Just moments ago nearly two hundred locals, parents, teachers and students marched through Brookside yelling "Black Lives Matter" and "I Can't Breathe."
Protesters shut down a main thoroughfare and earned a surprising amount of support, applause and cheers from neighbors.
UPDATE - KMBC: Black Lives Matter protest calls for change, unity in Brookside
The weather was idyllic for a Sunday walk through Brookside even if a demonstration for social justice offered a new spin on a traditional Sunday stroll and shopping.
Checking our "socials" we noticed an interesting missive on this protest that deserves consideration. One demonstrator shared the following passage that offers a peek at the psyche of some protesters:
"Why not protest? There's nothing else to do right now. It's a good time. There are lots of people and I get to find out who among my friends and family are racist when I post to Facebook. Joining BLM as an ally is proudly going on my résumé because it's the future. Things are changing and I want to show that I was on the right side of history . . ."
What can we conclude from this sampling of a missive that has earned hundreds of likes and sparked debate among the denizens of Brookside/Waldo???
JOINING BLACK LIVES MATTER TRENDS AMONG AMBITIOUS WHITE NEXTGEN MILLENNIALS EAGER TO ADVANCE THEIR CAREERS AND SOCIAL STANDING!!!
When we think about the bevy of the corporate cash that BLM and affiliated organizations have earned, it's hard to argue with this logic.
Of course, most protesters tell us that the struggle for social justice is a selfless act and most protesters are sacrificing their time and safety to create social change; we trust that's the case for most activists and that their hearts are pure.
Still, it's not unfair to view the Black Lives Matter movement as part of a greater American cultural shift that will dictate the norms of our society moving forward. Notwithstanding, only the upcoming 2020 election can reliably determine how deeply this movement has resonated with the American public.
You decide . . .