Activism is defined as “the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change,” (Abate). Activism is responsible for extreme changes in the history of the United States. The United States itself was built on the concept of activism; the uprising and uniting together under a common cause in order to catalyze change and reform. For this reason, its not uncommon to see that there are still social activists still very much alive in society today. Although the United States has come a long way since the American Revolution, there are still critical issues in society which need to be confronted. Police brutality has been a relevant and momentous problem in this country for a long time. Police brutality is defined
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This injustice gave rise to a contemporary social activist group called Black Lives Matter. Although this activist group amalgamated recently, this discussion about social liberty and the struggle between liberty and authority has existed since the beginning of the United States government. The Black Lives Matter activist group can take many classical political philosophers’ ideals like that of John Locke and John Stuart Mill in order to solidify and reinforce their arguments on the resistance to excessive authority. Both John Locke and John Stuart Mill believe in individualism and the ability for people to lead themselves without the help of rigid, tyrannical, authoritarian power which also reflects the beliefs of the Black Lives Matter movement. It is very clear that the Black Lives Matter activists could be able to use major arguments that are posed by Locke and Mill in their writings to support their positions about their beliefs in society and the reforms that need to happen in order to make the United States …show more content…
The movement started first on social media, like Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr as a hashtag. The hashtag began in 2013 after the acquittal of George Zimmerman, a man accused of shooting a 17 year old African American teen Trayvon Martin because he claimed to have feared for his life at the hands of a teenager (Smith). The BLM movement became nationally known after its street protests in Ferguson and New York, following the deaths of two more African Americans, Michael Brown an 18 year old young man, and Eric Garner a 43 year old father of six who was killed by a New York City policeman that put him in the chokehold for 15 to 20 seconds, according to eyewitnesses. After the Ferguson and New York protests activists in the movement protested the deaths of several more African Americans that died at the hands of the authorities during this time, including the murder of Tamir Rice, a 12 year old boy who was shot twice in his own neighborhood park by the authorities (Smith). In these protests the BLM movement was the most manifested organized group in the demonstration which gave rise to their popularity and credibility. Although the names mentioned are reasons why the BLM movement came to be they are not limited to just these incidents of police brutality. BLM addresses all forms of police brutality, before and after the social activist movement started. Activists also have come out to say that
This injustice gave rise to a contemporary social activist group called Black Lives Matter. Although this activist group amalgamated recently, this discussion about social liberty and the struggle between liberty and authority has existed since the beginning of the United States government. The Black Lives Matter activist group can take many classical political philosophers’ ideals like that of John Locke and John Stuart Mill in order to solidify and reinforce their arguments on the resistance to excessive authority. Both John Locke and John Stuart Mill believe in individualism and the ability for people to lead themselves without the help of rigid, tyrannical, authoritarian power which also reflects the beliefs of the Black Lives Matter movement. It is very clear that the Black Lives Matter activists could be able to use major arguments that are posed by Locke and Mill in their writings to support their positions about their beliefs in society and the reforms that need to happen in order to make the United States …show more content…
The movement started first on social media, like Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr as a hashtag. The hashtag began in 2013 after the acquittal of George Zimmerman, a man accused of shooting a 17 year old African American teen Trayvon Martin because he claimed to have feared for his life at the hands of a teenager (Smith). The BLM movement became nationally known after its street protests in Ferguson and New York, following the deaths of two more African Americans, Michael Brown an 18 year old young man, and Eric Garner a 43 year old father of six who was killed by a New York City policeman that put him in the chokehold for 15 to 20 seconds, according to eyewitnesses. After the Ferguson and New York protests activists in the movement protested the deaths of several more African Americans that died at the hands of the authorities during this time, including the murder of Tamir Rice, a 12 year old boy who was shot twice in his own neighborhood park by the authorities (Smith). In these protests the BLM movement was the most manifested organized group in the demonstration which gave rise to their popularity and credibility. Although the names mentioned are reasons why the BLM movement came to be they are not limited to just these incidents of police brutality. BLM addresses all forms of police brutality, before and after the social activist movement started. Activists also have come out to say that