# Is "Black Lives Matter" a political statement? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 8, 2020, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688 "2020-07-08T02:06:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/1 "2020-07-08T02:06:29Z")
_Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/1))_ Background: Condo building with a rule in the by-laws that no signs of an advertising or political nature are allowed in windows or on balconies. BLM banner on balcony. Told must come down. I argue that “Black Lives Matter” does not promote a political party, a political candidate, or a defined political movement; it is not a political message, any more than a message of “Peace” would be political. Thoughts? Does it count as a “political” message? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/2 "2020-07-08T02:18:21Z")
Only, possibly, if cops killing black people, and institutional racism are political. Black Lives Matter is a declarative statement in opposition to those. I say no way it’s political. It’s human. But calling something “political” or “PC” is how people who don’t want to confront these things can cover themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/3 "2020-07-08T02:21:21Z")
Not a political message, IMO, and your building has poorly written rules (the rule against banners should not be content-dependent or it simply should not be). ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/4 "2020-07-08T02:22:23Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > I argue that “Black Lives Matter” does not promote a political party, a political candidate, or a defined political movement; it is not a political message, any more than a message of “Peace” would be political. > > Thoughts? Does it count as a “political” message? It implies that the power structure does not think black lives matter, so I vote yes, it is a political statement. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/5 "2020-07-08T02:22:48Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Thoughts? Does it count as a “political” message? Do they give examples of what counts as a non-political message so we can compare and contrast? ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/6 "2020-07-08T02:23:09Z")
It is, but it _shouldn’t_ be. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/7 "2020-07-08T02:26:57Z")
Agree. I believe the intent was to allow season’s greetings crap and disallow anything else but still it is written as it is written. No no examples given in the by-laws. I certainly understand that some of certain political positions might find it, and Gay Pride flags for that matter, to be objectionable. I am just not accepting that their reactions based upon their politics makes our banner with the statement political. And boy is my wife pissed! ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/8 "2020-07-08T02:40:21Z")
It isn’t a direct political message but it is a political identifier. It’s kind of a loophole, I think. Sort of like how PAC’s will run issue-driven commercials that aren’t technically campaign ads but fully support the positions of one candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/9 "2020-07-08T02:46:09Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Condo building with a rule in the by-laws that no signs of an advertising or political nature are allowed in windows or on balconies. BLM banner on balcony. Told must come down. In Washington State you have the right to display political signs just as you describe. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/10 "2020-07-08T02:56:35Z")
It is absolutely not a political statement, but it is often interpreted as such. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/11 "2020-07-08T02:59:01Z")
I voted that it _is_ a “political statement”. That something is a “political statement” doesn’t mean that it’s bad or wrong. > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > …your building has poorly written rules (the rule against banners should not be content-dependent or it simply should not be). I also agree with the part of this post that I quoted. I can _maybe_ see that in a condo it might be reasonable to forbid people from hanging banners from the side of the (collectively-owned) building, even if they do it from the part of the building that they do own. But, either forbid banners, or don’t. Ban “Happy Holidays!” (and “Merry Christmas!” and “Merry _ **CHRIST** _mas!”) and “Go [Sports Team]!” too. Or, let people display what signs they see fit (and deal with the–lawful–consequences from their neighbors). ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/12 "2020-07-08T03:40:52Z")
It is mostly political IMO. If I were part of the condo association I would disallow it. A lot of people approach it as a slogan not a political statement. They are expressing general values. Even then there is some implied support for certain political causes. “All lives matter” is also a relatively innocuous and non-controversial statement about general values on the surface. It is also seen as a highly controversial political statement by implication. It may be possible to thread the needle an ignore the implied political causes in on case but not the other. Trying to achieve the likely intent behind that rule seems near impossible even with a finely threaded needle. There is also an organization that uses the name. The founders claim to have started the hashtag. They expanded using a non-hierarchical approach that recognizes networked but mostly independent chapters. They absolutely are a political group. They raise money and plan actions to effect political changes they would like to see. There is no way to separate the slogan from the name of that clearly political group when it is just three words in the window. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/13 "2020-07-08T03:54:53Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > It is, but it _shouldn’t_ be. This. Hell, these days wearing a mask is a political statement. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/14 "2020-07-08T04:18:25Z")
Even though I don’t think BLM is a political statement, I’d allow as one if it means there are no Trump posters allowed as well. Hell, or ANY “vote such n such” of any party poster. But ESPECIALLY Trump posters. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/15 "2020-07-08T05:01:40Z")
It’s a political message and should come down barring a rule change. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/16 "2020-07-08T05:06:49Z")
It’s many things, and a political statement is one of them. But look at it this way: If the board allows this, then they’d be hard-pressed to deny an “All Lives Matter” banner, even though they’re very different things. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/17 "2020-07-08T05:10:47Z")
Suggestion. Keep it up. Let them fine you. Demand a hearing with the board at the next board meeting. Bring a camera and engage in a healthy debate where the board is on the side arguing against a sign saying BLM because it’s “too political”. Stream it to your Twitter feed and tag them. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/18 "2020-07-08T05:19:56Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > Suggestion. Keep it up. Let them fine you. Demand a hearing with the board at the next board meeting. Bring a camera and engage in a healthy debate where the board is on the side arguing against a sign saying BLM because it’s “too political”. Stream it to your Twitter feed and tag them Then what about the guy who puts up an “All Lives Matter” banner? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Crap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.crap/32/3131_2.png) [@Dr.Crap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Crap)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/19 "2020-07-08T06:02:06Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Then what about the guy who puts up an “All Lives Matter” banner? That person sits on the board. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lantern2/32/3010_2.png) [@Lantern2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern2)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2020, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688/20 "2020-07-08T06:11:46Z")
Black Lives Matter is a slogan associated with a political movement of the same name so yeah I would say it counts as a political statement. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-black-lives-matter-a-political-statement/914688.md?page=2)