If you reply, “All Lives Matter” whenever someone says “Black Lives Matter,” Fuck You!
It is not productive or warranted to offer a “White Lives Matter” retort, no one is saying that Black lives are more important than everyone else’s lives, it is a movement to highlight that they are just as equal. Uplifting Black people is not downing another race. Its purpose has been explained countlessly since its incarnation nearly seven years from activists Opal Tometi, Alicia Garza, and Patrisse Cullors after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the murder of Trayvon Martin. Arguably, the most frustrating aspect of someone inserting an “All Lives Matter” into the conversation of Black people murdered by the police is that their “call for equality” is not genuine.
“All Lives Matter” wasn’t mentioned when Asian-Americans were harassed and villainized from POTUS calling the Coronavirus, the “Chinese Virus.”
“All Lives Matter” wasn’t shouted when several trans-men and women were murdered in vile and brutal ways. God Bless Tony McDade. If you’re going to be at any Pride parades this month as states reopen, I hope you shouted “All Lives Matter” at your local blood drives. Even in a pandemic, Gay Men are unable to donate blood to those who in need, unless they have not had sex in the last 3 months. 90 days is a step closer to equality since previously the stipulation was a year without sex.
Remember when members of the Standing Rock Reservation peacefully protested the Dakota Access Pipeline and they were hosed in freezing weather? I remember that, but I don’t remember seeing any “All Lives Matter” comments under the news stories.
(Speaking of Indigenous people, are you still going to celebrate Columbus Day this year or wear your team apparel that portrays Native Americans as savages and cartoons? All Lives Matter, but you watch the Redskins on Thanksgiving?? Really??)
When Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, and R.Kelly were raping dozens of women for decades before the birth of Tarana Burke’s #MeToo movement, please tell me you were saying “All Lives Matter” instead of just blaming the victims.
When ICE tore Brown families apart and put babies in cages, the “All Lives Matter” crew were as disinterested as the First Lady.
Do. Not. Tell. Me. That “All Lives Matter” when there are so many other lives being mistreated in America! The only time when this call for peace is brought up when a Black person is dead.
Finally, for the people that love to bring up “Black On Black Crime,” you only deserve half a bar, “Fuck Yall,” but instead I want to know what are you doing about “Black On Black Crime.” I hope that it is also a personal cause for you as well to see no one hurt or have to choose violence to survive. I don’t understand why we can’t agree that if we know who is responsible for taking someone’s life unlawfully, then they should be in jail. We should all agree on justice for all.
God Bless the lives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, Tommie McGlothen, and countless others that did not feel like their lives mattered in their final moments on Earth. We will advocate for change in this world in honor of all of you, no matter what naysayers have to say.
#BlackLivesMatter