Stop Diminishing The Black Lives Matter Movement | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Stop Diminishing The Black Lives Matter Movement

Why it is so hard to admit that white privilege exists?

22
Stop Diminishing The Black Lives Matter Movement
Tré Melvin

Lori Lakin Hutcherson, GBN Editor-in-Chief, wrote a powerful piece about white privilege a few months ago that I, fortunately, came across this week. What I Said When My White Friend Asked for My Black Opinion on White Privilege is her response to a direct question an old high school friend asked her on Facebook. The article reinforces how worrying it is to sustain the belief that Black people already have equality.

As I was reading her stories, I felt lucky because I will only be able to imagine how it must feel to be Black in the United States. I will never have to live it. The mistreatment the race have received throughout the history of this country is shameful, but what is even more deplorable is the denial that it still exists.

The Black Lives Matter movement was created because ALL lives never really mattered in the first place. All this time, only white lives did. Black people in the United States have been always oppressed. Whether it is on the "little things" such as "having your intellectual capabilities questioned based solely on your skin color," like Hutcherson stated in her article; or on the "big things" like getting shot because an officer felt threaten just because you were black. Since slavery in America, there was an undeniable improvement in the way we see each other as human beings, but that doesn't mean the problem is completely gone. Black people are still being negatively judged because of the color of their skin, and because of the color of their skin only. Ask any outsider, such as myself, and they will tell you that American culture is prejudiced. They will tell you that your country is still racist.


If you can't see that Black people are not treated as if they have the same rights as white people, you are either blinded by your ignorance or you are just choosing to spread hate. And that, my friend, is even worse. It appears to me that great part of the white population in the United States are so quick to conveniently jump into a black's person shoes and tell them what is going on that they forget they don't know how it feels to have hatred and disgust centered directly into you because of how many melanin does your body makes. It's like they think the only way to feel powerful is by depriving other people of their rights. I'm not black, so I don't know how they feel either, but I fight for their right to feel that way.

The BLM movement was not created with the purpose of diminishing the importance of the lives of people from other races in the U.S., and if you got that idea, I'm sorry, but you are either trying to turn yourself into the victim or ignorance - again - is affecting the way your brain works.

Just like Jews were looked down based on their religion almost 80 years ago, Black people are despised because of the color of their skin since we know Earth by Earth. White people need to stop venturing a guess about an oppression they don't suffer.

They have the right to be mad, so let them be bad. They have the right to fight against injustice, so let them fight. As another minority in this country, I will defend their rights as if I was defending my own because I refuse to forget that, in 1942, in the peak of the Holocaust, the people of Auschwitz remained silent. Today, 74 years later, I fear America will do the same.

"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor."Desmond Tutu.


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

948
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

568
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

199660
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

20557
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments