Opinion

Should Police Officers Be Allowed To Wear Blue Lives Matter Gear While On Duty?

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The other day I went to get some food and found myself standing behind a Public Service Officer for USC. For those who are unaware, the University of Southern California sits right in what is technically South Central and is basically its own enclave carved out around the inner city. 

A new football stadium was recently built on the corner of where USC ends and the degraded ghetto begins. 

Anyway, I see this USC cop has this sticker on the end of his gun. A black and white American flag with one blue line across it, which is the symbol for law enforcement. This cop also had a Blue Lives Matter elastic band on his wrist.

I began to see these images and phrases widely circulated after the rise of Black Lives Matter. Cops will try and say otherwise, but the reality is that “Blue Lives Matter” & “All Lives Matter” are direct responses and in direct opposition to Black Lives Matter. They are petty and insensitive slogans considering the topic of conversation. 

Those two symbols worn together by the officer, especially the sticker on the end of his gun, instantly made my head swim. I asked the officer what they represented. “It’s a sticker,“ was his only response even though I asked repeatedly what the sticker stood for. He looked disgusted to say the least and only repeated his initial response.

I reached out to USC’s Public Safety Office and talked to an officer in the department. He relayed that USC was not giving cops these items to wear but they did so to show solidarity between officers. 

I think the sticker and Blue Lives Matter attire wore by officers while on duty is highly inappropriate. The response of this officer and his demeanor, proved my point of the mentality of those who choose to don these symbols and send silent messages. Imagine this cop with this gun on his hip with the blue lives matter sticker, while he in his mind, keeps USC students safe from the South Central ghetto which neighbors the campus.

“The phrase all lives matter, was derived from Black lives matter, to subvert Black Lives Matter.” #Period

Video: Middle Ground

Slauson Girl is a South Central native who has a love for journalism, history and all things Hip-Hop. She holds a B.A in Critical Race & Gender Theory & a Minor in Journalism. Follow Me on IG @Slausongirl

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