What Is Marxism?

Black Lives Matter’s strong focus on class conflict and group identity has led many observers to compare it to Marxism, and now a video clip from 2015 has come to light in which Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors leaves no doubt about the group’s underlying ideology as she proudly proclaims: “We’re trained Marxists.”

Her comment came during a video interview with Morgan State University Professor Jared Ball. It was part of her response to concerns expressed by the interviewer that the Black Lives Matter movement may lack a clear ideological structure. She said: “We actually do have an ideological frame. Myself and Alicia in particular, we’re trained organizers,” she said, referring to another Black Lives Matter co-founder, Alicia Garza.

She added: “We are trained Marxists. We are super versed on ideological theories.”

The group has long drawn comparisons to other radical groups in the country, like the Black Panther Party, who can trace their influences to Marxism.

Speaking on The Lead with Jake Tapper last week, she admitted that the group’s goal is to push President Trump out of office. She said: “Trump not only needs to not be in office in November, but he should resign now. Trump needs to be out of office. He is not fit for office.”

“And so, what we are going to push for is a move to get Trump out. While we’re also going to continue to push and pressure Vice President Joe Biden around his policies and relationship to policing and criminalization. That’s going to be important. But our goal is to get Trump out.”

Not surprisingly, Tapper did not ask Cullors how the group plans to get a democratically elected president out of office, nor did he question her about her Marxist training.

The third co-founder of the group, Opal Tometi, has been photographed looking rather friendly with Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, who has said that his aim is to cause revolution in America. All three women have spoken at the socialist think tank Left Forum.

Questions surround how Black Lives Matters spends its donations

While Cullors has been very vocal in calling for the police to be defunded, perhaps she should take a look at how the funds in her own group are being spent. It was recently revealed that just six percent of Black Lives Matter spending made its way to local chapters and grassroots organizations. Meanwhile, millions of dollars were blown on travel and staff compensation, according to financial reports that were obtained by the Daily Caller.

This would point to BLM’s top staffers cashing in on the movement while leaving grassroots organizations without much support. All told, they spent $899,000 on travel, $1.6 million on consulting, and $2.1 million in personnel costs, while just $328,000 went to the designation “outside organizations,” which includes local chapters as well as other groups.

Since George Floyd’s death, they have received more than 1.1 million individual donations that average $33 per donation, bringing the total they have brought in since May 25 to at least $36.3 million.

One former BLM activist, Ashley Yates, has not been shy about criticizing them for their lack of transparency, accusing them of squandering funds on excessive travel while giving very little to affiliated chapters. She said that every time she asked the co-founders what happened to the money from their donations, she “got the runaround” and was “outright dismissed.”

The protests linked to Black Lives Matter have evolved far beyond a reaction to a white police officer killing a black man and have taken on an entirely different tone, aiming to destabilize America ahead of the upcoming election and boost the chances of furthering socialist causes. Why are so many people so quick to support these Marxists?