Black Lives Matter: The Facts

by Tori Moore

Let's start off with the facts.
1. The Black Lives Matter movement was created July 13, 2013.
2. It was founded by three queer black women named Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi, and Patrisse Cullors.
3. Black Lives Matter was in response to the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman and the fact that Zimmerman was not convicted of murder, which many Americans - especially Black Americans - found to be outrageous and completely unjust. 

Black Lives Matter resurfaced, this time doubling in popularity, in August of 2014 in the outrage of the death of Mike Brown by police officer Darren Wilson, which preceded dozens more white-cop-black-death cases that resulted in equal or doubled outrage. 

Two of these cases were the recent deaths of black men, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile by white police men. There is video evidence in both cases that have cause the nation to divide in controversy: did they deserve it or was it murder?

Here are a few more not-so-fun facts:
1. Philando Castile was the 123rd black person killed by police in 2016.
2. There is proven scientific and psychological evidence here, here, and here that proves that black children are seen as older, more independent, less innocent, and more dangerous than white children.
3. According to a poll, 52% of Americans believe racism against black Americans is still a "very serious problem."

Are you part of the 48% who are still saying, "it's not about race," "stop playing the race card, "they deserved it because they were criminals," and "All Lives Matter"?

Guess what? Racism against black Americans is indeed still a very serious issue, whether you are still hiding behind your rebel flag and camoflague or not...which is why Black Lives Matter exists.

In no way is Black Lives Matter a hate group. In no way does it exclude white people, or any other race. In fact, the founder of Black Lives Matter quotes on blacklivesmatter.com, "#BlackLivesMatter doesn’t mean your life isn’t important–it means that Black lives, which are seen as without value within White supremacy, are important to your liberation." In simple English - yes. We know white people's lives matter, as they always have in history. However, right now, black lives don't matter to a scary amount of Americans and we need a reminder. 

The reason it is believed that black lives don't matter is due to White Supremacy as a whole, and the issues that begotten from it such as police brutality, mass incarceration, hyper-masculinity, poverty, fetishization, micro-aggressions and a number of other issues.

Many argue that, for example. police brutality is not only detrimental to the black community. This is true. However, when white people are killed by police, there is outrage -sometimes even if the person actually was violent toward the police. When white people are killed by police, the first thought is not "what did he do to deserve it?" or "what was his criminal background?" When white people are unjustly murdered by police, there are usually consequences.

As for people saying "white people get killed by police too" yes, they do. In fact, one was killed this month. His name was Dylan and he was 19...where was the All Lives Matter crew then? Black Lives Matter supporters took to Twitter to mourn the death of Dylan.

As for the argument of black-on-black crime, yes it exists. It is also one of the issues Black Lives Matter wishes to tackle. However, when blacks kill blacks:
1. it is usually because they live in a black community. If they are partaking in crime, of course the victim is going to be black if the entire neighborhood is black.
2. There is justice for the victim in black-on-black crime. (See: mass incarceration)

Still think All Lives Matter? Not to the Americans who make jokes about the murders of black men by police.

To support All Lives Matter is like a firefighter who sees a house burning down but decides to hose down the entire block because "All Houses Matter."

If you think Black Lives Matter is a hate group based on the actions of a small percentage, please read the homepage of blacklivesmatter.com as the founder explains how it is meant to bring peaceful awareness to the issues black Americans face. If you judge the entire Black Lives Matter movement for the actions of a few, that would be like America judging Christianity by the actions of the KKK (Which, by the way, exists today and is still very active. In 2016.)


Black Lives Matter not Black Lives Matter.

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