If you have been on social media in the past month, then you have definitely seen or heard about a hashtag that reads #AllLivesMatter. I can also say that if you are one of those people that agree with this hashtag, then you are not going to enjoy reading the following piece.
The best way I can explain this hashtag is by referring to what happened, last year, during the gender-based violence protests. During the protests against GBV, there was a hashtag going around saying “Men are trash.” After this hashtag became trending, so did an opposing hashtag saying “Not all men.” This opposing hashtag had been created to invalidate the movement against GBV. It was created to show more importance to all men’s lives than to women and men who faced GBV. This is exactly the same type of intent around “All Lives Matter.” By supporting “All Lives Matter” you are, therefore, not supporting Black Lives Matter – you are invalidating Black Lives Matter and invalidating the struggle that Black people face.
The basic meaning around “All Lives Matter” is saying that we should not focus on the oppression Black people face and the police brutality they face, and rather focus on all lives. “All lives matter” is a way for privileged people to keep their privilege and for nothing to change. In other straightforward words, it is a way for racist, white people to keep the privilege they have from the oppression Black people face.
If you do not agree with this then let me ask you this, where was the all lives matter hashtag when women were getting killed? Where was the all lives matter hashtag while abortion rights were being fought for? While LGBTQ+ adoption rights were being fought for? While marital rape was being fought to get justice against? And, I could go on.
This is a reminder that Black lives are still in danger. The movement is continuing and before you go back to your usual theme, before you delete that black square on your feed, before Black Lives Matter gets pushed to the back of your mind, there is something you need to remember: Black people are dying at the hands of white people, because of a system created by white people to benefit white people in society. People are being killed, like animals, while you are posting pictures of food and posting selfies. Black people are still being killed and your silence is compliance. Your silence is allowing less attention to be given to Black Lives Matter. Your silence is allowing your feed to start being filled with pictures of friends, food, and everything other than Black lives being killed.
Before you blindly go ahead and support this movement ask yourself why “All Lives Matter” only became a trending topic when Black lives were being fought for.