The "Black Power" movement can be loosely compared to Hurricane Katrina. During the hurricane the levees were designed to keep out the water, but during the storm they broke causing even more water to destroy the community. The movement was designed to benefit the African American populace, but it would be the rushing water that would destroy the community. This movement was positively depicted by one of Stokely Carmichael's speeches, however this movement did the opposite of its intended purpose. These past events can be a source of irony for the current movements that have the same potential of damaging the community that needs rebuilding. Instead of building up the African American community, this movement knocked down its foundation because of how it shifts blame, contradicted itself, and how it possesses an overarched negative connotation.

Carmichael spoke very fondly of this movement, because it was his passion. Carmichael negatively affected the movement however, by darkening or blaming others for several things. He blames the failure of the Civil Rights Bill on the white race by saying, "It is the incapability of whites to deal with their own problems inside their own communities. That is the problem of failure of the civil rights bill" (Carmichael 249). He blames the whites for interfering with the black communities because he thought it had nothing to do with them. Carmichael also points out that America is prevented from having a straightforward principle for human relations through racism, which is a barrier that is hindering the nation's growth. Carmichael says at one point that racism must die, and a new society must be born (Carmichael 252). The racial barrier must first fall in order for the nation to commence growth. In another passage, Carmichael says boldly that it is the white people who force them to live in the ghettos (Carmichael 252).  Again the blame is shifted off of what the movement could do, but what the society did do. When trying to reach more people to support the movement, it becomes difficult when targeting, and blaming those people. Blaming a group of people, then expecting them to follow your movement with support is insensible. Instead of stating what others did, or blaming, he should focus on what the movement could do itself that would benefit the African American populace. 

Contradiction may display a lack of knowledge or a flaw. The black power movement was flawed based on the prevalence of contradiction.  Carmichael at one point knocks the movement back down unknowingly when saying that only black individuals should work in their communities (Carmichael 253). His intended purpose for saying this is because in order for blacks to know they are independent, they do not want whites present to show them how to do things. This reflects the actual meaning because earlier he stated that it was because of the whites that they all have to live in the ghettos. This contradiction may have confused the audience he spoke to because he stated that they lived together because of another group of individuals, but is now saying that only blacks should live in the same community to prove their independency. He is deconstructing the structure that is trying to be built in the first place through contradiction. Moreover, one large connotation that presents negativity is the violent viewing of the Black Power Movement. The emblem of the party is a black panther, which does not attack unless messed with, explained by Carmichael as "  an animal that never strikes back until he's back so far into the wall, he's got nothing to do but spring out. Yeah. And when he springs he does not stop." (Carmichael 259). Not only has he blamed others, but now threats are utilized to get the point across. Based on how he speaks, it seems that the black panther has already been cornered into the wall, and now the only thing left to do is strike. Now Carmichael simply states that an attack will pursue, which leaves the movement in a puddle of negativity. This movement does not need to put itself into this position because support will not be gained, if the support is the one threatened. 

The movement is related to violent actions, and is the entity that leads to several failures; furthermore the Black Power movement is left with this negative tone. It is sometimes referred to as the civil rights movement's malevolent twin. The movement has made itself an easy target because of violent related actions. The boldness presented by the movement, similar to Stokely Carmichael's valiant speech, also made the movement sort of a target. Based on the growth intended for African Americans, it just seemed as if the Black Power movement was not contributing. At some points they just had a negative connotation when compared to things such as social injustice. The movement is blamed by many for interfering with activists and deflecting the civil rights movement off course, one writer said, "Black Power stands at the center of narratives of the decline of the 1960s reform efforts, with its destructive reach poisoning the New Left's innocence, corrupting a generation of black activists, and steering the civil rights movement off course in a manner that reinforced racial segregation " (Joseph 707). This movement is simply viewed as the catalyst that drove all of the hardworking activist and civil rights movement into the ground. These two separate entities worked for the same goal but in different ways. However, due to the damaging consonance of the black power movement, it went beyond its intentions and caused neither movement to reach the desired goal. The Journal of Southern History summarized that the most highlighted aspect from the black power movement was the militant side by saying, "The movement's heyday is marked in the American imagination by race riots, gun-tioting black militant, and the cultural flourishes of bold afros, African dashikis, and militant poetry" (Joseph 708). All in all, the movement did more damage than the intended goal of building up. The negative tone possessed was the critical point in this downturn for the better. 

The African American community has continued to be targeted in many events throughout the years. These past events can be very well seen as a source of irony for the current uproars in society from the African American community. Many tragedies have occurred such as the Emanuel nine and the deaths of Sandra Bland, Eric Gardner, Freddie Grey. The "Black Lives Matter" riots are sprouting up, however there should be a pause to reflect on how the "Black Power" movement failed. The current movements should analyze their purpose, confirming that they are not blaming others who could be their support, contradicting their self, and are not participating in actions that will conclude with them being viewed negatively.  The community of African Americans cannot have another downturn of negativity, because the goal will not be obtained as before. This new movement has the potential to be another levy failure that goes beyond its intentions, and floods the community that is already in desperate need of repair. 

