'Moral Blackmail': Black Lives Matter Movement Shook Down Corporations for $83 Billion

Mike Miller reporting for RedState 

“Possibly the most lucrative shakedown of corporate America in its history.” Sobering thought, isn’t it? Organized crime? Not in the traditional sense but in a word, oh hell yes.

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement received an astonishing $82.9 billion from corporations, according to a new funding database from the Claremont Institute. As reported by Breitbart, the Claremont Institute’s Center for the American Way of Life explained the 2020 BLM movement was about more than just “rioting and destruction.” (Or, as Democrats refer to the left-wing riots, “peaceful protests.”)

According to Breitbart, as a point of reference, the $82.9 billion fleeced from in many cases more-than-willing corporations, is more than the GDP of 46 African countries. In further perspective, the Ford Motor Company’s 2022 profits were $23 billion.

The list reveals that several top corporations funneled large sums of cash to the BLM movement. Walmart, for example, coughed up $100 million in support of BLM, and related causes focusing on “racial equity.” Unsurprisingly, Amazon kicked in even more — nearly $170 million.

And as we reported, if one needs further evidence of “Go woke; go broke” — literally — recently failed Silicon Valley Bank was also a massive donor to BLM and other social justice causes, topping off at roughly $74 million dollars.

The Center’s report was stark, but an accurate representation of the Black Lives Matter movement:

The BLM pressure campaigns, harassment, and moral blackmail also amounted to possibly the most lucrative shakedown of corporate America in its history.

Other corporations succumbing to Black Live Matter’s pressure campaign included pharmaceutical company Abbvie, at $62 million, American Express at $50 million, Apple at $100 million, Nike (of course) at $90 million, Wells Fargo at $210 million, Prudential Financial at $450 million, Mastercard at $500 million, and asset management giant BlackRock at a whopping $810 million to BLM and related causes.

United Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, and Delta Airlines gave millions to BLM and related causes as well.

One simple question: Where the hell did all of that money go? Glad you asked. Here’s the Claremont Institute’s answer:

The Global Network is investing tens of millions of dollars to support future operations, purchasing luxury real estate, engaging in nepotism, disbursing grants to dozens of BLM chapters and revolutionary organizations, and operating a PAC to elect progressive community leaders, activists, and working-class candidates fighting for Black liberation.

Local BLM chapters are spending millions on activism and initiatives to defund police departments and “BLM at School” is indoctrinating children around the country in critical race theory and queer theory, teaching them to hate themselves, their peers, and their country.

Left-wing nonprofits are effecting wholescale societal change too radical for normal legislative avenues, constituting a form of shadow governance.

I can’t escape the word “shakedown,” here — which is exactly what this suspect organization has been from the outset. And $83 billion? Perhaps we should just chalk it up to forced reparations with a (proverbial, “of course”) gun held to the head of corporations across America.