by Jaylin Paschal
When the #BlackLivesMatter movement came about, many, mostly non-black, especially white, people misinterpreted the message and took offense. I don't know if the entitlement is the problem, or the ignorance, or just the desire to be included. But I am going to try to explain the movement in this post.That being said, I realize that anyone who would be offended by the statement "black lives matter" in the first place, as if it is untrue, is probably extremely closed minded anyways. I am, more than likely, talking to a brick wall. The truth about brick walls are that they will never change, or be moved, until you take a sledgehammer to them. All I can do is take a sledgehammer to the mentality that allows you to argue with me when I claim that my life, the lives of my family and friends, and the lives of black beings all over the world matter.
I originally titled this article "#BlackLivesMatter vs. #AllLivesMatter" but that's not exactly the point of this. That title was far too combative, and this article is not about conflict as the "versus" would have implied. This is not argumentative. This is explanatory.
We say "black lives matter" and there is always someone who cringes and asks, "don't you mean, all lives matter?" And frankly put, no. That's not what we meant. That is what we know to be true, and what we believe in our hearts, but that's not what we meant. In fact, we shout "black lives matter" because we are so compelled to believe that all lives matter.
And if we believe that all lives matter, but see that black lives are being treated as disposable and insignificant, how could we not shout "black lives matter"? How could we not focus on the group that is suffering the most from everything the movement against systematic oppression is fighting-institutionalized racism, police brutality, mass incarceration, economic apartheid, racial profiling, etc.?
Yes, all lives matter, but no, all lives do not suffer from the evils listed previously which we ultimately seek to rid the nation of.
And I'm sure this is the part when white people will send me the picture below like, "Actually, even more white people suffer."
If you're one of those white people, you are a part of the problem. Understand that there are millions more white people than people of any other race in this country. Which means that when you consider the rate of killings by percentages, as you always should, you will see that although the black population (12.6%) is significantly smaller than the white population (63.7%), black people are killed by police almost 3 times more frequently. More than 5 times smaller, killed 3 times more frequently. Don't send me this picture. Delete this picture, and then curse the media for using numbers to misrepresent an issue and "discredit what has happened to black people".
We say "black lives matter" because you can kill a black teenage boy with Skittles and tea for "looking suspicious" and not be penalized. We say "black lives matter" because a black man can be killed for touching a gun being sold in a Wal-Mart. We say "black lives matter" because a black 12-year-old playing in a park can be shot dead within two seconds of cops' arrival. We say "black lives matter" because the justice system acts as if they do not. There is a pattern of injustice towards African Americans. A pattern that can be ignored, but not denied.
The truth is, if any of the previously mentioned victims had been white, they would either not have been killed in the first place, or their murderers would be behind bars. That is the difference. White lives are valuable, therefore killing innocent white people is unjust. You get in trouble for hurting or harassing white people. The same cannot be said for people of color. We know white lives matter, and the justice system knows that, too.
This is not to say that white lives, or all lives, do not suffer. We all suffer. But from what? If the evil is systematic, then you should be on board with the "Black Lives Matter" movement, as we tackle systematic demons. But if not, understand that there is a difference between being offended and being oppressed. Not all struggles are struggles of oppression. And if your struggle is not oppressive--restrictive, but not oppressive--rejoice in that fact. Be glad that there is no need to rally for your life. (I will never understand why some white people seem to want so badly to included in oppression or struggles for freedom.)
That is why we say "black lives" instead of "all lives." Not to be exclusive, but to send attention directly to the issue the movement is focused on. "All lives matter is true as an AXIOM, but not as a social and political MOVEMENT. In the political and social landscape, black lives need #BlackLivesMatter as a MOVEMENT to save us. People aren't seeing the difference between a belief/axiom and a movement." (Alex Montgomery, @sohamist)
Furthermore, if you truly believe that all lives matter, you would not be offended by an emphasis on black lives. Just as you would not be offended by the statement "gay lives matter." In fact, you'd probably grab a rainbow flag and shout it with them. You would not pollute a protest with your own agenda and phrase, just as you would not scream "ALL DISEASES MATTER" at a cancer fundraiser. In fact, you'd probably donate to the cause, because it is a necessary battle.
If you are, somehow, offended, you are the problem. You are the brick wall.
Note that there is no reason to be offended, as nowhere in the statement "black lives matter" do we suggest other lives don't, or that black lives matter more. Changing "black" to "all" is just spitting on all of the black lives lost to unjust murders and turning your back on a movement rooted in positivity.
But again, I am more than likely talking to a brick wall. And when it comes to brick wall mentalities, their only hope is destruction. When the old, oppressive bricks are finally rubble, they can be cleared away and there will space to rebuild.
First published on web.insightmag.org
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