The Black Lives Matter PAC responds to former President Barack Obama’s recent remarks about “losing people with snappy slogans” and formally announces the launch of the organization’s Snappy Slogan campaign. The campaign can be found at www.snappyslogan.com.
President Obama thinks you lose people with snappy slogans like #DefundThePolice. Our movement believes when leaders waste time criticizing a hashtag instead of talking about stopping the murders committed by law enforcement and white supremacists, we lose Black lives. If the former President is worried about whether #DefundThePolice is the right slogan, we must make it known that this is the type of leadership that is a part of the problem.
“Defunding the police is more than a slogan; it is a policy demand that has already resulted in legislative changes in cities across the U.S. and around the world,” says Melina Abdullah, a founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles. “Our call to defund the police and invest in Black communities is a well-researched approach to ending police brutality against Black people after decades of failed attempts at reform.”
#DefundThePolice captures the energy and collective consciousness of our movement. Hashtags and slogans did not start with #BlackLivesMatter or #DefundThePolice. Hashtags and slogans have been around for decades and used as tools for messaging and engaging in movements like ours.
Across the country, local officials have been engaged to bring change to Black communities. Many cities have taken the lead in reducing police department budgets and officers; reallocating resources to community-based programs; removing officers from schools and public transportation systems; and, removing law enforcement as first responders for situations that are not life threatening.
For more information about how to get involved with our Snappy Slogans campaign, visit here.
About Black Lives Matter Political Action Committee:
The Black Lives Matter PAC was created to elect progressive community leaders, activists, and working-class candidates fighting for Black liberation. Our goal is to build on the power we earned protesting in the streets and do more to help Black people make the connection from civil disobedience to civic action. We intend to widen the path to elected office for candidates who will help us achieve key policy and political wins. For more information on BLM PAC, visit here.
