Black Lives Matter: Is it a political organisation

[166 MM Barchetta]

Just throwing the question out there.
I’m asking on the back of being shown a WhatsApp group conversation involving many players and staff from professional football clubs from premier down to league 1 this evening.
Now before the liberals/trolls kick off and shout “racist” at everything, the issue raised was that players are having to play with “black lives matter” on the back of shirts instead of names, there is no choice about it.
The people on the chat are fully and completely behind the moral but, there is a big no no about making political statements while you play, that statement usually manifests itself with your kit, be it symbols on boots, raising tops when scoring or choreographed celebrations that have political connotations, and some of them see BLM as increasingly political so worry that if the precedent has been set will they be at the mercy of a club owner, sponsor or indeed certain cultural issues where they play?
I kind of see where they are coming from, but are we seeing, at last, exceptional times? Should sport become political in order to engage?
I’ll just add, the member of the chat is a current player for a championship team and is the son of one of my oldest friends, there is an ongoing and very vocal campaign regarding racism and hate within football, but the current BLM situation seems to have maybe crossed a line, if that’s for good or bad who knows, but I found the awareness of the possibilities interesting.

[Derek Smith]

Much depends on your definition of political. If you mean party political, then no. The subject is neither left nor right of politics, any more than, say, feminism. However, in the same way that feminism is a political movement, so is BLM.

[Drumroll]

BLM certainly more political than the wearing of a poppy and look at all the issues there were over that, in football.

[JulianHJ]

Apologies for the Wail link. Take with a pinch of salt...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8441405/T...

[Dr Jekyll]

Derek Smith said:

Much depends on your definition of political. If you mean party political, then no. The subject is neither left nor right of politics, any more than, say, feminism. However, in the same way that feminism is a political movement, so is BLM.

Feminism is a set of beliefs. Black Lives Matter is an organisation which believes in overthrowing capitalism.

[Teddy Lop]

Its an attempt to exploit people to unwittingly support an entirely disconnected political agenda.

[TCX]

Another tentacle of the recent,'system change' movements?
Using a slogan /figurehead which allows for no dissent,can't argue with a school child,save the NHS,any one questioning BLM is 'racist'?

[Johnnytheboy]

Derek Smith said:

Much depends on your definition of political. If you mean party political, then no. The subject is neither left nor right of politics, any more than, say, feminism. However, in the same way that feminism is a political movement, so is BLM.

It's hardly right wing, Derek.

[Brave Fart]

Interesting discussion on Sky earlier this evening, after the Man City game at the Etihad. Apparently an aeroplane buzzed the stadium at kick off trailing a "White Lives Matter Burnley" slogan.
All presenters agreed it was racist and disgusting. Whereas "Black Lives Matter" is not, at all - clearly, since Sky are featuring BLM even on presenters' lapels.
I just found the reaction to the whole thing very, very strange............BLM = totally correct, whilst WLM = racist and disgusting.

[djc206]

Brave Fart said:

Interesting discussion on Sky earlier this evening, after the Man City game at the Etihad. Apparently an aeroplane buzzed the stadium at kick off trailing a "White Lives Matter Burnley" slogan.
All presenters agreed it was racist and disgusting. Whereas "Black Lives Matter" is not, at all - clearly, since Sky are featuring BLM even on presenters' lapels.
I just found the reaction to the whole thing very, very strange............BLM = totally correct, whilst WLM = racist and disgusting.

It’s really not hard to understand.

Black Lives Matter isn’t about black lives mattering more than anyone else’s. It’s making the point that through a mixture of conscious and unconscious bias, particularly in the US but not exclusively, black people (and other minorities) are exposed to racism that sadly manifests in unequal treatment especially by the police. In the UK that means being targeted for searches etc in the US it has far more serious consequences such as black people being far more likely to be killed by law enforcement than other ethnicities particularly the majority ethnicity which is white.

White Lives Matter isn’t an incorrect statement but it is a moronic response to the BLM movement which is simply asking for black lives to matter as much as white lives in the first place.

The WLM movement is fundamentally racist because it refuses to accept the obvious disadvantage that some people have for having the audacity to be born with a darker skin tone than the majority. It’s trying to trivialise the BLM movement and paint it as racist when it’s anything but. One movement is fighting for racial equality the other is fighting to keep the status quo using an intentional misrepresentation of the motives of the other.

TLDR: yes WLM is racist for suggesting that BLM want black lives to matter more than others, which they clearly do not.

[Richard-D]

You are not allowed to show anything other than unquestioning support for "Black Lives Matter".

[marky911]

TCX said:

Another tentacle of the recent,'system change' movements?
Using a slogan /figurehead which allows for no dissent,can't argue with a school child,save the NHS,any one questioning BLM is 'racist'?

Exactly. I remember anyone complaining about the Barclays logo colours changing to a rainbow for the LGBT thing were all called homophones.
I was one of them. I’ve zero issues with anyone really but I don’t want my bank telling me I “have to” support a cause I have no interest in.

There is a happy medium between homophobe and raging homosexual.
Speaking for myself, I’m happy for anyone to be who they want to be. I’m neither racist or homophobic, but at the same time I don’t want it rammed down my throat.

I agree that of course black lives matter. Every life matters.
What I don’t agree with is the example above of players being forced to have the slogan on their shirts.

What I agree with even less is the BLM quest to erase all of our country’s history due to certain folk involved at the time not acting in accordance with modern day standards. It’s crazy. It’s in the past. Things change.
You can’t change the past. Concentrate on the now or the future.

Toppling of monuments etc does nothing for their campaign from where I’m sitting.

I guess I’m just an old homophobic racist.

[Johnnytheboy]

Brave Fart said:

Interesting discussion on Sky earlier this evening, after the Man City game at the Etihad. Apparently an aeroplane buzzed the stadium at kick off trailing a "White Lives Matter Burnley" slogan.
All presenters agreed it was racist and disgusting. Whereas "Black Lives Matter" is not, at all - clearly, since Sky are featuring BLM even on presenters' lapels.
I just found the reaction to the whole thing very, very strange............BLM = totally correct, whilst WLM = racist and disgusting.

I was slightly mystified by this. If this man was racist and wrong, do I assume that as a white man, my life doesn't matter?

Actually it doesn't really, but that's more based on a fairly nihilistic worldview.

[Teddy Lop]

marky911 said:

TCX said:

Another tentacle of the recent,'system change' movements?
Using a slogan /figurehead which allows for no dissent,can't argue with a school child,save the NHS,any one questioning BLM is 'racist'?

Exactly. I remember anyone complaining about the Barclays logo colours changing to a rainbow for the LGBT thing were all called homophones.
I was one of them. I’ve zero issues with anyone really but I don’t want my bank telling me I “have to” support a cause I have no interest in.

There is a happy medium between homophobe and raging homosexual.
Speaking for myself, I’m happy for anyone to be who they want to be. I’m neither racist or homophobic, but at the same time I don’t want it rammed down my throat.

I agree that of course black lives matter. Every life matters.
What I don’t agree with is the example above of players being forced to have the slogan on their shirts.

What I agree with even less is the BLM quest to erase all of our country’s history due to certain folk involved at the time not acting in accordance with modern day standards. It’s crazy. It’s in the past. Things change.
You can’t change the past. Concentrate on the now or the future.

Toppling of monuments etc does nothing for their campaign from where I’m sitting.

I guess I’m just an old homophobic racist.

its the cultyness that is uncomfortable. I want my bank to handle my money, I want my council to empty my bins, and I want my formula one teams to race racecars. I don't look to them for moral authority and find such unsolicited overt parades of virtue insincere, patronising to those afflicted and downright creepy. I believe in actions not words anyway, people can and do say whatever they think you want to hear, all the time, and if you wish to identify the biggest phoneys out there,my experiences are that you could do worse than starting with the most keen.

[motco]

Judge for yourselves BLMUK Funding page Read it all and judge for yourself.

[voyds9]

166 MM Barchetta said:

snip
I kind of see where they are coming from, but are we seeing, at last, exceptional times? Should sport become political in order to engage?

Now take that same statement and would a nazi salute after a goal be acceptable.
Now hopefully you see my problem. What some think of as a noble and just cause others don't.
Let's make it less extreme, what about the Consevatives symbol (flying bird or whatever it is)

[A Winner Is You]

Teddy Lop said:

marky911 said:

TCX said:

Another tentacle of the recent,'system change' movements?
Using a slogan /figurehead which allows for no dissent,can't argue with a school child,save the NHS,any one questioning BLM is 'racist'?

Exactly. I remember anyone complaining about the Barclays logo colours changing to a rainbow for the LGBT thing were all called homophones.
I was one of them. I’ve zero issues with anyone really but I don’t want my bank telling me I “have to” support a cause I have no interest in.

There is a happy medium between homophobe and raging homosexual.
Speaking for myself, I’m happy for anyone to be who they want to be. I’m neither racist or homophobic, but at the same time I don’t want it rammed down my throat.

I agree that of course black lives matter. Every life matters.
What I don’t agree with is the example above of players being forced to have the slogan on their shirts.

What I agree with even less is the BLM quest to erase all of our country’s history due to certain folk involved at the time not acting in accordance with modern day standards. It’s crazy. It’s in the past. Things change.
You can’t change the past. Concentrate on the now or the future.

Toppling of monuments etc does nothing for their campaign from where I’m sitting.

I guess I’m just an old homophobic racist.

its the cultyness that is uncomfortable. I want my bank to handle my money, I want my council to empty my bins, and I want my formula one teams to race racecars. I don't look to them for moral authority and find such unsolicited overt parades of virtue insincere, patronising to those afflicted and downright creepy. I believe in actions not words anyway, people can and do say whatever they think you want to hear, all the time, and if you wish to identify the biggest phoneys out there,my experiences are that you could do worse than starting with the most keen.

This sums up what large corporations think of social issues

[JagLover]

Dr Jekyll said:

Derek Smith said:

Much depends on your definition of political. If you mean party political, then no. The subject is neither left nor right of politics, any more than, say, feminism. However, in the same way that feminism is a political movement, so is BLM.

Feminism is a set of beliefs. Black Lives Matter is an organisation which believes in overthrowing capitalism.

and "defunding" the police. If that extends to not paying pensions to former police officers expect to see Derek turn vehemently against them

[Woody John]

Many consider it to be a racist anti white witch hunt created to incite race wars. Out.

[Dont Panic]

Article said:

Bizarrely, Black Lives Matter UK is entirely anonymous, offering no transparency on who controls it or where its money will be spent.

Drugs guns and hookers probably if the multitude of C[rap] videos online are anything to go by.