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Letters to the Editor

Letters: ‘Black Lives Matter’ needs a better slogan

People raise their arms while chanting “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” during a protest after a grand jury had decided not to indict Ferguson, Mo., police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black 18-year-old.
People raise their arms while chanting “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” during a protest after a grand jury had decided not to indict Ferguson, Mo., police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black 18-year-old. Jeff Chiu AP
Columbia, SC

“Hands up, don’t shoot” has become the slogan for many Black Lives Matter participants. But Washington Post columnist Jonathan Copehart, who is black, wrote last year that the Justice Department investigation convinced him it’s based on a lie.

My question to Black Lives Matter organizers is whether they want a significant number of whites to support their cause. If so, it can’t be based on a lie, and at least as far as Michael Brown is concerned, it is.

There are legions of tragic truths out there concerning police/minority relations. Why pick a lie?

J. Arthur Miner

West Columbia

This story was originally published January 6, 2016 at 4:19 AM.

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