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Black Lives Matter (BLM) says they are "committed to disrupting the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure" (1).
Does this mean BLM wants to destroy families and let children wander like wild animals through the streets?
Does this mean BLM wants to destroy families and let children wander like wild animals through the streets?
For example, is the Federalist right to claim, "Black Lives Matter's Hatred Of The Family Feeds Its Desire For Revolution"?
Short answer: nope.
Short answer: nope.
Long answer:
Reality is, the nuclear family (consisting of two parents and their children) is a modern invention fueled by alienation and rapid industrialization. It's neither traditional nor healthy by itself. Even conservatives like David Brooks acknowledge these facts (2).
Reality is, the nuclear family (consisting of two parents and their children) is a modern invention fueled by alienation and rapid industrialization. It's neither traditional nor healthy by itself. Even conservatives like David Brooks acknowledge these facts (2).
BLM's communal approach to the family is far more common and traditional. It is what we see most often in the Bible as well as around the globe throughout history.
It also adds significant protective factors for children, as many child protection advocates have argued, hence the "it takes a village" concept (3). Nuclear family is of course important and significant but larger community is just as important and significant.
BLM is not opposed to nuclear families. They are opposed to *limiting* family to its nuclear structure. By "disruption" they mean expanding community: "by supporting each other as extended families and 'villages' that collectively care for one another."
They also want to "make our spaces family-friendly and enable parents to fully participate with their children" (4). This is because larger community is particularly important to Black people due to the U.S.'s many assaults on Black families which have destroyed the nucleus.
50% of U.S. interstate slave trades, for example, destroyed a nuclear family (5). That makes the "village" so much more important for Black stability.
In summary: no, Black Lives Matter does not hate family. In fact, white people claiming they do is just pouring salt onto Black people's wounds, as the reason why larger community is so important is because white people have terrorized and torn apart Black families for centuries.
Sources:
(1) https://blacklivesmatter.com/what-we-believe/.
(2) https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/03/the-nuclear-family-was-a-mistake/605536/.
(3) https://hareachingout.wordpress.com/2016/01/15/why-homeschoolers-should-embrace-the-proverbial-village/.
(4) https://blacklivesmatter.com/what-we-believe/.
(5) https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparations/361631/.
(1) https://blacklivesmatter.com/what-we-believe/.
(2) https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/03/the-nuclear-family-was-a-mistake/605536/.
(3) https://hareachingout.wordpress.com/2016/01/15/why-homeschoolers-should-embrace-the-proverbial-village/.
(4) https://blacklivesmatter.com/what-we-believe/.
(5) https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparations/361631/.
