In late 2016—right before Trump's election, right after the horrific police shootings of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, and right after Colin Kaepernick took a knee against police brutality—a bright blue line was painted over the road divider that runs between the Town Hall parking lot and the Marlboro Municipal Complex.

Regardless of local officials’ intentions, the “thin blue line” cannot be separated from its origins: the phrase was popularized by notoriously racist LAPD Chief William Parker, who compared Black people to monkeys. Additionally, the line has become a symbol of the "Blue Lives Matter" movement, which arose specifically in opposition to Black Lives Matter and implicitly excuses—even endorses—police brutality against Black communities. "Blue Lives Matter" laws and symbols have been condemned as racist and anti-Black by organizations such as the NAACP, the ACLU, and Color of Change. Even some police departments understand the problem: the San Francisco PD chief banned officers from wearing “thin blue line” face masks to avoid being “divisive or disrespectful.”

Even if the blue line were not racist, it promotes an “us vs. them” mindset that divides police and civilians, treating them as a “potential enemy” instead of the people whom officers are supposed to protect. The line also violates federal traffic laws. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, “Blue Lives Matter” lines do not comply with road marking guidelines, and “can put the road user at risk due to misinterpretation of [their] meaning.” Why does a symbol allegedly supporting law enforcement violate actual laws?

If the people of Marlboro oppose racism and value diversity, inclusion, and equity, we should prove it by removing this offensive symbol from our streets. Doing so is the first step to creating a better community.

After signing, please support similar petitions by residents of Holmdel​, Manasquan​, Middletown, and Woodbridge. Then go to tinyurl.com/marlboro4blm to find email templates and phone scripts you can use to contact Marlboro officials. 

Resources explaining why the "thin blue line" and "Blue Lives Matter" are harmful, innately anti-Black, and problematic:

• “This is a Racist Symbol”
• “The Blue Lives Matter movement is more than just an attempt to undermine Black Lives Matter”
• “The Short, Fraught History of the ‘Thin Blue Line’ American Flag”
• "‘Blue lives’ do matter — that’s the problem"
• Unpopular Opinion – Ep. 349 – The Problem With the Thin Blue Line