“Its Racist To Think Every Black Person Thinks The Same” — This Black Man From Toronto Has Different Views On Black Lives Matter
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the interviewee and do not reflect or represent the views and opinions held by Street Voices. Street Voices strives to present all sides in every story in order to uplift all marginalized voices with various opinions and experiences.
This young black man from Toronto has a different opinion when it comes to the Black Lives Matter movement that others may not agree with or agree but are too scared to voice their opinions aloud.
SV: What would you like our readers to know about you?
AARON: MY NAME IS AARON COLE AND I WILL SOON BE GRADUATING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO. I AM AN ASPIRING ENTREPRENEUR MYSELF. I RECENTLY STARTED A YOUTUBE CHANNEL CALLED CULTUREPRENEURSHIP, WHERE I’M TEACHING INDIVIDUALS HOW TO BE ENTREPRENEURS, CREATE A PATH OF INCOME, AND CONTENT CREATE. I’M A CONTENT CREATOR AS WELL. I’M PROUD TO BE WHO I AM.
SV: Why did you start your Youtube channel?
AARON: I HAD A BUZZ FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND I REALLY WANTED TO TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO MAKE MONEY AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY HAVE NO SUPPORT OUT THERE. I WANT TO HELP CREATE A GENERATION OF YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS, ESPECIALLY YOUNG BLACK MEN AND WOMAN. I WANT TO SHOW YOUNG BLACK MEN AND WOMAN THAT WE CAN CREATE OUR OWN OPPORTUNITIES RATHER THAN ASKING FOR HAND OUTS ALL THE TIME.
sv: How do you feel about the Black Lives Matter Movement?
AARON: I USED TO BE 100 PER CENT FOR BLACK LIVES MATTER. I’M GOING TO BE TOTALLY HONEST HERE. IT IS PAINFUL TO SEE PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE US GETTING GUNNED DOWN. IT’S PAINFUL, EMOTIONAL, AND STRESSFUL. I REALLY STARTED TO TUNE IN TO THAT AND SUBSCRIBE TO THAT, BUT THEN I STARTED TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH ON BLM AND WHAT THEY’RE REALLY ABOUT. I STARTED TO LOOK INTO THEIR ORIGINS, AND I STARTED TO SEE THAT THEY AREN’T REALLY SUPPORTING THE ISSUES THAT ARE PLAGUED IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, IT’S JUST FOCUSING ON ONE ISSUE WHILE SPEWING HALF TRUTHS. IT IS VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT ALL OF THESE INDIVIDUALS DIED. WHEN I STARTED TO DO MY OWN RESEARCH I STARTED TO SEE THERE WERE MORE INCONSISTENCIES IN THE STORIES AND WHAT BLM REALLY IS ABOUT. I FEEL LIKE THIS ISN’T A MOVEMENT FOR BLACK PEOPLE, IT’S A MOVEMENT THAT’S COMPLETELY OPPOSITE IF YOU ASK ME.
sv: Do you feel like it is against black people?
AARON: YES, ONCE I RESEARCHED ON THEIR HOME PAGE WHAT THEY’RE TRULY ABOUT. THERE WAS ONE QUOTE THAT THEY SAID THAT TRULY DISTURBED ME AS A BLACK MAN AND AS AN ASPIRING FATHER, IT REALLY DISTURBED ME THAT THEY ARE AGAINST WESTERN PRESCRIBED FAMILIES. ESSENTIALLY, THEY ARE TRYING TO REMOVE FATHERS FROM THE HOME AND THAT IS CURRENTLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES THAT IS PLAGUED IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND AS A PRODUCT OF A SINGLE MOTHER HOUSEHOLD, I FOUND THAT EXTREMELY DISRESPECTFUL AND KIND OF OFF. ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS THAT LEADS TO PROBLEMS IN OUR COMMUNITY IS A LACK OF BLACK FATHERS IN THE HOME.
I FEEL LIKE I WAS FINESSED BECAUSE I DONATED TO THE BLM MOVEMENT, AND THEN WHEN I DID MY RESEARCH ON WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM, THE MONEY IS ALL BEING GIVEN TO AN ORGANIZATION CALLED ACTDO. ACTDO FUNDS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AND WHEN YOU BREAK THAT DOWN FURTHER, THE MONEY IS GOING TO PEOPLE LIKE ELIZABETH WARREN, BERNIE SANDERS, JOE BIDEN AND OTHER DEMOCRATIC INDIVIDUALS THAT AREN’T BLACK. ONLY $90,000 DOLLARS WAS GIVEN TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY. THAT’S NOT SUPPORTING BLACK PEOPLE. I CAN’T GET BEHIND THAT.
sv: What message do you think the BLM movement portrays?
AARON: I FEEL LIKE IT’S JUST EMOTIONALLY AND MENTALLY WHIPPING BLACK PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE WE ARE SO OPPRESSED AND WE ARE STILL VICTIMS BECAUSE WHEN YOU SEE THESE STORIES ON TV, IT HURTS. IT HURTS WHEN YOU SEE PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE YOU DIE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT’S FOR NO APPARENT REASON. ONCE I STARTED TO SEE MORE RESEARCH AND LOOK INTO THESE THINGS, IT JUST DIDN’T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME. IT JUST FELT LIKE SOMEBODY WAS EMOTIONALLY BEHIND THIS JUST TRYING TO USE OUR PAIN, OUR HISTORY AND GET US TO PUSH THINGS IN SOCIETY SUCH AS DESTRUCTION AND CHAOS UNDER THE NAME OF BLACK LIBERATION, EVEN THOUGH WE’RE ALREADY FREE.
sv: What do you think of Canadian police officers?
AARON: IN CANADA, YOU NEED A DIPLOMA AND A DEGREE, OR BE IN A POLICE FOUNDATIONS PROGRAM, BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN APPLY TO BE A POLICE OFFICER. IT’S NOT LIKE IN THE STATES WHERE YOU CAN BE A COUNTY POLICE AND ALL YOU NEED IS A DIPLOMA. WHEN I LOOKED INTO THE RESEARCH BEHIND IT, POLICING HAS BECOME A LOT BETTER. THEY’RE ACTUALLY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMUNITY. SO THIS WHOLE CLAIM THAT ITS MAJORITY WHITE PEOPLE ISN’T TRUE BECAUSE THE FORCE HAS BECOME MORE DIVERSE. OBVIOUSLY THERE’S GOING TO BE BAD COPS, AND I’M NOT DISCOUNTING THEM. BUT I THINK POLICE FORCES ARE ACTIVELY AWARE OF MAINTAINING DIVERSITY.
sv: What do you think of the Defund The Police movement?
AARON: DO YOU KNOW WHAT A TYPICAL DAY FOR A POLICE OFFICER LOOKS LIKE? THINK ABOUT IT, THEY CAN GET A CALL FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THEN THEY MIGHT BE SEEING DEAD BODIES; THEN THEY GET ANOTHER CALL AND ITS SOMEONE TRYING TO COMMIT SUICIDE; THEN THEY GET ANOTHER CALL AND IT’S A FIRE. THAT’S A LOT ON SOMEONE’S MENTAL HEALTH AND RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE THINK ITS COOL TO BLAST COPS, BUT ITS WEIRD TO ME. A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BERATING AND BASHING COPS HAVE NEVER LIVED A DAY IN THE HOOD. IF YOU LIVED IN THE HOOD, YOU’D UNDERSTAND THAT THE LAST THING YOU WOULD WANT TO DO IS REMOVE THE POLICE BECAUSE IT WOULD BE CHAOS. ITS COUNTER PRODUCTIVE TO SAY THAT THE COPS ARE HURTING OUR COMMUNITY.
sv: What do you say to someone who points out that the last few wellness checks conducted in Canada by police officers did not go well?
AARON: I THINK BRINGING A SOCIAL WORKER OR MENTAL HEALTH WORKER AS A RIDE ALONG WITH THE COPS IS A BETTER IDEA BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN HAVE SOMEONE SPEAK TO THEM INSTEAD OF PEOPLE WHO ARE UNTRAINED TO DEAL WITH THOSE THINGS.
sv: Some may believe that some of your opinions classify you in the silent majority instead of the loud minority. Why do you think others stay silent on their viewpoints?
