N.H. GOP lawmaker embraces Black Lives Matter, heads explode
A New Hampshire GOP lawmaker has broken ranks with fellow Republicans and embraced the Black Lives Matter movement. The one-term representative from Hudson, Rep. Eric Schleien, said the focus on specific injustices done to African Americans is “healthy” and “evolves the culture.”
“A part of me feels sad that the very idea of #BlackLivesMatter is even controversial,” he wrote on Facebook. “To me, it’s just as silly as when people get upset over Gay Pride Parades.”
“Acknowledging and shining light to prejudices in our society is healthy and evolves our culture,” Schleien continued. “Pretending like it doesn’t exist actually keeps things stagnant. I’m all aligned with empowering the individual and when there’s cultural conversations hidden from view that go left undistinguished – it keeps things blocked.”
Many of Schleien’s fellow Republicans are dismissive of the Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality and attacks on black lives. They have adopted the rallying cry of “all lives matter” to counter the movement and to claim the protesters are suggesting the lives of others don’t matter.
Former state House Speaker Bill O’Brien (R-Mont Vernon) wrote, “To state a truth that my friends from the Netroot Nation (okay, I probably don’t have any) may find objectionable, All Lives Matter.”
“If U R A Presidential Candidate That Apologizes 4 Saying All Lives Matter U Do Not Have The Spine 2 B Prez,” tweeted Rep. Leon Rideout (R-Lancaster).
“Democrats are playing to Black Lives Matter group, ALL LIVES MATTER, WAKE UP,” declared Rep. Al Baldasaro (R-Londonderry).
During a criminal justice panel discussion in Washington last week, Pres. Obama countered those arguments and explained why Black Lives Matter is important.
“I think everybody understands all lives matter. Everybody wants strong, effective law enforcement. Everybody wants their kids to be safe when they’re walking to school. Nobody wants to see police officers, who are doing their job fairly, hurt. Everybody understands it’s a dangerous job,” the president explained.
“I think the reason that the organizers used the phrase ‘Black lives matter’ was not because they were suggesting nobody else’s lives matter; rather, what they were suggesting was there is a specific problem that is happening in the African American community that’s not happening in other communities. And that is a legitimate issue that we’ve got to address.”