Democrats love to incite racial tensions for their benefit but with the coronavirus pandemic, they find themselves in an awkward position.
They want to ban all gatherings, especially political rallies because President Donald Trump has tons of support and former Vice President Joe Biden can barely complete a sentence.
But the issue they are faced with is that many of their supporters want their own rallies and protests for Black Lives Matter. Never fear, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has a solution!
The mayor spoke to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Thursday and explained that “we have to respect” the protests because they are a “moment of change.”
“It’s all about health and safety first,” he said to Blitzer. “This is obviously the thing that President Trump doesn’t understand. We don’t just decree that we want things to happen regardless of the human impact. We actually look at the science, we look at the data. The data is telling us it is not time for large gatherings.”
But when it comes to Black Lives Matter and other protests the mayor is singing another tune.
“Look, Wolf, this is always an area of real sensitivity. If you’re just talking about health, we would always say, ‘Hey, folks, you know, stay home if you can.’ But we understand at this moment in history, people are talking about the need for historic changes. I mean, today, in New York City, recognizing the power and the meaning of the message Black Lives Matter, which we did in front of Trump Tower today, this is a moment of historic change,” he said.
“We have to respect that but also say to people the kinds of gatherings we’re used to — the parades, the fairs — we just can’t have that while we’re focusing on health right now,” de Blasio added.
In other words, if the large public gatherings benefit the mayor and his political agenda then they are A-OK with him.
Are Black Lives Matter protesters immune from coronavirus? Of course not. But the protests are pro-Democrat and anti-Trump and that fits the narrative he wants to promote.
If black lives truly mattered to Mayor de Blasio, wouldn’t he want to keep them safe from the pandemic when the black community has already been said to be particularly vulnerable?
His interview came on the same day New York City painted the words “Black Lives Matter” in front of Trump Tower in one of the pettiest gestures ever.
“Black lives matter in our city, and Black lives matter in the United States of America,” the mayor said, The New York Times reported. “Let’s show Donald Trump what he does not understand. Let’s paint it right in front of his building for him.”
Trump tweeted his disdain for the painting in a tweet when it was announced.
“NYC is cutting Police $’s by ONE BILLION DOLLARS, and yet the [New York City mayor] is going to paint a big, expensive, yellow Black Lives Matter sign on Fifth Avenue, denigrating this luxury Avenue. This will further antagonize New York’s Finest, who LOVE New York & vividly remember the horrible BLM chant, ‘Pigs In A Blanket, Fry ‘Em Like Bacon,” he said.
“Maybe our GREAT Police, who have been neutralized and scorned by a mayor who hates & disrespects them, won’t let this symbol of hate be affixed to New York’s greatest street. Spend this money fighting crime instead!” he said.
….horrible BLM chant, “Pigs In A Blanket, Fry ‘Em Like Bacon”. Maybe our GREAT Police, who have been neutralized and scorned by a mayor who hates & disrespects them, won’t let this symbol of hate be affixed to New York’s greatest street. Spend this money fighting crime instead!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2020
Predictably, de Blasio characterized the statement as racist in his interview with Blitzer.
“That is pure racism. That is acting like an acknowledgment of the value of black people is somehow belittling, when in fact what we’re trying to do is lift up people who have built this city and built America and haven’t been given their respect. And it can’t just be words, Wolf, it has to be actions,” he said.
.@NYCMayor tells Wolf Blitzer he's banning all large gatherings through September, because it's "just not the time."
Is he banning protests? Nope.
"This is a historic moment of change. We have to respect that." pic.twitter.com/clNzf6XTZw
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) July 10, 2020
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