Omaha man questions Black Lives Matter slogan

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - The Black Lives Matter movement was founded about seven years ago, after George Zimmeran was acquitted in the 2012 shooting death of unarmed Black teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida.

The organization has grown into a worldwide movement, most recently after the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted in Floyd’s death. But there’s a man in Omaha who has taken issue with the slogan.

The banner has been flying for several years. The signs are everywhere, all making the same statement: Black Lives Matter. Charles Logan’s sign doesn’t make a statement; it asks a question.

“If all Black lives matter, then why do Blacks keep killing Blacks?” Logan said.

Logan said he sees it over and over — the major protests he sees on TV when a Black person is killed. In his eyes, it seems to be one-sided.

“The only time they talk about ‘Black lives matter’ is when it involves a white person and a Black person with an incident,” he said. “Then, these Blacks killing these Blacks every day, and nobody wants to come out and say nothing about that.”

As he stands on the corner of 24th and Lake streets, Logan gets some honks of support from passing vehicles. He might be saying out loud what many are thinking.

“If ‘Black lives matter,’ why are they killing each other? That’s very true.”

“It makes sense to me; it makes sense to me.”

“That’s a strong statement because there’s some truth to that. Why are we doing it?”

But Logan said not everyone agrees with him or the sign he carries.

“I had a Black lady talk to me, and she called me all kinds of n- words,” he said. “Then she said, ‘You shouldn’t have that sign.’”

This isn’t the first time Logan has used his sign to call attention to his side of certain topics. About four years ago, Logan focused his attention on panhandlers asking for handouts on city streets.

“You don’t have to beg to get a job,” he said.

Logan said he was attacked by a panhandler because of his stance. He also said he would not stop speaking his mind on issues he believes in, no matter what type of reaction he gets.

“I’m saying something about it, and I don’t care if they get mad or not,” he said.

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