"All Lives Matter": A Response

Why do people say “Black Lives Matter” instead of “all lives matter”?

The common response to the phrase “Black lives matter” is “well, of course. All lives matter.” This is completely true. But that isn’t the point of the movement. The purpose of the BLM movement is to shine a spotlight on the lack of attention and equality between Black people and White people. There is deep, systemic racism and violence that Black people face every day, and White people don’t have to worry about it. The movement’s purpose is not to exclude anyone; it is to bring everyone to the same level.

 

By responding to “Black lives matter” with “all lives matter”, you are silencing and ignoring Black people. You are grouping them with everyone else, when the fact of the matter is that they are not treated like everyone else. Saying “all lives matter” invalidates the fact that Black people have been treated as less-than for centuries. If all lives truly mattered to everyone right now, we wouldn’t need this movement as desperately as we do.

 

A short video explaining a simple analogy: [link]

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WRITTEN BY:

Amelia Aversano

GUIDE WRITING TEAM