“End White Supremacy. Support BLM’s Demands,” reads one of the latest BLM headliners on their organization’s website. Curious enough, I chose to read the article and see, in fact, what their demands actually are.

Before I go any further, I’d like to make you aware that I’ll do my best to keep my opinions out of this article, but inevitably, some of them will shine through. After seeing the riots and looting that took place this summer, BLM has left a sour taste in my mouth. But to do my due diligence as an inquisitive young adult, I want to see what values the organization promotes and judge those independently.

The first demand reads, “Convict and ban Trump from future political office.” Although I can agree that Donald Trump could have handled the 2020 election in a more diplomatic fashion, permanently banning him from holding any political office sounds like a stretch. Even if you disagree with Trump’s policies, you must acknowledge that some of his achievements in life must be representative of his personal character.

I’ll give you an example. Nancy Pelosi is not someone who I agree with politically. She and many of her colleagues support legislation that I believe would further damage our fragile nation, but as an individual, I do have respect for her. It is clear that she is dedicated to her work, even if I disagree with it. Recently I read about how her career in politics began, which would surprise most. She started as a volunteer at a library, while working as a stay at home mom. Someone within the organization pressured her to receive compensation for her work, which she denied. In her mind, volunteering wasn’t her job. Being a stay at home mother was.

Inevitably, she felt the calling to be a leader, responding to opportunities which she was presented. This shows her character. She voluntarily chose to accept the responsibilities of leadership, and maintain a stable family. This is something very few people are capable of achieving.

So even though I disagree with Nancy as a politician, I respect her as an individual. No matter your political opinions, I believe Donald Trump should be afforded that same, basic respect. Banning someone from political office because you disagree with them isn’t a solution to the problem. It’s just silencing those who you disagree with.

“Expel Republican members of Congress who attempted to overturn the election and incited a white supremacist attack,” reads the second demand. I’d like to point out that the use of the word “Republican” is specifically called out. Once again, is this demand stopping white supremacy or silencing conservative viewpoints?

Calling the attack on the US capital a “white supremacy attack” is like saying “Taco Tuesday is offensive to Mexicans”. The January 6 attack was fueled by the belief in election fraud, not racial tensions. Joe Biden is white… so how would stopping his election be an act of white supremacy?

This second demand is worrisome because it imply’s that republicans should be expelled from congress. Again, as someone who describes himself as conservative, not for a second would I ever call for the banning of democrats from congress. Choosing to silence the voices of hard working people who you disagree with is blatantly inexcusable behavior. To be honest, it’s an absolute shame that both political parties don’t see why the other side should exist.

“Launch a full investigation into the ties between white supremacy and the Capitol Police, law enforcement, and the military,” is the third demand. This headline doesn’t call for anything more than investigation. And by all means, investigate the origins of the January 6 attack, but it seems to me like a conclusion has already been made. “We know that police departments have been a safe haven for white supremacists to hide… because the badge was created for that purpose.”

Demand four reads, “Permanently ban Trump from all digital media platforms.” The basis for this claim comes from the idea that Trump spread, “lies and disinformation.” But here’s the crucial question: how do you define truth? One of my favorite quotes says, “More than one thing can be true at the same time.” What BLM views as disinformation is an opinion, not fact. And what they believe to be lies, most likely contains some piece of truth.

The next demand really hits home for me. “Defund the police,” they say. How can an organization responsible for millions of dollars in destruction say abolishing the police will increase our safety? You’d have to be completely oblivious to believe that the presence of the police doesn’t reduce crime. When you see a cop on the freeway, you slow down. Why? Because of the cop, not the speed limit which you were already breaking. But the presence of cops keep us safe in more places than the just highways. Sometimes, the only thing between a single mother and her abusive boyfriend is the police. In the inner cities, police presence reduces crime across all demographics, no matter the color of your skin.

“Don’t let the coup be used as an excuse to crack down on our movement,” is the sixth demand. “Freedom Summer” is the term they use to describe their actions last year, which seems fitting. When people are given unlimited freedom, they will carelessly destroy the property of their fellow neighbors. Businesses owned by black people were destroyed and looted just as much as stores owned by white people. The color of your skin has nothing to do with it.

Freedom Summer showed us how violent our human nature truly is. Violence is a natural part of every one of us. People can loose every sense of decency to carelessly destroy everything within their power. Again, the color of your skin has nothing to do with it.

And finally, “Pass the BREATHE Act,” is their final demand. They say, “The Police were born out of slave patrols.” That is the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard about police. Who even wrote that?

The idea of an active police force came from the simple realization that people cheat, steal, and kill. Police departments are established to make sure that those things don’t happen, but when they do, the perpetrators are punished for their crimes. Nowhere does it have anything to do with racism. If someone is in danger, they are there to serve and protect. How much pigment there is in your skin is an irrelevant fact. Again, the color of your skin has nothing to do with it.

So what do I make of these demand? Whoever wrote them has no comprehension of the sanctity of human life. Human’s aren’t animals. We are designed with a purpose, each and every one of us. Poverty stricken communities cannot be fixed by the government. Guess who can actually solve the problems? You.

The decision to accept responsibility for your actions, and choosing to make the world a better place, has nothing to do with government action. By defining morals - good, solid, and virtuous morals - you can define the meaning of your life. Blaming others is nothing more than finger pointing. Choosing to make demands shows how lazy a person truly is: some would rather force you to do something than take that responsibility on themselves.