OP, this is not meant to target you. This is a short response to the BLM goals that you linked for us. Thank you for sharing with us. [quote]1. End the war on black people.[/quote] Tell the people in Syria that there is a "war" against you. See how well that turns out. [quote]2. Reparations for past and present harms.[/quote] This, I am absolutely against, especially the "past harms" part which I assume refers to slavery. One of the cornerstones of western thought is that each person is their own person, responsible for themselves and their own actions. The idea is that no one should have to pay for the sins of their ancestors because the current generation did not commit their ancestor's crime. Author, Micheal Shaara said it best in [i]The Killer Angels[/i], "I'll be treated as I deserve, not as my father deserved." [quote]3. Divestment from the institutions that criminalize, cage and harm black people; and investment in the education, health and safety of black people.[/quote] I assume they are talking about the police. If you want respect from cops, you have to show respect. When someone attempts to challenge their authority on the street, the officer has to assert that authority, otherwise, no one will take them seriously. Also, the police (at least the ones I know) do not specifically target minorities. They target high crime areas. If you do not want your neighborhood plagued with crime, the work with the police to address the issue. [quote]4. Economic justice for all and a reconstruction of the economy to ensure our communities have collective ownership, not merely access.[/quote] What is their idea of "economic justice?" I cannot comment on that without a definition. Also, "collective ownership" sounds a lot like Communism/affirmative action. [quote]5. Community control of the laws, institutions and policies that most impact us.[/quote] You already have that through city councilors or county commissioners (or whatever they are in Louisiana). Vote and keep up with the people who take office. That is the only way to ensure that your voice is heard. [quote]6. Independent black political power and black self-determination in all areas of society.[/quote] This sounds more like a revised version of Jim Crow's "separate, but equal" argument. This does not work. Dividing between racial lines does not work and only weakens the nation as a whole.