Violent street protests around the country since the May 25 death of George Floyd must stop, one way or another. Black Lives Matter has pushed federal law enforcement to the breaking point, trying to get concessions from the federal government, articulated by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (DTx..), insisting the time is right for reparations for slavery. Keeping the pressure on local communities, Black Lives Matter has one thing in mind, nothing short of reparations. It’s no accident that Jackson Lee raised H.R. 40, the House bill backed by the Black Caucus, offering descendants of slaves “40 acres and a mule,” built off a broken promise after the 1865 Civil War to return confiscated Confederate land to slaves. Let there be no mistake, Black Lives Matter street violence around the country is an attempt to revive H.R. 40, to once-and-for-all get debate-and-action on slavery reparations.
Ripping down historic statues and monuments around the country, calling for de-funding the police, all corresponds to Black Lives Matter’s real demand to get action on reparations for African Americans. Today’s shooting of a Black Lives Matter protester in Austin, Tx., illustrates how high tensions have gone. While no one knows all the fact just yet, the victim’s family claims the victim was gunned down by an armed bystander while pushing his fiancés’ wheel chair. Police said Garrett Foster was armed when he approached a vehicle when a bystander opened fire in self-defense. Foster’s mother disputes the police account, saying her son was not armed at the time of the shooting. Whatever the circumstance, there’s too much street violence around the country, detracting from racism and police brutality protests that popped up around the country after George Floyd’s death.
Black Lives Matter continues to fan violent street protests hoping to eventually get reparations. When you consider that Portland, Oregon finished 59 days of protests, trying to destroy Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in downtown, it makes you wonder what’s the end game. Protesters accused 74-year-old President Donald Trump of a fascist-like crackdown, sending in federal law enforcement to stem violent street demonstrations. Black Lives Matter insists their protests are non-violent despite nightly broadcasts of protestor trying to destroy the federal courthouse. Portland’s 57-year-old Mayor Ted Wheeler gave Black Lives Matter the green light to hold the city hostage, prompting Trump to send in federal law enforcement. One hundred miles away in Eugene, home to the University of Oregon, Black Lives Matter clashed with “counter-protesters” waving American flags.
Black Lives Matter protesters in Portland and Eugene face protesters hurling frozen water bottle at police, resisting tear gas and other crow-control measure to break up violent street demonstrations. Black Lives Matter protesters in Oakland, Calif., threw frozen water bottles, rocks and other projectiles at Oakland police, injuring 59 officers. Smashing car and storefront windows, Black Lives Matter’s not letting up on violent protests, hoping to win concessions from the federal government. Heading up the coast to Seattle, Police Chief Carman Best, who let Seattle’s CHOP zone, a police free area occupy six city blocks for nearly a month, said violent protesters hurled objects and shot off fireworks at Seattle police. “There, several people emerged from the group and began spray-painting graffiti, attempting to disable security cameras and a fenced perimeter around the precinct.
Showing it’s range around the country, angry protesters in Virginia turned unruly, prompting local police to crack down on rioters. Police faced an angry mob hurling bottles, rocks and other projectiles at Richmond police. Black Lives protesters set a city dump truck on fire, after setting fires, spray painting graffiti on public buildings. When you look at the violent street demonstrations, U.S. cities don’t have the resources needed to set down violent protests. Black Lives Matter promises to continue the violent street demonstrations until they get what they want, now demanding reparations for slavery. Sending in federal police from Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] prompts Black Lives Matter to call the federal police the Gestapo, Nazi storm troopers. It’s OK for Black Lives Matter to vandalize federal statues, monuments and buildings, but it’s not OK for the federal government to defend its monuments and federal buildings.
Keeping the pressure up on the federal government, Black Lives Matter won’t stop until they get Congress to approve reparations for slavery. Black Lives Matter knows Trump’s position on reparations but they see in Joe Biden sympathy for the cause. While the nation grieves the July 17 death of 80-year-old Civil Rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), Black Lives Matter continues its violence street protests around the country. While Lewis may have had sympathy for reparations, he had no sympathy for riots, looting, arson and anarchy to win concessions from the federal government. Black Lives Matter has adopted a military approach reminiscent of the Black Panthers who contrasted themselves from non-violent protesting started by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Whether accepted to or not, Black Lives Matter’s violent street protests must stop.
