words. The slogan “Black Lives Matter”, while true, is weak. It’s a plea for recognition. It’s an appeal of the powerless to the conscience of the powerful. We’ve been down this road before. White supremacy doesn’t have a conscience. Therefore, “Black Lives Matter” is a call that falls on deaf ears. Hence, for instance, the counter-slogan of “All Lives Matter” which only serves to dilute the message.

The Black Liberation Movement was not a plea or an appeal. It was an action of self-determination. It’s power came not from the society at-large recognizing it’s existence or legitimacy, but from the commitment of those involved, no matter how few, to fight for freedom within a society that has been consistent in it’s pathological racism.

“The limits of tyrants are proscribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress… If we ever get free from the oppressions and wrongs heaped upon us, we must pay for their removal. We must do this by labor, by suffering, by sacrifice, and if needs be, by our lives and the lives of others.” – Frederick Douglas

In many ways, history seems to be repeating itself. The urban rebellions of the 60s which eventually gave rise to the Black Liberation Movement were all sparked by police brutality. However, the BLM was eventually attacked, co-opted, and derailed. There is a lot to learn from in the history of the last 50 years of our struggle (really, the last 250 years). Way too much to adequately address in this small space. So this small note is just a caution to be deliberate, mindful, and strategic in how the demands and concerns of the current manifestation of the struggle are articulated. This is in no way meant to diminish the work that has recently been done.