Fundraisers in Huntsville are looking to put together the money for a “Black Lives Matter” mural in the city and seeking city approval to put it in the street, which has been done in other cities.
According to the individuals working on the mural, “The response was positive and [Mayor Tommy Battle] actually referred me to The Huntsville City Arts Council.”
This is, of course, fine. If people want to donate to such a cause, so be it. Whether or not this is going to be approved or come to fruition remains to be seen.
Sure, Black Lives Matter is not just a slogan, it’s a true statement. But “Black Lives Matter” is also a political movement, and using public space to promote this movement is wildly inappropriate.
The New York Post lays this out pretty well:
We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear-structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and “villages” that collectively care for one another.
…A partner organization, the Movement for Black Lives, or M4BL, calls for abolishing all police and all prisons. It also calls for a “progressive restructuring of tax codes at the local, state and federal levels to ensure a radical and sustainable redistribution of wealth.”
A leader of the movement in New York said, “If this country doesn’t give us what we want, then we will burn down this system and replace it. All right? And I could be speaking figuratively. I could be speaking literally. It’s a matter of interpretation.”
But it is happening all over the country, including Alabama.
Washington, D.C.:
A satellite view of the "BLACK LIVES MATTER" mural painted across two blocks in Washington, D.C., just blocks from the White House. (📸: @Maxar) pic.twitter.com/DMdifZttex
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) June 7, 2020
New York:
“Black Lives Matter” is being painted outside Trump Tower on 5th Avenue right now: pic.twitter.com/Blfos0xa31
— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) July 9, 2020
Chicago:
📈https://t.co/9T7QmO6gJc Artists complete Black Lives Matter mural on Oak Park roadway – Chicago Tribune https://t.co/6nENOzfFpG pic.twitter.com/7D1yr5X3aH
— TheUrbanNewz (@TheUrbanNewz) June 27, 2020
Birmingham:
SKY 13 drone video gives you a bird's eye view of the #BlackLivesMatter street mural project in Birmingham.
Check it out: https://t.co/gKplxA0YwA pic.twitter.com/IzdgDKLpxW
— WVTM 13 (@WVTM13) June 17, 2020
Because these murals are political movements, people are reacting negatively.
"They don't care about black lives! Refund the police!"
A black woman smears paint over the New York City BLM mural. pic.twitter.com/MUnEa0PXEg
— MRCTV (@mrctv) July 20, 2020
If you were a local leader, why would you allow this to come to your city?
I have witnessed this poor decision making by Huntsville in the past and responded to it in a similar way.
What if someone else wants to take their message to the streets?
What if, and bear with me, I wanted to create a political statement on Huntsville city streets?
I am a taxpayer in the city, I care about black lives, and I back the blue, but I also don’t want this divisive nonsense in my streets because all it does is create problems.
Obviously, “Black Lives Matter,” but how about “Back the Blue?” Neither statement cancels out the other. But if the city is going to let public space be used for political statements, my political statement should be allowed as well.
Hopefully, the city rejects this silly idea.
However, in preparation for the city caving to protesters, I have decided to raise money for a “Back the Blue” mural.
If they think their project will cost $6,000, I will try to raise $6,000 to create a similar project.
I will also kick in the first $500.
Here is my GoFundMe for this project.
Even if we ignored my premise, why are “Black Lives Matter” murals allowed while “Taxed Enough Already” murals would have me laughed out of any city council chamber in America 10 years ago?
This is the problem with this stuff. Where does it end, and who gets to decide?
That’s not how free speech works.
Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 AM weekdays on WVNN.
