Black Lives Matter and "Why don't they just..."

This is adapted from a letter I wrote. It was more trouble than I wanted to go to, but I think that privilege makes it primarily the job of white allies to try to get through to other white folks, so I wrote it anyway. Before posting this, I gave the recipient more than ample opportunity for counter-arguments, but he merely changed the subject to try to impugn BLM in even less credible ways. There are certain lessons in the letter that can be applied to more recent protests, and I won't insult you by editing it to point them out.

( Not that long, but cut for length anyway. )

Links: How To Be A White Ally. Also, How To Be A White Ally.

(I also wanted to link to, but cannot find, the webcomic (maybe XKCD?) in which someone explains that they double the development time estimate every time someone asks, "Why don't you just...?")