Political movements often walk a fine line when trying to fight for change. Any significant change in the status quo, no matter how needed, is going to face accusations of unpatriotic sentiments. The leaders of social movements usually try to carefully walk that tightrope by moderating their statements about the country as a whole. However, at the same time the emotional turmoil created by widespread social ills can push people beyond the point where they’re willing to take a more political position. And this is exactly what was recently seen with the Utah chapter of Black Lives Matter. Black Lives Matter, also known as BLM, gained newfound public recognition due to the events surrounding George Floyd’s death. Many people feel that the movement’s call for massive police reform is a long-needed cry for more sensible policies. However, others have long felt that the movement has simply turned into a force for division. One of the more controversial elements of this debate centers around the American flag.
Black Lives Matter’s initial call for action in the wake of Floyd’s death centered around police reform. However, the rallying cry was taken up by most of the country in one way or another. As Black Lives Matter protests rose in prominence, the story began to push far beyond the country from which it originated. The entire world would soon become familiar with Floyd’s story and the Black Lives Matter movement. This caused many people to see the events as not just about a single issue, but about the country as a whole. The multinational debate came to encompass ideology and nationalism as much as it did police reform. This tended to incite both passions and concern among people who loved America. Some people felt that Black Lives Matter was patriotic in wanting to change America for the better. Others felt that aspects of the movement were unpatriotic. The majority of BLM chapters have fought against accusations of unamerican sentiment. However, one chapter has taken a very different stance. The leader of Utah’s Black Lives Matter chapter, Lex Scott, has stated outright that she feels the American flag is a “symbol of hatred”.
However, people’s initial response to this statement often missed some of its intent. Scott expanded on her controversial statement by drawing attention to the way hate groups have used the American flag. She posed a question to anyone who disagreed with her statements about the flag. Lex asks whether people who disagree with her have also been outraged over extremist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan using the imagery of the American flag. She goes on to insist that people who haven’t spoken out against those examples are still sending a message. Lex believes that those who don’t speak out are instead sending a message of silent agreement. And it’s this assumption that rests as the foundation of her view of the American flag. In her words, it sends a message that people “agree with their messaging”. And that they “agree with that hate, and you condone it”. It’s certainly a polarizing view of the American flag. And reactions have been frequent and strong enough that BLM Utah has stated they’ll ban any users who leave critical comments on their Facebook page. Likewise, the messages they feel were inappropriate will be deleted.
