Four years after the first #BlackLivesMatter appeared on Twitter, officers and activists, professors and students still seem to be arguing about what those three words mean. “After we get off the topic of police brutality on the urban kids and the youth and all that, then you gotta talk about poverty, and after poverty you gotta talk about – the issues never stop”.
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It should matter when a black life takes it. I’m just gonna stay black and die. I mean, how come, you know, black lives only matter when a police take ’em, when a police officer takes it?
Somerville Police Employee Association president Michael McGrath, in a July 19 letter to Curtatone, wrote that the banner suggested Somerville officers were culpable in the deaths of black people at the hands of police. The banner has been in place since August. It states that “black lives matter as much as white, Asian, Hispanic and any other do” and voices support for lawful protest, but adds, “We strongly object to a public banner sponsored by the city that impliedly paints police officers as the killers of innocent citizens of color”. I’ve made very clear to our officers that we should be thankful for-and reinforce-what we have here in Somerville: “a safer community thanks to the highest quality policing by a force dedicated to community policing, de-escalation, proper use of force, and anti-bias awareness”, Curtatone said in a statement.
The letter said it’s “inconceivable” and “demoralizing” that the banner – which has been above City Hall’s main entrance for almost a year – remains, given recent attacks on police across the country.
Curtatone emphasized that his support of police officers does not preempt the city’s “commitment to addressing systemic racism in our nation”. “Both banners will remain hanging”.
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The D.C. chapter of Showing Up for Racial Justice, a group of mostly white activists who call for an end to injustice against black people, organized the protest as part of the National Day of Action. The message is simply that black lives matter too. “Like we said prior, you just read a quick little article and [that becomes] my whole legacy”.
