Before I begin, I would like to explain that this post isn’t about which movement is better. I am writing simply to dissect the meaning of each hashtag and movement and provide clarity.
#BlackLivesMatter is an important movement that is needed in lieu of the police brutality against black individuals and people of color in general. The movement is not racist and I feel like if you think it’s racist, then odds are you’re probably racist or you have no idea what the hashtag and movement stands for. #BlackLivesMatter does not mean that Black lives are the only lives that matter. Nor does it mean that black lives are better than other lives. It is simply saying that Black Lives Matter TOO. In other words, our lives are being targeted and we are not getting the same rights as other groups of people and we want to be treated fairly and let you know that we matter as well or just as much as you. We are being treated as less than and we want to be treated as equal.
For those that try to say that #AllLivesMatter, this is once again treating black lives as less than. Instead of listening or paying attention to what #BlackLivesMatter is saying, #AllLivesMatter simply talks over this group and silences them. Which only supports the fact that black lives are being treated as less than.
The #BlackLivesMatter movement wants to ensure that black people are not unjustly killed by police officers and that those police officers are held accountable or punished for their actions. Because apparently, cops are killing people for no reason and are not being punished as they should. Furthermore, when I say “no reason” I mean that resisting arrest or complying with the officer should not result in being killed. If a white person did any of the things that these black victims did before dying, they would still be here today and live to talk about their encounter with the police.
In summary, #BlackLivesMatter was created in response to police brutality against black people, people of color, or people in general.
Recently, the deaths of #AltonSterling and #PhilandoCastile resulted in #BlackLivesMatter protests in major cities. During a protest, the Dallas shooter shot and killed some police officers that were protecting the protesters and probably making sure things didn’t get out of hand. After the shooting, the murdered cops became the headline and the protest of #AltonSterling’s and #PhilandoCastile’s deaths became unimportant. Thus, #BlueLivesMatter was created.
However, it’s interesting how #BlueLivesMatter can be supported by the #BlackLivesMatter movement and the people that use #AllLivesMatter. #BlackLivesMatter supports #BlueLivesMatter because they do nonviolent protests and don’t want people to be killed unfairly. However, for people that say that #AllLivesMatter in response to #BlackLivesMatter but have no problem saying #BlueLivesMatter there is a problem. The problem lies in the fact that they see one movement as being racist or promoting one group of people above other groups, but do not see that #BlueLivesMatter could have the potential to promote police officers over civilians or over other occupations. It honestly makes no sense. If your response, is #AllLivesMatter then your response should always be #AllLivesMatter.
Now going back to #BlueLivesMatter, this was created because a single shooter in Dallas decided to target and kill cops for his own reasons. There was recently another shooter that targeted cops as well. These individuals decided to kill cops on their own and not on behalf of #BlackLivesMatter. Even though some people want to blame the entire movement for a few people, the movement is not responsible. Although it is interesting that all cops aren’t blamed for police brutality and all white men aren’t blamed for mass shootings.
Police officers are not being systematically targeted, like black people. The shooters that target police officers are eventually killed or will serve time in jail if caught alive, unlike police officers responsible for police brutality. Also, when people sign up to be police officers I am sure they know the risks of losing their lives while on duty. However, they apply and become police officers anyway because they are supposed to be willing to protect civilians while putting their lives on the line. I am not saying that police officers want to die. I am just saying they are aware of the possibility. Hence, they wear bullet proof vests. A civilian, on the other hand, is not expecting to die from a routine traffic stop. Regardless of whether they have a gun or not.
All in all, #BlueLivesMatter is not necessary because the shooters are being punished and this is a recent development. There is no war on cops and police officers are not an oppressed group or occupation. Those cops did not deserve to be killed because of other bad cops, but the shooters were dealt with.
#BlackLivesMatter is necessary and will continue to be necessary until there is change.
