# What's Wrong With Black Lives Matter **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 15, 2016, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879 "2016-08-15T04:58:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LinusK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@LinusK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LinusK)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/1 "2016-08-15T04:58:35Z")
The thing is it’s pretty much only black males who get killed. They don’t kill black women. So they should re-name it: Black _Male_ Lives Matter. Unless that doesn’t sound as good, or something. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/2 "2016-08-15T08:15:15Z")
Not true. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/3 "2016-08-15T08:25:40Z")
> [@LinusK](#): > > The thing is it’s pretty much only black males who get killed. [Nope](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/13/black-womens-lives-matter-police-shootings_n_6644276.html). Try again. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/4 "2016-08-15T13:51:15Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > [Nope](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/13/black-womens-lives-matter-police-shootings_n_6644276.html). Try again. Actually, please don’t. (Also, Korryn Gaines, killed by police two weeks ago in Baltimore.) ---
**Author:** ![LinusK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@LinusK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LinusK)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/5 "2016-08-15T14:34:41Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > [Nope](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/13/black-womens-lives-matter-police-shootings_n_6644276.html). Try again. Ok. That’s one. Unless her heart condition was also considered a factor. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/6 "2016-08-15T14:39:23Z")
I think the point that LinusK was making, perhaps a bit too vaguely for the hyper-literalists on this board, was that police overwhelmingly kill men, not women. ---
**Author:** ![LinusK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@LinusK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LinusK)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/7 "2016-08-15T14:40:10Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > Actually, please don’t. What do you mean? > [@](#): > > (Also, Korryn Gaines, killed by police two weeks ago in Baltimore.) You realize 2 is still a small number, right? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/8 "2016-08-15T14:57:00Z")
OP, which do you suppose is the main goal of Black Lives Matter: ending the influence of racism in society, or just cutting back on the number of black men killed? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/9 "2016-08-15T15:01:01Z")
Maybe the OP thinks it should be called Black Women’s Lives Don’t Matter. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/10 "2016-08-15T15:11:43Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > OP, which do you suppose is the main goal of Black Lives Matter: ending the influence of racism in society, or just cutting back on the number of black men killed? I believe [these are their goals](http://www.joincampaignzero.org/solutions/#solutionsoverview). [ol] [li]end broken windows policing[/li][li]community oversight[/li][li]limit use of force[/li][li]independently investigate and prosecute[/li][li]community representation[/li][li]body cams / film the police[/li][li]training[/li][li]end for-profit policing[/li][li]demilitarization[/li][li]fair police union contracts[/li][/ol] It seems pretty focused on reducing the number of black men killed. I actually agree with a majority of those goals, but I wouldn’t go anywhere near the typical #BlackLivesMatter crowd ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/11 "2016-08-15T15:19:44Z")
> [@LinusK](#): > > What do you mean? I mean please don’t try again, or we’ll end up “debating” things like: > [@](#): > > You realize 2 is still a small number, right? when, with even the tiniest scintilla of good faith in a reasoned discussion, you would have had the impetus to look at **MrDibble** ’s link for long enough to see that even the title makes clear that it’s not about a single person. You realize 2 (words into the title of an article) is a small number, right? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/12 "2016-08-15T15:24:23Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I think the point that LinusK was making, perhaps a bit too vaguely for the hyper-literalists on this board, was that police overwhelmingly kill men, not women. And? They should change the name of the organization because of this? ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/13 "2016-08-15T15:28:11Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > …I actually agree with a majority of those goals, but I wouldn’t go anywhere near the typical #BlackLivesMatter crowd Why? ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/14 "2016-08-15T15:36:27Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Why? [Because of this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJpWiV-zLoM) (hint: I’m white) ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/15 "2016-08-15T16:02:34Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I believe [these are their goals](http://www.joincampaignzero.org/solutions/#solutionsoverview). > > [ol] > [li]end broken windows policing[/li][li]community oversight[/li][li]limit use of force[/li][li]independently investigate and prosecute[/li][li]community representation[/li][li]body cams / film the police[/li][li]training[/li][li]end for-profit policing[/li][li]demilitarization[/li][li]fair police union contracts[/li][/ol] > > It seems pretty focused on reducing the number of black men killed. Why did you cite a “Campaign Zero” website when there is a “Black Lives Matter” website that states its overall goals? ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/16 "2016-08-15T16:10:25Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Why did you cite a “Campaign Zero” website when there is a “Black Lives Matter” website that states its overall goals? My understanding is that “Campaign Zero” is the #BlackLivesMatter’s response to criticism for not having clearly-defined policy ideas. I certainly didn’t intend to mis-characterize their goals. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/17 "2016-08-15T16:13:28Z")
OK, how does the number of black women killed by police compare to the number of white women killed by police? Which still isn’t the right question to ask, because Black Lives Matter isn’t just about police violence, either. When a black woman is the victim of a crime, how does the response compare to when a white woman is a victim of the same crime? ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/18 "2016-08-15T16:15:20Z")
> [@LinusK](#): > > Ok. That’s one. Unless her heart condition was also considered a factor. You responded to an article called “These 15 Black Women Were Killed During Police Encounters” with “that’s one”? ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/19 "2016-08-15T16:20:40Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > … Black Lives Matter isn’t just about police violence … Are you sure about that? Have they put any significant effort to protesting any non-police-caused death? All the ones I hear / read about are deaths at the hands of police. I suppose maybe Trayvon Martin, but the focus seemed to be on his hoodie back then, and I don’t recall hearing or reading #BlackLivesMatter at that time. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2016, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879/20 "2016-08-15T16:22:21Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > [Because of this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJpWiV-zLoM) (hint: I’m white) I love that video. The lady taking the video is yelling to “beat up every white person”. Then when the mob is actually doing it she sounds all concerned and is like, “OMG, they beat some white bitch ass for no reason”. Yeah. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-black-lives-matter/762879.md?page=2)