Wednesday, August 03, 2016

Why "Glades Lives Matter" Isn't Working: The same reason "Black Lives Matter" Isn't Working. By Geniusofdespair

The Big Sugar public relations campaign is a bust...They got some gullible (now flush with sugar donations) Black leaders to join their failed campaign "Glades Lives Matter."

People seem to care about all people more than one group. Remember the furor over the "Baby on Board" signs in car windows? People in other cars were thinking "Why is your baby more important to protect than my children or me?"  It got ridiculous for a while, there were signs in every car then they just disappeared. No one cared that your damn baby was on board in your car. They aren't going to drive differently.


That is what is happening with "Black Lives Matter". It is spawning a host of  "--- Lives Matter." It is just not a good campaign name or strategy. Anything that separates us makes other people angry.  Why would you want other people angry? I just think it is a GOOD MOVEMENT with a name that doesn't do it justice.

Big Sugar is trying that strategy now. They got some gullible (now flush with sugar donations) Black leaders to join their campaign "Glades Lives Matter." Actually most of the jobs are held by Mexicans but the Black politicians are still going to make it a racial thing.

It is "jobs" big sugar is referring to in its newest public relations campaign, no one is dying. And isn't the sugar industry automated to death, desperate to do WITHOUT jobs? Well, gosh Big Sugar: What about all the jobs lost on the two coasts because of the algae bloom don't they matter? What about all the people getting sick on the Coasts? What about the fish, manatees and the dolphins -- they are really dying -- don't they matter?  Your public relations campaign is a bust and shame on the politicians being bribed to participate.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

All Lives Matter. I consider the loud people shouting BlacK Lives Matter to be mostly racists. I believe all lives matter.

Geniusofdespair said...

See what I mean now? People just don't like this slogan.

Anonymous said...

Sugar companies have no shame using the racial card.

Anonymous said...

Black Lives Matter is simply another pressure group formed to bring attention to the fact that innocent Blacks (not everyone or group in America) are being systematically gunned down by policemen. Pressure groups are very important to our democracy because they bring attention to major societal problems, problems and issues which need to be addressed so that our society prospers and progresses. Usually the pressure group creates enough attention that change-makers can come in and address the problem with specific initiatives. So, pressure groups are critical in America, as they are a pressure valves, and in some cases the oil that keeps our democracy and our society moving forward, and livable for everyone, no matter who they are.

That others are trying to mock, or copy the name for whatever reason, does not diminish the underlying reason for the creation of the original pressure group. Failure to systematicaly address the founding problem, means that the problem remains for our democracy, whatever label you put on it.

Malagodi said...

By "People" you must mean "you." That you don't 'like' the Black Lives Matter slogan, theme or organization is irrelevant. #BLM is trying to tell us something. It is not a marketing strategy.

But for purposes of this issue: I was at the SFWMD meeting where these people came in their "Our Lives Matter" shirts. And in response to the recent Sun Sentinel article (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-lake-okeechobee-draining-pits-glades-vs-coast-20160730-story.html#ifrndnloc) about the attempted wedge between communities I wrote the following response.

"We want to be very clear here. 350 South Florida, as members of the greater Miami Climate Alliance, work every day to educate both the public and the political leadership on issues of environmental justice as it relates to sea level rise and climate change in South Florida. What happens with Lake Okeechobee water is directly related to these issues.

Environmental justice is our #1 priority. Environmental justice means justice for everyone, particularly poor and predominantly communities of color wherever they are in the Kissimmee/Okeechobee/Everglades watershed. That means Pahokee, South Bay, Clewiston, Opa Locka, Homestead, Florida City, Immokalee or Sweetwater. We know for certain that water issues affecting farm workers in Clewiston are water issues affecting farm workers in Homestead. Water does not care what color you are or what language you speak.

We cannot afford a mentality or a political process that serves to isolate people in Jupiter from those in Pahokee, or those in Key Biscayne from those in Sweetwater, or those in Brickell from those in Homestead, or those in Clewiston from those in Liberty City. We all live in the same, geographically vast watershed. What happens in Clewiston happens in Homestead. As long as some people continue to behave as if only their tourist business, their fishing business, their farm business, or their real estate business is the only one that they are concerned about, everyone in this watershed will face the same disaster. We cannot afford a mentality that characterizes legitimate concerns about unemployment as "noise" and neither can we dismiss a real environmental crisis as a racist privilege.

I'll say it again, environmental justice means justice for all, and we at 350 South Florida intend to work like hell to see it happen.

Stephen Malagodi
President, 350 South Florida"

Geniusofdespair said...


By people: i do not mean me. I watched Trump supporters insist over and over "all lives matter" whenever "black lives matter" was spoken. They are right because they arent getting the right message. According to Lakoff, people respond to fairness. If you are fair people are happy and accepting. If the sugar companies are paying black leaders to organize and move forward their blatant public relations campaign how is that fair? It is all our water, not yours, not mine, not black or white folk--- nor is it Big Sugars water to pollute. It is our drinking water, it is our recreating water. And the fishing guide who makes his livilehood from clean water has a most legitimate beef.

And you with your lofty "pressure group" spiel, Black lives is being coopted while at the same time it is rejected by Trump supporters. Get them on board with a different approach. If they like all lives matter, use it and show them why some lives are treated less fairly.


Anonymous said...

It is an unfortunate by product of our current political process where very rich connected companies are able to buy low wage earners to shill for them. Of course this is against the best interests of the poorer people being paid and manipulated.
You would think the pollution issue would help stop further pollution but these companies will use any tactic to allow them to keep polluting.

Anonymous said...

Black Lives Matter is a pressure group with a very narrow focus. Stop the police from killing innocent Blacks. The victims they seek to protect from being killed by police are one specific group of people. That is it. Nothing else.

Environmental justice pressure groups have very broad focuses, and include everyone in society as victims. If they survive being innocently gunned down by police, they can help with environmental justice that impacts us all.

Alexandria said...

Oddly enough the statistics are 40% yes 40% of the people killed by cops are black or Hispanic so the 60% are white that is why this Black lives matter group ticks off alot of people. Also on the law enforcement side less cops are gunned down then in the 70's,80's,90's and on. The media is getting backs up on everything and people have become parrots they do not research or read past the first paragraph of a story. We should be ashamed of a society that really is the Confederacy of Dunces. They rely on someone Else's words and are to damn lazy to look past the veneer of any issue. Until people start paying attention longer than 30 seconds we are doomed.We are responsible for ourselves from the minute we become adults it doesn't matter if you had the worst life ever you can be an ass or you can be a caring human being its that simple. The republicans rant personal responsibility until its their kid then its everyone elses fault, same with every ethnicity in society, government is not responsible for you or your kids screw-ups you are responsible and people need wake up to those facts.

Julie said...

I love what you said : "Well, gosh Big Sugar: What about all the jobs lost on the two coasts because of the algae bloom don't they matter? What about all the people getting sick on the Coasts? What about the fish, manatees and the dolphins -- they are really dying -- don't they matter? ". That is exactly right. Nailed it., Thank you for the great reporting!

Anonymous said...

#BlackLivesMatter leader DeRay Mckesson may claim to be leading a grassroots revolution for racial and economic justice, but he has close connections with the privileged and elite.

Mckesson lives in a home owned by philanthropists James and Robin Wood in Baltimore, Maryland.

It’s the same address he used when declaring his residency on his campaign committee registration form for his failed mayoral run in the city’s Democratic primary earlier this year.


The Woods have owned the home since 1996 and are wealthy donors to the Baltimore chapter of George Soros’ Open Society Institute.



Robin is so active that she was made a board member of the far-left non-profit back in 2008, according to the OSI’s website.

Anonymous said...

The nomenclature does matter. That is the point.

Anonymous said...

Nothing really matters,
Anyone can see,
Nothing really matters,
Nothing really matters to me.

Anyway the wind blows.

(Trump's new anthem)

Anonymous said...

Does Black lives matter only when the issue concerns a police officer? or does it include the overwhelming murder rate of black on black lives? The statistics are clear that blacks have a more pressing issue in their community that does not include cops as one of them.

cyndi said...

I just sent you some photos where this group showed with Commissioner Janet B. Taylor from Hendry County. I went over to the group and I complimented them on being there because the other side of the sign said Fix the Dike. So I went over and complimented them and said I was so happy they were there to stand up themselves and fixing the dike. (kick me in the head. Part of the speech I had written that day talked about people being real and working together and then I felt bad and took it out. Then Janet Taylor got up and spoke and either I had the worse panic attack that I have had in six years or my bs meter went off the charts. Her speech was filled with hate blaming our septic tanks. blaming us. calling us names. I was so upset I almost got thrown out. To insert race into this fight - was heinous and apparently there is a church out there. It was shameful. The next day I heard that some very folks from another org went and very nicely talked to them and none of the people that came even knew why they were there and one guy was from Miami. I couldn't even write about because I was that upset. I moved my to Sarasota up a day. I had to find my woman of wisdom to talk me down. Shelly Vana, a commissioner, from Palm Beach spoke and sucked up to Taylor which cracked me up because in the 25 years I lived in Palm Beach County none of the commissioners could be bothered with Belle Glade or Pahokee. The nex day JP sasser come out with an article with the same verbage as Taylor and then the other sugar papers like the Treasure Coast star came out with the same thing. If I could be granted one wish it would be for a cement truck to go and fill in at locks. stop the discharges. I am so sick of their propaganda and sending us around in circles. I felt bad because I feel like they hold the people out their hostage but I don't anymore. I don't even know what to say. We have poisoned s where I live and it seems to be ok with most people. All this algae bloom has done is brought out more people who think they are experts taking selfies and talking to people who will never help. Having said that I am so grateful for you and for Mista Gimleteye. All I can do is work for the good candidates and pray we can get elected.

cyndi said...

I see that my friend steven was there and his response above. i love you dude but these people were just as bad as the paid protestors that were actors and had no idea what they were there. They wanted to elicit that response from you. That's why I got so upset. Ms Taylor I found out is a known sugar shill and like I said the people were questioned in a very quiet way and they had no idea why they were. So what they did, because people got mad at me when I said they could keep their water, was they used us to licit and emotional response and that is why it was so pathetic. and that's why the bs meter went off. I have been going out for years as a nurse and then last year when I was working that project. They is huge hospital that is gorgeous and the people can't even afford to go there. yet they do not want to me bothered. no with their hiv issues they do not want help or their drug problems they do not want help and the same thing goes for sugar burning. No one will speak out. They won't even speak quietly. They are afraid. I won't give out on them but no one gets past me with a our lives matter yellow tshirt with out a quiz.

Unknown said...

Does Black lives matter only when the issue concerns a police officer? or does it include the overwhelming murder rate of black on black lives? The statistics are clear that blacks have a more pressing issue in their community that does not include cops as one of them.
http://obatcegahkankerserviks.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Yes, BLM is only concerned with police murder. Citizen to citizen murder is covered by the law and the judicial system. In the case of police murder, the authority of the law is used to commit murder. It is a much bigger threat to our society.

Anonymous said...

Because words do matter, the saying should have been "Black Lives Matter Too"

Anonymous said...

The environment that needs cleaning and restoration is this environment of willful ignorance and blame-gaming. Glades Lives Matter is misinterpreted here. It means Glades Lives Matter, TOO. Just like everyone else. It's not to separate but to draw attention to their plight over the algae crisis so they don't get forgotten. Let's get back to focusing on how EVERYONE can help - this means working together – to put pressure on Gov. Scott, the Legislature, community leaders and candidates for local political seats to allocate the money for Everglades Restoration projects. Everyone wants clean water and while Floridians fight each other, the means for improving Florida's water stay stalled for lack of funding. Even the perceived “enemy,” U.S. Sugar, has said they are committed to “work on developing solutions for the [Lake Okeechobee] discharges.” Nothing is achieved by fighting each other or trying to make one particular point of view the only valid point of view.