Thin Blue Line Flag has divisive history
To the editor;
Many who display the Blue Lives Matter flag may not be familiar with the circumstances surrounding the use of this symbol. What appears to some as a visible means to proudly support the police appears to others as a veiled allegiance to white supremacy.
I presume the vast majority are unaware of the divisive message and unintended pain they inflict on their neighbors; I hope that can change.
The thin blue line flag was created in 2014 after the murder of Trayvon Martin and the start of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. The name itself, Blue Lives Matter, was a direct counterattack on BLM and the flag is now frequently associated with hate groups, most recently with the DC insurrection.
Professor Joseph Darda, TCU, tracks Blue Lives Matter and its antecedents: “It becomes apparent that every time white people turn to a defense of police and start associating their identities with police, it’s often occurring at the same time as heightened Black activism.”
Last week, a Wisconsin police department curtailed the display of the Thin Blue Line flag because of the “actions and hateful ideologies of extremists who have so visibly co-opted” the symbol.
The individual who started the petition to remove the task force head has a long history of divisive politics. She’s called for the elimination of the task force and previously stated “Trumbull is many things, but racist is not one of them.” That’s rich. The whole point of this task force is to ensure everyone in Trumbull feels included - regardless of race, class, or orientation; not just the white majority.
I’m a proud supporter of Trumbull’s Police Department and filled with pride when 1,000+ people attended Trumbull’s BLM event last summer. As we move forward, remember this: Symbols matter. Empathy matters.
Martin Isaac