Louisiana’s Blue Lives Matter Bill Passed

“Laws like this to me tend to divide…”, NAACP President of Louisiana, Ernest Johnson responds to the enforcement of the Blue Lives Matter law.

It has now become official that police officers have been placed under the protection of the Blue Lives Matter law which was enforced on Monday. This is the first of its kind in the history of the U.S. but it is not likely to be the last.
The existence of the Blue Lives Matter law renders any attack or harm caused to a police officer like a hate crime which is punishable by law. Governor John Bel Edwards signed the formerly known Acts 184 into law on the 26th of May.

However, the signing of the document was before the recent attacks on the police in Dallas and Baton Rouge by some aggrieved persons. The law also extends its protective arm over the firefighters and EMS members.
The need of the Blue Lives Matter bill is still questionable since the definition of hate crime is yet left unclarified. The issue isn’t about the cops not being protected. In reality, they receive more protection than most citizens in the country. Hate crime is more of a problem of identity and not occupation. It is informed by one’s discretion to take action under a particular circumstance.

“Our job is in a tumultuous time right now because you’ve got individuals out there that don’t mind hurting somebody,” Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson said in his quest to defend the need for the law.

On the other side, Louisiana NAACP President Ernest Johnson expressed his disagreement to the relevance of the bill by saying: “Laws like this to me tend to divide because now you’re going to separate, where you’ve got ‘Black Lives Matter’ and ‘Blue Lives Matter,’ and you got this contest going on and it’s just not helpful.”

It is interesting how America still passes laws to defend the already protected officers causing harm to innocent Black people. This is an attempt for further intimidation. The Blue Lives Matter law is not just into here to protect the police but to aid police brutality. It is more like a license to commit hate crimes. Will we also witness a Black Lives Matter bill put into law to protect the Black people who are faced with unwarranted brutalities and arrests? Do all lives really matter in America?

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