Sheriff David Clarke has a message for America's Black community...

[jamil]

Yes, completely. If I could gather up a 100 black people to go around marching with BLM signs, having never been associated with them before, I would be labeled part of BLM, and no one would have the authority to say I wasn't part of the movement. Now, are there certain places/cities that BLM has organized? Yes, obviously. But their views may vary significantly from other BLM groups that have organized. The BLM movement, is more akin to the Occupy, Anti-War, Labor, Gay Rights, or Women's Rights movements, where many different factions are associated with the movement, but their leadership structure, ideas of goals, and implementation may vary wildly. I can't think of any organization where this exists. Organizations, in the vast majority of instances, have clearly defined leaders, who those underneath are accountable, clearly defined goals, and an understood method of implementation.

Well, okay, avoidance of the other stuff noted.

I'm not disagreeing that BLM is a movement, and I'm not disagreeing that the movement contains unorganized elements. I am saying that there is an organization at the very top--they have a website and a charter--and there is an organized federation of chapters in the middle, and there are rank and file members and associates. Wearing the tee shirt sort of makes makes one an associate, but unless you've registered with one of the chapters, you're not a member. What I've described, IS an organization. It's just not as hierarchically organized as, say, the NRA. If I see you wearing the tee shirt, having learned of the general structure of the BLM organization, I would have no idea if you're a member or a supporter, or an interested bystander, or you wanted a free tee shirt.

It's not the rank and file, nor is it the chapter leaders, that put out those 6 demands. There are people at the top. That's the kind of organization I'm talking about. It's not unlike the TEA Party.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Well, okay, avoidance of the other stuff noted.

I'm not disagreeing that BLM is a movement, and I'm not disagreeing that the movement contains unorganized elements. I am saying that there is an organization at the very top--they have a website and a charter--and there is an organized federation of chapters in the middle, and there are rank and file members and associates. Wearing the tee shirt sort of makes makes one an associate, but unless you've registered with one of the chapters, you're not a member. What I've described, IS an organization. It's just not as hierarchically organized as, say, the NRA. If I see you wearing the tee shirt, having learned of the general structure of the BLM organization, I would have no idea if you're a member or a supporter, or an interested bystander, or you wanted a free tee shirt.

It's not the rank and file, nor is it the chapter leaders, that put out those 6 demands. There are people at the top. That's the kind of organization I'm talking about. It's not unlike the TEA Party.

I'm not sure what else I avoided. You asked a question, I answered it. Did you want something else acknowledged?
As far as the organization of BLM, it is certainly trending to becoming an organization, and may very well get there. The BLM website is only a few months old, and the chapters not much older than that.