--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Black Lives Matter is a textbook example…" description: "\"“Black Lives Matter is a textbook example of how not to build solidarity. There is no denying that by publicizing and protesting police mistreatment of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/mark-lilla-13300_american-society_black-lives-matter-is-a-textbook-example_2988705.jpg" --- # Black Lives Matter is a textbook example of how not to… ![“Black Lives Matter is a textbook example of how not to build solidarity. There is no denying that by publicizing and protesting police mistreatment of African-Americans the movement mobilized supporters and delivered a wake-up call to every American with a conscience. But there is also no denying…” quote by Mark Lilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/mark-lilla-13300_american-society_black-lives-matter-is-a-textbook-example_2988705.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/mark-lilla-13300_american-society_black-lives-matter-is-a-textbook-example_2988705.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/mark-lilla-13300_american-society_black-lives-matter-is-a-textbook-example_2988705.jpg) > ““Black Lives Matter is a textbook example of how not to build solidarity. There is no denying that by publicizing and protesting police mistreatment of African-Americans the movement mobilized supporters and delivered a wake-up call to every American with a conscience. But there is also no denying that the movement’s decision to use this mistreatment to build a general indictment of American society, and its law enforcement institutions, and to use Mau-Mau tactics to put down dissent and demand a confession of sins and public penitence (most”” [Mark Lilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lilla/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that the movement’s broad indictment of society and aggressive tactics hinder genuine solidarity despite raising awareness of police mistreatment. **In simple terms:** Broad criticism and aggressive tactics can damage solidarity. Key Takeaway Focus on specific reforms rather than sweeping condemnation. Themes solidarity justice activism public discourse social movements Mood critical reflective concerned Type analytical political social commentary When to use this quote - community organizing - policy advocacy - education campaigns - peaceful protest - dialogue Key Concepts systemic racism collective responsibility strategic framing Questions to Reflect On - How can activism balance urgency with inclusivity? - What alternatives to confrontational tactics could foster broader support? A Different Perspective The movement’s approach may alienate potential allies and oversimplify complex issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-society/) [Black lives matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-lives-matter/) [Build Solidarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build-solidarity-738138/) [Law enforcement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-enforcement/) [Mistreatment African](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistreatment-african-4685483/) [Publicizing Protesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publicizing-protesting-4685484/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Solidarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solidarity/) [Solidarity Denying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solidarity-denying-4685482/) ## Related quotes > [“Equal protection under the law is not a hard principle to convince Americans of. The difficulty comes in persuading them that it has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lilla/equal-protection-under-the-law-is-not-a-hard-principle-to-convince/) [Mark Lilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lilla/) > [We want to let people know that we can build solidarity with suffering folks so that they are not excluded, they are integrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blase-j-cupich/we-want-to-let-people-know-that-we-can-build-solidarity-with/) [Blase J. Cupich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blase-j-cupich/) > [There are all kinds of people, and in the attempt to build up a solidarity among them, defects of each one affect all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/there-are-all-kinds-of-people-and-in-the-attempt-to-build-up-a/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [At the end of the day, Black Lives Matter and we all know this and I get when people say all lives matter, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-ripley/at-the-end-of-the-day-black-lives-matter-and-we-all-know-this-and-i/) [Rhea Ripley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-ripley/) > [“The choices you have for your children are not the same as mine. For me, there is no such thing as a banned book.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-ellie-mackenzie/the-choices-you-have-for-your-children-are-not-the-same-as-mine-for/) [Sara Ellie MacKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-ellie-mackenzie/) > [If a brand will shy away from you because you dare to say that black lives matter, that's probably not a brand you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luvvie-ajayi/if-a-brand-will-shy-away-from-you-because-you-dare-to-say-that-black/) [Luvvie Ajayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luvvie-ajayi/) > [I want to see Black Lives Matter be able to ultimately reduce law enforcement funding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-cullors/i-want-to-see-black-lives-matter-be-able-to-ultimately-reduce-law/) [Patrisse Cullors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrisse-cullors/) > [Bent Literary Agency had a Q&A on Twitter, and I took a chance and asked if the Black Lives Matter movement was an appropriate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/bent-literary-agency-had-a-q-a-on-twitter-and-i-took-a-chance-and/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“You who came of age in the past decade have had eight years of a Black U.S. president, and that gloss looked good, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohja-kahf/you-who-came-of-age-in-the-past-decade-have-had-eight-years-of-a/) [Mohja Kahf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohja-kahf/) > [I don't agree with the Black Lives Matter organizers. They are stated as anti-capitalists. And it's much more than just the police to them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/i-don-t-agree-with-the-black-lives-matter-organizers-they-are-stated/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [I do believe 100 percent that Black lives matter and that the cause to achieve and pursue equality supersedes basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-burke/i-do-believe-100-percent-that-black-lives-matter-and-that-the-cause/) [Doris Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-burke/) > [The national conversation around white entitlement, around institutionalized racism, the Black Lives Matter movement, I think, came about in large part because of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/the-national-conversation-around-white-entitlement-around/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [Black Lives Matter started from a post that I put on Facebook after the acquittal of George Zimmerman. I woke up in the middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/black-lives-matter-started-from-a-post-that-i-put-on-facebook-after/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [At its best, what art does is, it points to who we as human beings and what we as human beings value. And if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/at-its-best-what-art-does-is-it-points-to-who-we-as-human-beings-and/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [It's about being fair. It's about Black Lives Matter. Yes, they matter. Everybody counts or nobody counts, and I think if more cops had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/it-s-about-being-fair-it-s-about-black-lives-matter-yes-they-matter/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) ## More by Mark Lilla > [“Democratic politics is about persuasion, not self-expression. I’m here, I’m queer will never provoke more than a pat on the head or a roll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lilla/democratic-politics-is-about-persuasion-not-self-expression-i-m-here/) [Mark Lilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lilla/) > [“The other component was to build cadres through political education. 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It is a book about the fragility of our world, the world created by the intellectual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lilla/the-stillborn-god-is-not-a-fairy-tale-it-is-a-book-about-the/) [Mark Lilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lilla/) > [“The forces at work in healthy party politics are centripetal; they encourage factions and interests to come together to work out common goals and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lilla/the-forces-at-work-in-healthy-party-politics-are-centripetal-they/) [Mark Lilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lilla/) > [“Martin Luther King Jr. was the greatest movement leader in American history. But, as Hillary Clinton once correctly pointed out, his efforts would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lilla/martin-luther-king-jr-was-the-greatest-movement-leader-in-american/) [Mark Lilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lilla/) > [“Like any other political doctrine, liberalism makes assumptions about things human and divine, and these assumptions are, and ought to remain, open to disinterested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lilla/like-any-other-political-doctrine-liberalism-makes-assumptions-about/) [Mark Lilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lilla/) > [“Better the self-torture of a godless Protestant conscience than the fantasies of a modern Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lilla/better-the-self-torture-of-a-godless-protestant-conscience-than-the/) [Mark Lilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lilla/) > [“Identity is not the future of the left. It is not a force hostile to neoliberalism. Identity is Reaganism for lefties.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lilla/identity-is-not-the-future-of-the-left-it-is-not-a-force-hostile-to/) [Mark Lilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lilla/) > [Whoever takes it upon himself to write an honest intellectual history of twentieth-century Europe will need a strong stomach. But he will need something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lilla/whoever-takes-it-upon-himself-to-write-an-honest-intellectual-history/) [Mark Lilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lilla/) [Explore all 51 Mark Lilla quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lilla/) ## More American society quotes > [The contempt for law and the contempt for the human consequences of lawbreaking go from the bottom to the top of American society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-contempt-for-law-and-the-contempt-for-the-human-consequences-of/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. 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Elections continue, free speech is generally protected, institutions operate in accordance with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/cumulatively-american-society-is-sliding-toward-a-new-form-of/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [“As a culture, we had no heroes. Certainly not any politician--Barack Obama was then the most admired man in America (and likely still is),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/as-a-culture-we-had-no-heroes-certainly-not-any-politician-barack/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [ “The Sexual plight of these children \[those adolescents experimenting sexually\] is officially not mentioned. The revolutionary attack on hypocrisy by Ibsen, Freud, Ellis, Dreiser,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/the-sexual-plight-of-these-children-those-adolescents-experimenting/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Hip-hop is contributing to American society's misogyny and racism, hyper-sexuality anti-Black representations. Hip-Hop isn't setting the standard for misogyny. 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