We were told this was a “movement” to make Black lives matter. We were told this was a movement to reform and improve the police. We were told Black Americans were being targeted and killed indiscriminately and that had to stop. After George Floyd’s death, we were told many things with which we agreed.

But instead of a movement to make Black lives matter, anarchist Antifa thugs and the Democratic Party-associated Marxist Black Lives Matter swooped in — exploiting Black lives, the continuing tragedy of the inner-city and the goodwill and unity of the American people.

The organized political Marxists, with the apparent wink and nod from the Democrats running various American cities, has erased any positive movement and instead has replaced “reform the police” with “defund the police.” Black lives mattering was replaced with Black Americans murdered at a record pace. Instead of lifting people up, we watch as anarchy and mob violence takes hold and destroys lives in some of our most important and historic cities.

The moment mass hysteria took hold of our ruling class, the panicked desire to not be called “racist” by Marxist bullies destroyed any hope for actual reform and progress not just of policing tactics, but also of a law enforcement system that caters to the rich while condemning the disenfranchised.

The “movement” instead became a parade of White people, individually and in corporations, jockeying to prove who was the most woke by confessing to racist thoughts or actions.

Americans were repulsed by embarrassing videos of celebrities begging for forgiveness and pledging to “learn” about how they could do better. Sports teams began placating the mob by embracing kneeling during the national anthem. A coach, who was shamed for wearing a T-shirt that offended our new mob bosses, apologized and publicly begged for forgiveness.

Movie, book and pancake syrup makers were determined to get in on the Woke Olympics. Statues continue to come down — including one of an elk in Portland. One would guess the poor creature had not been fast enough with his own racism mea culpa on behalf of his four-legged brethren. So down, down came the elk!

There have been many absurdities exposing the farce that has descended upon us in the aftermath of Floyd’s death, none of which is more shocking and heartbreaking than the chaos and riots unleashed in our inner-cities destroying the lives primarily of people of color.

For perspective, in all of 2019, having made at least 10 million arrests, police throughout the United States killed 15 unarmed Black people. Total. For the entire year. That is obviously 15 too many, but the rhetoric generated by the “defund the police” mob has convinced many that there has been a “genocide” of Black Americans at the hands of the police. That’s simply not true.

But one is unfolding now, courtesy of those who have hijacked the genuine desire for reform and progress. Cities right now are enacting or are seriously considering defunding their local police, and havoc is the result.

The New York Post reported, “A wave of gun violence swept through the nation over the holiday weekend, leaving dozens dead from coast-to-coast — with children as young as 5 among the casualties. The bloodshed marred a sunny Independence Day weekend throughout the U.S., including in the Big Apple, where the number of shootings tripled over the past week compared to last year, and Chicago, where police reported 87 shootings and 17 deaths. Nearly a dozen of the victims were children caught in the crossfire. …”

Consider this — more unarmed people of color — 12 being children — were murdered during this one holiday weekend than the police killed in the entirety of last year.

Tom Winter, an NBC News reporter, tweeted, “Every single person who has been shot in New York City this July, nearly 100 in total, has been a member of the minority community and 97% of shooting victims in June were members of the city’s minority community, the NYPD says.”

For New York, Mr. Winter notes the city has seen a 204% increase in shooting victims over the past 28 days when compared to the same period last year. Philadelphia’s is up 27%, its highest in 10 years.

The violence in Atlanta is so bad, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has called in the National Guard.

USA Today reported, “Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency Monday and authorized the deployment of up to 1,000 National Guard troops in the wake of violence in Atlanta over the weekend that left more than 30 people wounded and five dead, including an 8-year-old girl.”

The moment the Marxists co-opted the unity of the American people after the death of Floyd, what transpired was the unleashing of a political cancer the world is far too familiar with. Defunding the police is insane and impacts the safety of people of color and the disenfranchised who are unable to flee urban areas that are turning into dystopian hellscapes.

This is no American “movement.” It’s an organized, craven political con job hoping, somehow, the ensuing misery inflicted on you and your family will compel you to vote against Republicans in November. The Democrats have talked about not wanting to let a crisis go to waste, and you and our culture are now the sacrificial lambs in their political games.

• Tammy Bruce, president of Independent Women’s Voice, author and Fox News contributor, is a radio talk-show host.