The Importance of the BLM Movement

A very common conversation that takes place nowadays is when one person says, “black lives matter” and the other responds with, “no, all lives matter.” There is a whole misunderstanding surrounding the phrase “black lives matter” and what it means. It is often interpreted as meaning black lives matter more than any other lives, which is not the case at all. 

What Does “Black Lives Matter” Mean? 

Black Lives Matter (BLM) is an “international social movement, formed in the United States in 2013, dedicated to fighting racism and anti-black violence, especially in the form of police brutality.” It is a slogan, an anthem, a hashtag on social media, and, most Importantly, it is a straightforward factual statement. BLM speaks out against systemic racism and the police brutality that has killed thousands of black people, including George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and Breonna Taylor. One of the BLM movement’s primary goal is to raise awareness that, as a nation, we must reconsider our priorities. Black people are twice as likely to be killed by a police officer while unarmed, in comparison to a white individual. 

How Did Black Lives Matter Start? 

Even though racism is nothing new in our world, the BLM movement’s timeline began much more recently. In 2013, when George Zimmerman was acquitted even after he killed Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African American who was unarmed, the BLM movement was initiated in response to the injustice. Today, the Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc, a global organization, is active in the UK, Canada, and America, while simultaneously receiving support from all different countries around the world. Its guiding principles are to eliminate white supremacy and interfere in the violence that is imposed on black communities through activism, fundraising, and education. BLM aims to contest and counteract violence, intensify black innovation, and center black joy.

How “All Lives Matter” Misses the Point of Black Lives Matter 

Sometimes, the phrase “all lives matter” can be said with the purest intentions regarding that each person’s life is equally as important as any other person, no matter their color. However, we must raise awareness and educate those who do not fully understand that by saying all lives matter, you are belittling the lives of black people. It is more divisive than uniting. It discounts and reduces the focus on the violence and discrimination that black individuals face on an everyday basis. Many examples have been given to explain the importance of saying “black lives matter” instead of “all lives matter”, one being how Semaj Mitchell explained it. He tweeted explaining, “If you break your arm and go to the doctor, and the doctor says, ‘all your bones matter, not just your arm.’ You are going to look at them stupid because yes, all your bones matter but they are fine, your arm needs attention right now. BLM is that arm, saying all lives matter is redundant.” Even in the MENA region, the entire social structure is centered around the fact that white skin color is the default. It is the beauty standard. Until this day, many black individuals are still referred to as “Abeed”, meaning “slaves”. By declaring “All Lives Matter”, you are reaffirming or even ignoring the unfair reality black individuals live in. 

Saying “Black Lives Matter” is not the equivalent of saying other lives do not, but it rather means that black lives should matter just as much as other lives.