I'm white...and the phrase Black Lives Matter worries me...
I'll explain:
Do you actually think of the words themselves when you hear BLACK LIVES MATTER!?
Black people matter; People of African descent matter; Darker skin matters; Equal opportunities matter; Black hair matters; Fair trials matter; Decolonising school curriculums matter; Youth centres matter.
But we don't think all that; we think of the movement that started it rather than the sentiment. That's worrying. It takes away from the initial statement. It's become a project without a real plan.
Of course there are a lot of BLM activists out there doing good work every day. But perhaps movements need people to push it along. To jump on the bandwagon even if their hearts aren't in it.
Perhaps what matters are the numbers, the show of unity and the camaraderie.
Still, it's also worrying that non-white people feel they need to say this. What does this tell you about societies around the world? They can't even say GIVE US EQUAL RIGHTS? They are simply asking to [i]matter[/i]. To be regarded as fellow humans; not to be shot, hung from trees or refused jobs. They're just asking to matter.
It's sad. We need to refocus on what Black Lives Matter actually means.✊
Do you actually think of the words themselves when you hear BLACK LIVES MATTER!?
Black people matter; People of African descent matter; Darker skin matters; Equal opportunities matter; Black hair matters; Fair trials matter; Decolonising school curriculums matter; Youth centres matter.
But we don't think all that; we think of the movement that started it rather than the sentiment. That's worrying. It takes away from the initial statement. It's become a project without a real plan.
Of course there are a lot of BLM activists out there doing good work every day. But perhaps movements need people to push it along. To jump on the bandwagon even if their hearts aren't in it.
Perhaps what matters are the numbers, the show of unity and the camaraderie.
Still, it's also worrying that non-white people feel they need to say this. What does this tell you about societies around the world? They can't even say GIVE US EQUAL RIGHTS? They are simply asking to [i]matter[/i]. To be regarded as fellow humans; not to be shot, hung from trees or refused jobs. They're just asking to matter.
It's sad. We need to refocus on what Black Lives Matter actually means.✊
