Those who regularly read my work know that I have next-to-nothing nice to say about Black Lives Matter. It’s a movement based on the lie that all blacks are treated differently by the police and the judicial system solely due to the color of their skin.
While isolated incidents most certainly occur, the all-or-nothing approach taken by Black Lives Matter is wrong and misguided; serving to create the same racial wounds it claims to want to heal. From National Anthem protests to the epidemic of deadly violence against the police, the damage done by Black Lives Matter is clear for all to see.
Recently, the largest police union in the United States demanded that Amazon.com cease selling a shirt supporting Black Lives Matter following a similar request–which was granted–to Walmart. This situation is wrong for two reasons:
- The police are representatives of the government. They should know and understand that this shirt is, most likely, a form of constitutionally protected free speech. While I find the shirt emblazoned with the words “Bulletproof: Black Lives Matter” personally objectionable, any attempt by a government agency to ban it comes close to crossing the constitutional line.
- There should have been no need to make the request to begin with. While supporters of Black Lives Matter have the right to make the shirt, businesses have the right to refuse selling a products they find objectionable–unless you’re a Christian baker asked to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding.
Of course, it’s possible that Amazon.com is selling these shirts because they agree with the message. If that’s the case, we should leave it up to the free market to decide if they made the right call.
With Black Lives Matter groups openly calling for the murder of the police, along with the hype dished out by the media when a black person is killed by police, the need for healing is urgent; but it will require BLM and the police working together to make it happen.
In the end, Black Lives Matter is wrong to promote the shirt, and the police are wrong in trying to have it banned. And despite what anyone might say, all lives really do matter!
David Leach is the owner of The Strident Conservative, your source for opinion that’s politically incorrect and always “right.” His articles can also be found on RedState.com.
His daily radio commentary is nationally syndicated with Salem Radio Network and can be heard on stations across America.
