Got some comments about #BLM, FWIW.......
One thing that a lot of folks seem to be missing is that BLM is a coalition type of movement and not monolithic. That means that it's going to encompass the gamut of black political expression. Everything from liberal Dems, and yes probably some conservative Dems, to the Nation of Islam and all points in between. One of the main points that holds it together, IMO, is the fact that it is a black movement and NOT a more broadly based coalition that will include white people or even other POC. Nothing wrong with that as far as I'm concerned. Black people NEED to be in control of organizations and movements that directly affect them.
The problems I have with BLM are really the same problems as I had with the Occupy movement. They've got a lot of the right ideas, but don't carry them to their logical conclusion. Occupy was protesting against economic inequality, but never named the driver of economic inequality. They agreed that the inequality was a systemic problem, but failed to point out the name of the system.
BLM is very similar. They point out that the cause of police terror against black people is systemic, but I've yet to hear the system being named. And that's because it IS a coalition and there is no agreement on where to place the ultimate blame. The Nation says it all white people and a capitalist theocracy would work if black people were in charge of it. The black conserva-Dems say that the black people who HAVE made it, need to be protected from the vestiges of racism that threatens their lives and property. IOW, their "enlightened" self interest. The liberal Dems seem to say that the system is white supremacy in general, but they don't dare to mention what enabled white supremacy in the first place.
And in case anybody is wondering, I would like to see councils of workers and residents set up in all minority communities and the racists cops banned from the neighborhoods. The councils, including immediately recallable elected delegates, would, by majority vote, decide what laws would be enforced and then enforce them themselves with an armed workers and residents militia. They would also need to set up mediation structures and organizations in order to take care of neighborhood problems that erupt between residents. Community courts if you will. But that's just the beginnings of a suggestion and NOT any sort of "order". I would hope that eventually the black orgs that spearhead this movement would see the usefulness of the "Soviets" model of community organization and control, but if they don't, they don't.
