The history of the “thin [insert color] line” dates back to the Crimean War (1853-56) and refers to a thin “red” line of Scottish troops facing off with the Russian cavalry. In the mid-twentieth century, red got converted to blue to refer to the police in this country.
Now, of course, we cannot blame the thin-blue-line flags for their popularity with white supremacists. However, we cannot be surprised. Again, the message is, “Those people have some nerve criticizing the police!” Because when people of color voice criticism, it’s a reflex for sensitive White people to internalize that criticism:
“They’re talking about me! They hate White people! They think I’m the problem! And I’m a good person! Black people hate good people!”
This response is juvenile and embarrassing and features horrendously bad logic.
The symbol can legitimately be viewed as an expression of solidarity with the police. A number of officers have fallen in the line of duty and people—including police—have used the symbol in this regard.
“The flag has no association with racism, hatred, bigotry,” he said. “It’s a flag to show support for law enforcement—no politics involved.”
Fine. However, one cannot miss the opportunity of racists to hide behind this solidarity. “I’m not a racist, I support the police!” We must not forget, no one’s a racist. And they love to hide behind noble concepts for cover. The symbol has come to mean opposition to BLM.
Why can’t there be broad, cultural solidarity with Black folk? Why is that so hard for much of White America?
It is quite a commentary on this country that when police brutalize a minority group, there is a tribal reaction on the part of the majority that honors the people doing the brutalizing. The whining and hyper-sensitivity are astounding. The adult and moral response is to side with the brutalized and start asking questions of a systemic nature. The thin-blue-line flags—and the Blue Lives Matter movement—do the opposite of this, and therefore are the opposite of adult and moral.
Now, of course, we cannot blame the thin-blue-line flags for their popularity with white supremacists. However, we cannot be surprised. Again, the message is, “Those people have some nerve criticizing the police!” Because when people of color voice criticism, it’s a reflex for sensitive White people to internalize that criticism:
“They’re talking about me! They hate White people! They think I’m the problem! And I’m a good person! Black people hate good people!”
This response is juvenile and embarrassing and features horrendously bad logic.
The symbol can legitimately be viewed as an expression of solidarity with the police. A number of officers have fallen in the line of duty and people—including police—have used the symbol in this regard.
Andrew Jacob is the president of Thin Blue Line USA, which is one of the largest retailers selling pro-police flags and t-shirts. As quoted by Politico,
“The flag has no association with racism, hatred, bigotry,” he said. “It’s a flag to show support for law enforcement—no politics involved.”
Fine. However, one cannot miss the opportunity of racists to hide behind this solidarity. “I’m not a racist, I support the police!” We must not forget, no one’s a racist. And they love to hide behind noble concepts for cover. The symbol has come to mean opposition to BLM.
Why can’t there be broad, cultural solidarity with Black folk? Why is that so hard for much of White America?
It is quite a commentary on this country that when police brutalize a minority group, there is a tribal reaction on the part of the majority that honors the people doing the brutalizing. The whining and hyper-sensitivity are astounding. The adult and moral response is to side with the brutalized and start asking questions of a systemic nature. The thin-blue-line flags—and the Blue Lives Matter movement—do the opposite of this, and therefore are the opposite of adult and moral.
