Upon hearing this slogan, some people reacted by wondering But dont all lives matter?
As in, if the goal is equality, why are people singling out one particular race?
Lets take a look.
At first, politicians across the political spectrum used the phrase all lives matter.
Though it tends to be favored by RepublicanslikeSen.
Rand PaulSec.Hillary Clinton used the phrase when addressing a black church in 2015(and received backlash).
The same year, MayorPete Buttigieg said itduring a speech.
If you fall into that category, here is some background and context.
How did Black Lives Matter start?
And there is no shortage of statistics to illustrate racial disparities when it comes to police violence.
But dont all lives matter?
This would come with follow-up questions like, But dont Latinx lives matter?
What about Asian lives?
How about Catholic lives?
While those are valid questions, they are not whats being discussed when people say Black Lives Matter.
And that is a legitimate issue that weve got to address.
So why is saying All Lives Matter a problem?
So if all lives do, in fact, matter, why is using this phrase problematic?
She broke it down at a2016 event at Portland State University:
We do believe that all lives matter.
Its about the fact that my communitys infrastructure is crumbling.
Its about the fact I cant drive down the street without being harassed or targeted by law enforcement.
When the firefighters show up, their neighbors ask, but what about our houses?
even though their houses are not actually on fire.
Looking for ways to advocate for black lives?
Check out thislist of resources.
