Black Lives Matter In Nashville Becomes Ground Zero For Debate On Racism
Nashville’s Black Lives Matter chapter is under scrutiny today by the public because library officials reminded them that all meetings should be inclusive, after someone complained that they were not allowed to take part.
The North Branch of the Nashville Public Library apparently has a policy which says all meetings should be open to the public and news media.
Quoted from a report published on USA Today, a library official reminded the source about their policy.
“The library didn’t cancel anyone’s meeting,” said library spokeswoman Emily Waltenbaugh, referring to a Black Lives Matter meeting Saturday that has been moved to a church. “We’re taxpayer funded. We have to be open to anyone any time.”
The Black Lives Matter group went to their Facebook page to alert everyone to the issue, also taken from the same USA Today source.
Joshua Crutchfield, a member of the Black Lives Matter chapter, was quoted in WSMV, a local NBC Nashville affiliate, stating that people of all colors are welcome to join their movement, but the meetings are for blacks and minorities only.
“In our space, we really don’t have that time to deconstruct the ways in which white people can help our movement. It really is a time dedicated to healing and community building among black people and people of color.
Another local affiliate for ABC, WKRN-TV, goes further into the details for the meetings, which the Black Lives Matter chapter had been holding at the library since October of last year.
One member even said that they can understand that the library is trying to follow the law, but for safety reasons, they were trying to make sure they provided a safe space for everyone involved.
National Trustee Bobby Jenkins officially announces his candidacy for State of Florida FOP President. pic.twitter.com/5I0NIFGJFg
— Miami Beach FOP (@MiamiBeachFOP) February 13, 2016
This takes place at the end of the same week that police unions such as Nashville’s Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), have asked their officers to boycott Beyonce’s concert due to her support for Black Lives Matter.
Reuters quotes the president of the union, Danny Hale, who has also asked FOP unions in Tampa and Miami to do the same.
This is the Atnip-Orms Center – National Headquarters
Nashville, TN, who have asked for the Beyonce boycott. [Image by FOP/Facebook][/caption]Stereogum also write that the Tampa Police Benevolent Association president Vinny Gercitano has taken up the boycott, putting the same request out through their own Facebook page.
The Tampa PBA is disgusted with Beyonce’s performance on the night of the Super Bowl and equally disgusted with her new…
Posted by Tampa Police Benevolent Association – Tampa PBA on Thursday, February 18, 2016
The public has weighed in on what they thought of Beyonce’s performance during the Super Bowl recently, as she and the dancers were dressed as Black Panther militia, as she performed a new song “formation,” which the audience was unaware of ahead of time.
But generally, police officers state they are offended because it showed her support for the Black Panther movement who are accused of killing officers, causing some to label them, unofficially, as a terrorist group.
In much the same way, the Black Lives Matter movement has also been accused by some as being a terrorist group.
A descendant of the family made an appearance at the parade, MLK III, who was interviewed for a report with the local news source channel 5.
As stated in the video, Black Lives Matter created a road block and staged a ‘die in,’ to which Martin Luther King III responds to in the video; whether it’s a die in or anything else, it’s a sign that parts of the community are working together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS23zhvWaYI
Former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee appeared on CNN the same evening that the parade took place and spoke about what he thought Martin Luther King would have thought of Black Lives Batter.
The Tennessean has reported details on the debate between the Black Lives Matter group and the Nashville public library as to whether or not they threw the group out, or if the group cancelled its meeting on its own.
[Featured image via Black Lives Matter Nashville | Facebook]
