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Arguably no movement has been more controversial in recent years than the Black Lives Matter movement. Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, Sandra Bland, all African American victims of senseless killings. There are many more victims who did not receive national media attention. These tragic deaths all share a stunning commonality they are the direct result of discrimination against African Americans. Our former president is African American and the civil rights movement took place nearly 60 years ago. How is discrimination still an issue for African Americans? The continued prevalence of racial stereotypes is partially to blame. Black Lives Matter has been criticized by some who say All Lives Matter and claim the movement is racist.

This year, Ziad Ahmed made headlines when he was accepted into Stanford University after writing, #BlackLivesMatter one hundred times as his answer to What matters to you, and why? on his application. This is an example of the deep personal investment some people have in this polarizing movement. The (recently disgraced) news anchor Bill OReilly is a vocal critic of the movement and in 2016 commented, White Americans despise this crew. All Lives Matter critics argue that the movement is racist for emphasizing the value of African American lives only. These detractors see no evidence of structural racism in our society. They refuse to accept that our laws and criminal justice system demonstrate that black lives are valued less than white lives in our society. Black Lives Matter doesnt claim that African American people are superior; it advocates for racial equality and an end to discrimination. This hardly fits the definition of racism.

The unequivocally conservative position to oppose the Black Lives Matter movement is based off a misconception. The idea that affirmative action leads to reverse racism (discrimination by racial minorities against the racial majority) is entrenched within the logic behind the All Lives Matter stance on this issue. Affirmative action are policies in which an institution or organization actively engages in efforts to improve opportunities for historically excluded groups. The misconception is that these affirmative action policies discriminates against deserving whites in favor of their lesser qualified black peers. This logic is flawed. And racial quota systems are outlawed in most states. This is a manifestation of a stereotype that African Americans are less intelligent and comes from generations of discrimination which have embedded this bias into society.

Take the [hypothetical] situation, of a white police officer shooting an unarmed blackteenager. There is no video, the officer claims he was acting in self-defense, and there are only a few witnesses who are all African American. If this officer were put on trial for murder, what would the defense do? Attempt to discredit the witnesses? Try to portray the witnesses as anti-police, uneducated, incompetent, criminal, biased, and immoral? What is this doing besides trying to convince the jury that the voice of one white person is worth more than several black voices? If this police officer were found not guilty like other officers who have faced similar trials, what does that say about our society? Ironically, the justice system in this instance is leaving the African American community without justice.

African Americans currently face structural racism. The All Lives Matter movement discredits the notion that African Americans struggle with this on a daily basis. This viewpoint reflects white privilege and fails to acknowledge the everyday reality that African Americans face. When you say All Lives Matter, you deflect attention from racism in this country. That is because the point of All Lives Matter is to diminish the Black Lives Matter movement and black lives.

The cities Baltimore, Charleston, and New York have all payed out seven figure settlements to families of prominent victims. Despite this, none of these cities have admitted any wrong doing by officers. If All Lives Matter then why have the families of these victims not received justice? With the exception of the OJ Simpson trial it is hard to find another example of a publicized case that had a favorable outcome for the African American victim or defendant. Justice for these victims would be achieved in the form of the people behind these killings being held responsible. It would include recognition by elected officials that to this day African American people face discrimination. If all lives really do matter, than as former President Obama said, lets Not just dismiss these protests and these complaints as political correctness or as politics or attacks on police.

Jack Ryan

Class of 2020

Pre-major in college of arts & sciences

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Guest Editorial: The Importance of Black Lives Matter | Opinion ... - Dailyuw

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Uber Can 'Draw Line in the Sand' by Releasing Eric Holder's ... - Corporate Counsel (registration)

WASHINGTON The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee said there was no proof so far of collusion between Russia and Donald Trumps campaign, as Congress geared up for a week of high drama highlighted by the testimony of former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey.

Listen, theres a lot of smoke. We have no smoking gun at this point, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia said on CNN. But there is a lot of smoke.

As congressional Republican leaders begin a push to produce a legislative accomplishment before an August recess knowing the window of opportunity is closing, a series of hearings into possible Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and other challenges that have beset the Trump administration threaten to derail their plans.

On Wednesday, the director of national intelligence, Dan Coats, and the director of the National Security Agency, Adm. Mike Rogers, will appear before Warners committee. On Thursday, Comey is expected to tell the same panel that Trump asked him to back off an investigation of former national-security adviser Michael Flynn.

An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.

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Top Democrat says there's smoke, but 'no smoking gun' yet in Russia probe - MarketWatch

The next election is more than a year away, but Maryland's Democrats are trying to convert current discontent about the Trump administration into an organization that can reverse Democratic party losses next year.

State party leaders launched what it called "The Summer of Resistance and Renewal" Saturday with a small rally in Annapolis, shifting ahead by a full year the traditional timeline to organize volunteers for the 2018 election.

Maryland Democrats hold a supermajority in both chambers of the State House, all but one spot in the state's 10-member congressional delegation and a 2-to-1 voter registration advantage.

But despite their dominance in statewide politics, Maryland's Democrats say they lack the infrastructure and organization to prevent another round of big losses like those in 2014, when Republican Gov. Larry Hogan's upset win put him in the governor's mansion and GOP politicians made gains in local offices across the state.

Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Matthews said the early organizing effort "comes from a place of humility."

"The Democrats have learned their lesson from 2014," she said. "The Democratic Party was taking its registration advantage for granted and, to be honest, allowed its party apparatus to atrophy."

The party is banking on outrage against President Donald Trump to help Democrats refocus and rebuild.

Trump's first few months in office have sparked increased civic engagement among many in Maryland, which Hillary Clinton won in November by 26 percentage points. Democratic party leaders say the type of energy that prompted the Women's March in Washington and spontaneous protests at airports after Trump's travel ban won't translate into political victories unless they organize now.

"We can't take for granted that the so-called Donald Trump effect is going to bring people out," Democrat Rep. John P. Sarbanes told a crowd of about 200 people gathered in front of the State House. "We have to make it happen."

Maryland Republican Party Chairman Dirk Haire said the state's minority party suffered decades of losses when it relied on angry conservatives. Haire welcomed what he described as Democrats trying the same failed approach.

"As we've learned on the Republican side of aisle, anger is not a strategy," Haire said. "It's never worked for Republicans. I don't see why it would work for Democrats."

Although Democrats far outnumber the state's Republicans, unaffiliated voters make up the fastest-growing group of voters in the state. Haire said Republicans intend to rely on data and focusing on specific races, and he said early Democratic efforts won't affect those plans.

"We're going about our business in a smart and strategic way," Haire said. "We'll leave the screaming to the Democrats."

The GOP wants to make Hogan Maryland's first two-term Republican governor in a half-century, as well as end the Democrats' supermajority in the legislature. The next governor will oversee how congressional and state legislative districts are redrawn after the 2020 census, so the person at the helm of state goverment could be able to tip the balance of political power for a decade.

Maryland Democrats are also dealing with the same schism that divided the party nationally after the prolonged primary between Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, activists said. Matthews said the party was also in store for a vigorous primary contest up and down the ballot. At least eight Democrats have expressed interest in challenging Hogan, for example.

"The important thing is to stay true to who our real enemy is," Matthews told the crowd. "We need to bring progressives into our pary, and have their voices be part of the exuberance."

Already, Matthews has held summits with progressive groups from across the state, urging their leaders to join forces.

On Saturday, Sheila Ruth with Progressive Democrats of Baltimore County joined the rally. She warned the crowd that the if the party did not come together to address the social and economic concerns that prompted people to vote for the president, "then Trump will be followed by another Trump."

Joseph Kitchen, president of the Young Democrats of Maryland, said that even though Maryland is widely considered a blue state, rank-and-file Democrats need to realize that they're losing local races in areas that were once Democratic strongholds. He pointed to the mayoral races in Annapolis and Frederick, and to the county executive race in Howard County all jurisdictions rich with Democrats but led by a Republican.

Hogan spokesman Doug Mayer downplayed the significance of a Democratic rally held right outside the governor's home.

"We don't pay a lot of attention to partisan politics and politicians," he said. "The governor will remain focused on doing what's best for Maryland,"

Rep. John Delaney, a Potomac Democrat weighing a bid against Hogan, told the crowd the must do more, and the must do more in local races.

"We're not going to take back the country and advance the policies we care about by complaining about Trump," he said.

ecox@baltsun.com

twitter.com/ErinatTheSun

Original post:
Maryland Democrats organize a year early for 2018 election - Baltimore Sun

Wall Street Journal (subscription)

Top Democrat Sees 'Smoke' but No 'Smoking Gun' Showing Russia-Trump Campaign Collusion Wall Street Journal (subscription) WASHINGTONThe top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee said Sunday there is no smoking gun so far showing collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign in an effort to influence the 2016 election, adding that hearings this week will ... and more »

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Top Democrat Sees 'Smoke' but No 'Smoking Gun' Showing Russia-Trump Campaign Collusion - Wall Street Journal (subscription)