His Operation Legend initiative aims to use federal force to stamp out protests in blue-state hot spots like Albuquerque, Chicago, and Baltimore, under the guise of fighting gun violence (after flip-flopping on a proposed assault-rifle ban).

Old schisms spark fresh animus, while the president maintains that Black Lives Matter is a hate group. As the tumultuous summer beats on, though, it hasn’t been easy keeping everyone on the same page. The NYPD finally criminalized choke holds (27 years after banning the move and six years after the death of Eric Garner). Vanity Fair had its first cover shoot by a Black photographer the Emmys just hired its first Black executive producer, and Simon & Schuster its first Black publisher. We’ve seen leaders called to the floor for their records on policing, organizations like the “Washington Football Team” reckoning belatedly with historical insensitivity, and renewed calls for representation in film, publishing, and journalism. June’s wave of protest songs and statements of solidarity with Black Lives Matter among artists, activists, journalists, celebrities, and brands in and around hip-hop and beyond spoke to the ability of the community at large to mobilize around important issues. Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for MTV Volatile speech carries with it the potential of inspiring volatile action - they’re branches of the same tree.

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