Letters to the Editor: Enough with the liberal whining over Black Lives Matter's methods

A demonstrator shouts slogans using a bullhorn next to a group of military veterans during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse Sunday, July 26, 2020, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Protesters shout slogans at the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in Portland, Ore., on July 26. (Associated Press)

To the editor: Nicholas Goldberg's column on the protests in Portland and the approving letter in response leave out a major aspect of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations: Black activists and their allies have been trying peaceful protests for decades now and have been largely ignored by the establishment, including and damningly by Democrats.

As a white ally of Black lives, I think it's insulting to the larger movement against police brutality (especially as it affects marginalized people) to insinuate that the righteous anger being expressed on the streets of Portland, Chicago, Seattle and elsewhere "play into Trump's hands" or "detracts from the larger movement."

If you didn't want violence in the streets, you should've listened to the alarm bells that have been ringing since 1776.

To claim to support Black Lives Matter but insult its methods is nothing short of white, liberal, privileged whining. If you don't want to see violence, put pressure on your representatives and government leaders to actually do something to support Black lives beyond writing op-ed articles and painting words on the street.

These don't feed Black families. These don't stop their killings.

Carolyn Knight-Serrano, Fullerton