Wikimedia Commons
A petition calling for the U.S. Department of Defense to designate Black Lives Matter a terrorist organization has been signed by over 23,000 people Friday evening.
The appeal was created on July 6, one day ahead of the sniper shootings that killed five officers and injured seven others in downtown Dallas Thursday night. The number of signatures has grown exponentially in the hours since.
“Black Lives Matter has earned this title due to its actions in Ferguson, Baltimore, and even at a Bernie Sanders rally, as well as all over the United States and Canada,” the whitehouse.gov petition posted by an individual known simply as Y.S. reads. “It is time for the pentagon to be consistent in its actions – and just as they rightfully declared ISIS a terror group, they must declare Black Lives Matter a terror group – on the grounds of principle, integrity, morality, and safety.”
The FBI defines terrorism as “the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof in furtherance of political or social objectives.”
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) referenced in the petition, has tortured, enslaved, beheaded, bombed countless innocents in the name of Sharia law, a strict Islamic code used by extremists to sanction mass killings and other acts of terror against non Muslims or non-compliant adherents of the faith.
The Black Lives Matter movement, co-founded by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi following George Zimmerman’s acquittal for the 2012 death of Trayvon Martin, began as a hashtag to affirm the humanity of a group of Americans whose lives they saw as “systematically and intentionally targeted for demise.”
Citizens invoking the name of the movement began to mobilize, forming chapters in cities rocked by the deaths of African Americans at the hands of police. In Ferguson, Staten Island, and Baltimore, the overwhelming majority of demonstrators assembled in peaceful protest, yet the small segments of violent, destructive dissenters become inextricably linked to the organization.
The pattern appears to be happening in Dallas, where police have identified ex-Army reservist Micah Xavier Johnson as seemingly the lone gunman responsible for the carnage. Dallas police chief David Brown said Johnson told negotiators during the standoff that he “was not affiliated with any groups” and that “he did this alone”. Multiple news organizations have cited law enforcement sources as saying Johnson had no criminal record nor any direct ties to any terror organizations or political groups, including Black Lives Matter.
Which begs the question, why doesn’t African American Micah Johnson get the same lone wolf label as Charleston shooter Dylann Roof? Why the need to link the thoughts and actions of individual Black Americans to a larger group?
BLM representatives condemned Thursday’s shootings in a message titled, “The Black Lives Matter Network advocates for dignity, justice, and respect”, published to the official website Friday.
“In the last few days, this country witnessed the recorded murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile at the hands of police, the latest victims in this country’s failed policing system. As we have done for decades, we marched and protested to highlight the urgent need to transform policing in America, to call for justice, transparency and accountability, and to demand that Black Lives Matter.
In Dallas, many gathered to do the same, joining in a day of action with friends, family, and co-workers. Their efforts were cut short when a lone gunman targeted and attacked 11 police officers, killing five. This is a tragedy—both for those who have been impacted by yesterday’s attack and for our democracy. There are some who would use these events to stifle a movement for change and quicken the demise of a vibrant discourse on the human rights of Black Americans. We should reject all of this.
Black activists have raised the call for an end to violence, not an escalation of it. Yesterday’s attack was the result of the actions of a lone gunman. To assign the actions of one person to an entire movement is dangerous and irresponsible. We continue our efforts to bring about a better world for all of us.”
The petition has until August 5, 2016, to obtain 100,000 signatures – the number that elicits a response from White House officials.
Call me when the petition to label the KKK a terrorist organization is out
Only right-wingnuts would label BLM as a terrorist group…
I would not agree with the terrorist list proposal but I do think that BLM routinely has some members acting criminally when they intentionally block vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
The right to protest does not grant the right to subject the driving public to FALSE IMPRISONMENT. See definition below:
“any person who intentionally restricts another's freedom of movement without their consent (and without legal justification) may be liable for false imprisonment, which is both a crime and a civil wrong. It can occur in a room, on the streets, or even in a moving vehicle—just as long as the subject is unable to move freely, against his or her will.”
At each such illegal road blocade the police should not only arrest and charge the offenders, but also make public the names of everyone involved. A legal fund should be established to assist any driver who was illegally detained to be able to sue each law breaking protester individually.
Its time for law abiding citizens to "take back our streets".
Wish I could sign it twice.
"To assign the actions of one person to an entire movement is dangerous and irresponsible."
Exactly. So why are all police officers labeled by the actions of a few? Seriously asking.
Blacks ,beside only being 13% of the population, are responsable for 52.5% of all homicides in America. Blacks are killed 93% of the time by other blacks. Sounds like they are terrorists to me.
Source: USDOJ's Homicide Trends in the United States
and what does black on black homicide, an issue blacks also routinely protest, hold vigils over, seek resources and assistance in addressing, got to do with this? two separate things.
these people are out of their minds and clueless. Label the current GOP a terrorist organization; see how many people would sign THAT petetion!
Why is police not labelled a terrorist group?
Time to scream louder, go at this police terrorism systematically, remove our money from our oppressors and take a deeper look at who was attacking the Dallas PD last year.
You seem to imply that police shoot significantly more blacks than whites when they possess a gun. To give a sense of perspective, consider that for 2015 there were approximately 9-10 MILLION successful arrests.
Data from “the Counted” for 2015 indicates that 529 males that had firearms (all races) were shot and killed by police. If you filter these police shootings by race, 288 were white, 133 black, 83 Hispanic, and 25 other.
2014 FBI arrest data for the violent crimes indicates the total numbers of white suspects arrested were around 1-1/2 times that of black suspects arrested. If you compare this ratio with police shooting of males with firearms, significantly more whites by arrest proportion have actually been killed.
Pretium Vestibulum Googled and got an up to date as of 2013 government report
Philly Coalition for R.E.A.L. Justice is a Philadelphia based #Blacklivesmatter activist group. This quote is from the groups Facebook page: “The revolution has begun….Folks are gathering here at city hall in solidarity with what's happening in Dallas demanding that when they shoot us we shoot back.”
7/9/16 quote from the Philadelphia protest leader: “I’m not concerned for what that brother did when he killed those cops,” march leader and coalition member Kamau Becktemba said. “It was justified rage.”
Curious what people think about this.
Idiocracy is now a documentary…
Rebuild black Wall Street… Lets shop with our own ppl and keep our money in our community. They love our money but hate us. Smh disgusting
Y'all don't even have to waste your time over analyzing this non sense. Just call as what it is. Its a movement for black lives and the petitioners want bto shut that down real quick. Can't have black folk exercising the rights we psyched them in to believing they have. Call it what it really is people! Mofos rather we protest for Harambe than blacks!
How about you stop worrying about black on black crime. And worry more about white drug infesting this nation. Dropping dead from overdosing on DRUGS. Whites killed themselves with drugs more than so called black on black crime.
Ellen English Bernstein
What is the source for your data?
So why wasn't the kkk identified as a terrorist group then. O they scared of all those black ppl banded together standing up for what they believe in. Smh this crooked world we live in. Blm ain't killed nobody, It's the attention they're drawing huh. GTFOH with that bullshit.
Pretium Vestibulum, and yet there are no protest of this. People of good conscious don't sit by and watch while wrong is done. Where are the white people protesting, marching, speaking out. I will tell where they are they are worried about who is getting married, is John marrying Jim, is Sue, going in the men washroom. People of good concious don't sit by and watch while wrong is done.
Patrick Bobek Johns Hopkins University has already debunked what you're describing, the so called "Ferguson effect."
Cause unlike the blm, they don't kill people and riot.
Ellen English Bernstein blacks make up much less of the population though; do you understand what ratios are?
So you can commit violence no doubt. all the more reason for people to sign.
Leonard D. Knight Boston seems to have debunked John Hopkins.
welp white people…in about 100 to 150 years….your descendants will know exactly what its like to be black…….and you will be treated just as we have been
Deborah Martin Deborah, you're wrong for assuming the OP's forefathers were slaveowners/kidnappers. For the record, your people sold you to white folk. How do you visualize the way it went down? Because that's how it went down. Can't deny history. Or you can, and look unintelligble. Allow me to also say that speaking the way you do towards others only encourages racism. You do realize that right? Chill your jets and when confronting an ignorant person, try speaking like a human being. You might gauge their interest and might even change their ways through respectful peaceful dialogue. All this did though, was probably further encourage this womans beliefs. You're being apart of the problem. My 2 cents…
The petition idea is ludicrous at best and laughable. Folks that's not going to happen. This is just an attempt to silence black people so whites can continue their racist reign without interference. The FBI defines terrorism as “the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof in furtherance of political or social objectives.” Now this describes the BLM movement to the "T" . lol
Kristine Heath. Your facts are not. 85% of all violent crimes are committed by whites. You are a lying bitch. Whites make up 62% of the population, blacks make up 13% percent. Just by the perentages I've present here would tell you that there's no way what you are saying can be true. So copy and paste your information so all can see and then I will do the same and we all will analyze it together. Guess whose gonna win that argument.
Bianco Cmone – They are white, that's why.
Whites kill whites 85% of the time. Sounds like terrorist to me.
KKK, Aryan Nations, The Bundy Family group, none designated as terrorists even though all have done violent acts. Racism has become institutionalized. Most cops are good in fact, always a few bad apples make the others look bad could the same principle be applied to Black Lives Matter? When you talk stats as many people here like to do you have to remember that they're are still many more white people than blacks in the United States. When you look at a per captia snap shot of the shootings taking the percentages of the two populations a true picture emerges. Saying we don't have a problem demonizing people will not solve anything. Hate is always the wrong side to be on.
Deborah Martin "A nation divided cannot stand"… and then you go on to say you don't care about her or me. Youre too far gone baby girl. A handful of erroneous statements sprinkled with a fact or two. You can deny history, that's your right. But your reply was mostly just rage filled tirade. I'm not white, so again, accusing someone of being something again has once again shown that youre incapable of peaceful dialogue. Theres no helping folks like you. Albeit understandable, you just have too much rage, too much anger. You say you don't care about what she or I or anyone thinks, but also go on about how youre going to take over the world or the powers that be. How are you going to do that without peaceful conversation? I can assure you, you won't without love and peace for all colors. Best of luck to you. PS: all nations, all races, all religions have done evil things. You'r tirade just points out that white people are to blame for all. And that girl, is just not the case. Not for any one being.
Let me get this: black people kill black people but blame white people and you still support blm? You have no credibility.
Joe R Dean look at the news. There are as many white people out protesting today as black people.
Kristine you staittics are WAY off,. start with there are SIX times more white people in the uSA than black people.
Patrick Bobek the police is full of the kKK and white supremists. we just cleaned house of them THIS month in, believe it or not, in SAN FRANCISCO. if they're here, they're everywhere. and , when, once again, last week, they shot an unarmed young black girl, we fired the sheriff and the cheif of police. this shit has got to stop. their job is to PROTECT (including the suspect ) PERIOD , AND deliver to the judical system
Patrick Bobek Well good for the KKK they killed anyone recently. Stop it Patrick just stop it. First off why wasn't Dylan Roof lumped up the KKK an deemed a lone wolf when the news has already reported that the shooter in Dallas had nothing to do with BLM….Like get facts straight.
Christina Bradley just because Patrick Bobek claims the KKK hasn't killed anyone since 1996 doesn't mean it is so. Who is Patrick Bobek, and how did he come to that conclusion would be two questions I would want answered right away. Then, I would need to search far and wide to come to any conclusion. People make all kinds of claims all the time, usually without any kind of fact to back up their "facts." It's not like there is a clear tally anywhere of the killings committed by the KKK. They don't exactly take claim for it. Additionally, killings committed by the KKK might be inspired by them now. Finally, killings committed by whites on black in a lynching type style, or merely by shooting them to death are hate crimes in their own right, wouldn't you agree? There might be all kinds of reasons given to justify or obfuscare, like diverting reason by asking about black on black murders in South Chicago by people who really couldn't care less about these killings, but that's just it. Those who post here, seemingly like Patrick Bobek (I can't be sure of his motives, so I use the word seemingly), really do not appear to have interest in stopping any black killings, no matter where they come from, only to attack politically and make racially disparaging comments that divert from the problem. Neither help at all.
Omar Wright and yet the kkk hasn't killed anybody in decades. BLM members kill people constantly.
Patrick Bobek let's stop labeling all people in BLM. It just highlights your prejudices and stereotypes. Let's see the cites already. You should really read more history and try to understand what has been going on in this country, if your brain lets you do that. So far, you seem like a programmed automaton.
Omar Wright
I agree that this hate group should be tracked by the FBI. But at the same time other hate groups like the New Black Panther Party merit the same attention. This group is also reported to have thousand of members organized in 45 chapters, some outside the US.
Patrick Bobek My suggest is you have several seats sir because you don't know what your're talking about !
Patrick Bobek Again Patrick BLM doesn't condone killing !!!! I'm a BLM supporter. I have family both retired and in law enforcement. You don't have facts straight. Dylan Roof killed 9 black people and he is a Neo Nazi which is affliated with the KKK. Have a seat. Have several Seats !
Joseph Rosenfeld cop was ambushed when responding to as false assault claim. blm member was waiting there to kill the cop. Let's be honest blm is a bunch of anarchists who hate cops under the guise of civil lberties.
Your sentences sure are hard to understand. It almost sounded like you support the petition
Any good lawyer can twist those words to fit the narrative and make a good case, even if you dont see it. Thats how we get crazy cases like Dredd Scott and Citizens United
Just promise you won't call them when you need help.
Patrick Bobek:
You're on the slow bus…with the back-facing seats, obviously .
By ALL accounts, the shooter of the police in Dallas was NOT AFFILIATED with #BLM!!
Catch up with the news, dud!!
Ellen English Bernstein it is, when blacks are only 13% of the population..
Joe Erv how about you shove that arugment up your butt. Slavery in America was about the force labor of black people of all ages in this country. No one put a gun to the Europeans heads to go to Africa and take slaves they did it of their own free will. Slavery in Africa was not a milion dollar business like what the Eurpoeans turned it into, it was not something that if you were a slave your children would be born slaves. This was something that Eurpoeans, did. Africans yes, sold some of their people into Eurpoeans slavery yes, however, Eurpoeans held those same slaves, for decades, for generations until dead. Slavery in America lasted for 400 years.
Will Porter Violence is the last refuge for the incompetent.
Bryant Larsen Thanks for the history lesson. I'm (60) years old and they didn't teach us those things back then. But thanks to the internet, I can research it now baby. I see what you are saying loud and clear.
First of all, I'm not your "bruh". Second of all, I suppose it goes to show the lengths the US will go to preserve their own unethical interests, even if it is an organization known to be radical white supremacists. Even though I shouldn't be surprised, I am. I am glad a petition was started and I am glad there are more than enough people who signed to elicit a response.
Because our decendants totally deserve to suffer despite being a fucking century removed from this conflict. How do you know none of your great-grandchildren will be white?
Joe Erv:
Nice try citing partial history….
I'm sure it deceived some….who don't know any better!
Joe R Dean if Black Lives Matter, why doesn't the black movements in the USA protest the genocide that blacks are doing to other blacks? THIS is never brought up, since it's become a "normal" thing. Only the very few blacks killed by white/hispanic LEO's is complained about. This is the VERY definition of hypocracy.
Deborah Martin Liberia was established as a nation for former United States black slaves..
Bianca Cmone your community is the one that's doing genocide against itself. When more black men IN CHICAGO ALONE are killed by other black men than ALL the US Soldiers in Afghanistan THERE IS A PROBLEM, NOW figure how to deal with that and we can talk.
if you want to see what it's like to be "black" look at ANY black African nation. For some reason, I don't see any of them that are 1st world nations. (or even 2nd world nations)
Joe Erv You sound real dumb. Frame your statement under the backdrop of European Imperialism and come again. You can drive your own narrative, but you don't get to rewrite history to have a credible argument.
Rexford Dundon Black Live Matter, never said they were started to protest anything, but Police shooting of black people.
Rexford Dundon here is a better question, why don't white people protest the shooting of white people by police. What group is doing that, there are after unarmed white people being shoot and killed by police. Where are the protester, joining a Black LIves Matter protest does not count.
Pretium Vestibulum Given these shootings of armed individuals, happening in open carry States clearly implies that open carry is for whites only. In case of proper concealed carry it imples that concealed carry is for whites only. Not having any of it.
Let's all go out and register to carry a concealed weapon. See how fast Congress does something about gun control.
BLM sure isn't a terrorist group now but they're rapidly nearing the threshold to become one.
Cue the butthurt below.
They will obfuscate, lie, argue semantics, mock, wail about imagined oppression, sharpen their sticks to hunt White Devils, pot meets kettle, warped history lessons and generally being caught with their pants down.
How much dare you gamble that I'm wrong?
Kristine Heath. You are right about one thing. White people are not the problem, but white racist people who have created a racist system are the source for all black people's problems. I'm still waiting for that data so we all can see how you back up the lies you are telling. See, I don't the crime data. Come on and lets do this. Silence.
This is by far the best understanding that someone of another race has had. Bravo
They no longer have any shame parading their racist prejudices. What a critical time!
Patrick Bobek, because they indoctrinate vulnerable lone wolf crazies to do their dirty work for them.
Patrick Bobek at first it was 20yrs now its 15 lets try a few weeks ago in Atlanta black man hanging from a tree black folk dont hang themself white folk do
Every time black people come together were always labeled militant or terrorist. Every time we build something for ourselves whitey always find a way to destroy it. Not this time white America. Our voices will be heard and our pain felt. It just shows how much power blacks have and how scared white people really are of us. You'll have had your time destroying things for centuries now it's someone else's turn. And by the way whites commit more crimes look on the fbi"s list. But most of you'll crimes go unpunished or swept under the rug while we get terrorized and false chargers gets thrown on us. You fuckers are far from and will never be innocent.
Patrick Bobek I think the media hasn't shown you anything about those two black men found hanging. One in Atlanta after a kkk rally and the other one who knows. But like Donald trump said" republicans are stupid and will only believe what they see on CNN.
Oh, the movie ROOTS, hmmmmm. I'm going to leave this right here.
European pilgrims will never get it in their thick heads that the times have changed, nomore having things your way.
"Oink oink bang bang" lol, nothing militant about that.