Why #BlackLivesMatter & #AllLivesMatter should get along.
Now, I wanna offer a slight disclaimer. One, This will be an extremely long read and Two, this may sound biased because I am a POC but I will try my best to not make this seem one sided.
Im sure we all know about #BlackLivesMatter . For those who don’t , allow me to give you a little history: This hashtag was created after George Zimmerman , who murdered Treyvon Martin presumably under Florida’s ‘stand you ground’ law, was acquitted of his murder charge.
Although it was still in its infancy stages, it still had followed and a strong message. Then in 2014, when another child,Micheal Brown, was killed by officer Darren Wilson under the assumption that Brown stole several packages of cigarillos from a store, the movement rose and this time it was out for blood. It seemed like it had good reason to be:
Dontre Hamilton (04/30/2014) - 18 y/o Shot 14 times & killed in Milwaukee by officer for ‘disturbing the peace’. Officer not charged.
Eric Garner (7/17/2014) - 43 y/o. was put into a choke hold by police in New York for ‘selling loose cigarettes.’ Officer Not Charged.
Jon Crawford III (8/5/2014) - 22 y/o. Shot at a Walmart in Ohio for ‘carrying a toy BB gun’ officer not charged.
Micheal Brown Jr (8/9/2014) - 18 y/o . Shot by Police in Missouri for ‘stealing cigarillos. Officer not charged.
It seemed down hill from there , and news of the deaths of other blacks were seemingly popping up right after each other. It was a depressing time for POC and Non-POC alike. It put everyone on edge.
Soon, enough #AllLivesMatter showeed up. Which caused very heavy backlash, considering thar some people viewed it as discrediting Black Lives while others view as an inclusion that was not so specific. Both of these statements are, in fact, true, to a ertain degree.
Like people often point out, AllLivesMatter didin’t appear until BlackLivesMatter did and this is true. It does seem as a response just like Straight Pride Day or White Entertainment Television. However, they have a point, All Lives Matter but shouldn’t Black Lives Matter as well? I mean logically, this makes sense but not a lot people look at it like this which is why they seem to be against each other when they should, combine as one.
Of couse, All Lives are supposed to matter but the problem is that some lives seems to matter more than some. There have also been people saying that Blue Lives Matter as well, which once again, is a response to the officers that were killed in Dallas, which in itself is a reponse to the Black Lives Matter hashtag. It’s Newton’s Third Law in its basic form:
Blacks Are Killed -->Black Lives Matter --->All Lives Matter
Police Are killed ---> Blue Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter has been taken out of context to being said that ONLY Black Lives Matter and that is just not the case but it seems that no matter how many times I have seen blacks and others attempt to explain it, They’re met with the same response: ‘’No, It’s not.’’ Which, is frustrating by itself but what’s even more frustrating is that we as Blacks have to walk on thin ice around officers for fear of being killed.
Is it an irrational fear? Definitely not.
Do I belive that Black Lives Matter? Absolutely
Do I believe that All Lives MAtter? Absolutely.
What I also believe in is free speech and equality, not to have someone discourage an action because it doesn’t seem right. I do believe that some white people should let people have their own be it a movement, a month, or even a television network.
Do you agree or disagree? Let me know. I’d love to get others opinion.
