The internet exploded with #blacklivesmatter last week after outrage because of the deaths of many black men and women killed by police officers. I was one of many to feel anger and outrage, finding myself in tears watching a video of one man being killed by cops undeservingly. Amongst my Facebook friends, I have seen many, many great posts about #blacklivesmatter that I thought deserved to be shared.
Take a moment to read these great and deep thoughts from my dear friends on Facebook that made me stop and think for a moment.
1. Bree Wallace
Racism is never a joke. It is never a "thing between friends". It is never something to laugh at and it is never something to sweep under the rug and look the other way. It is blatant ignorance -- all of it. If you don't actively stand against the problem, you are part of the problem. The black jokes, the perpetuated stereotypes, the under-the-breath comments you think only your friends hear, they all deeply affect a living, breathing culture. We have voices that are often silenced. We create movements against it that are deemed as violent threats. We are trying SO HARD to break out of the mold we have been put in. I don't care how many black friends you've had and how okay they've seemed to be with any of it. It doesn't matter. Racism comes in many, many forms, but ALL of them hurt. It destroys lives and it tears apart communities and it. Is never. A frickin' joke. Disagree? Don't care. Unfriend me. Bye. #BlackLivesMATTER
2. Ryan Spady
Friends, using arguments such as "not all cops are bad" and "white people get shot too" are not valid! That would be like me getting upset at breast cancer awareness month because "not all women get breast cancer" or "men can get breast cancer too". We as white Americans need to acknowledge the fact that we, and particularly law enforcement, have deep rooted prejudices and issues that are leading to the deaths of other humans, and we need to address them immediately. Trying to explain it away is just helping to enable these tragedies.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing" -Edmund Burke
#blacklivesmatter
3. Tim Golden
The majority of Germans were good people. We fought against the Nazis. The majority of Muslims are good people. We fight against ISIS. The majority of police officers do their job well. But that shouldn't stop us from fighting against those officers who don't do their jobs well because of their racist attitudes toward African-Americans.
I have the deepest sympathy for the slain officers in Dallas and for their families. My heart goes out to them. There is no excuse for such violence against these officers who, by all accounts, were good cops and good people.
But I'm sore afraid that if we do not address the systemic problems with bad police officers, animosity between African-Americans and the police will only worsen. This should not be. #IncreaseThePeace
4. Mason Neil
It strikes me that behind a lot of the current social issues that dominate our media is a masculine gender that seems exhausted by overperformance and competition. This is a thought that came to me last night - though I don't think it explains a lot, it helps me personally clarify some things I don't completely understand. Think of police brutality that eventually evolves into racist murderers hiding in uniforms (not the case for all officers, I do value law enforcement). Or maybe the success of a presidential candidate that thrives on comparison and boasting? Look further into who ISIS has targeted - cultures and groups that have challenged gender norms and the systemic suppression of women. It's a small answer to a much larger crisis, but I thought I should share it. And no, I am not saying men are the source of our problems. Instead I am saying that the masculine gender some men feel they are obligated to perform appears to me to be interfering with peaceful communication and conflict resolution. The source of these gender expectations is society as a whole, so let's not blame men.
How can I rest when there are people in my country being killed simply because of their skin color? #blacklivesmatter #blacklivesmatter #blacklivesmatter #blacklivesmatter
6. Lauren Wahlen
I've seen a lot of #alllivesmatter posts recently, so I'd just like to clarify: it's the #blacklivesmatter movement, not the #ONLYblacklivesmatter movement. We're not saying that other races DON'T matter. I love cheese pizza. Does that mean that I dislike literally every other kind of pizza? No. That couldn't be further from the truth. Sorry for the sloppy metaphor, but it's the first one that came to mind because I'm in Ghana and going through pizza withdrawals.
7. Shelly Henderson
After Dallas, my heart is simply broken. Don't see the color, see the heart.
8. Kaelyn Nelson
I feel like we have a sin problem and it has manifested as a color problem because it was already a sore spot for people. I know many cops and they are heartbroken that people see the problem being a cop v black men. The other day it occurred to me, how many doctors have accidentally killed someone? After looking up the numbers I was shocked. So why is it that we don't get mad at doctors? "Well they were trying to save someone's life!" But I am telling [you] that's what cops do everyday. Everyday they put their lives on the line for people who don't appreciate them. Currently violence towards all levels of law enforcement and their families is on a rise. I have a friend that works at Starbucks whose husband is in the military and she was advised by her husbands higher ups that she shouldn't wear her "Military Spouse" apron.
Oh my readers. My heart is sad and my soul is angry.
I have read many more posts from people that were striking, but these in particular stuck out to me.
As a biracial girl with a black dad, my heart is fearful every time he leaves the house. It's not because I don't trust the police force as a whole (#bluelivesmattertoo), but I don't trust the society we live in today to be respectful of him, simply because of the beautiful complexion he was born with. It's terrifying to live in a world where race and color of skin is an issue of personal safety -- and of life and death.
Let us grow up as a country and start learning how to be decent human beings and all come together to support the fact that we need one another. I agree that all lives matter. But #alllivesmatter is missing the point. A part of our country is broken right now and we need to be trying to fix it rather than gloss over it with a hashtag. We need the diversity. We need to be all equal under God, but still able to appreciate our differences. Lives should not be endangered because of a difference in complexion.
Get it together America. #blacklivesmatter
