The Black Lives Matter movement has been around for quite some time, but the murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile have brought on a resurgence of this movement. We can no longer deny that racism is very real. In both instances, which were caught on camera, the police were unprovoked. Although the circumstances surrounding each incident are unknown, those men did not deserve to die. But this in no way warranted the attack on Dallas police officers.
We must put an end to this cycle of killing.
A common misconception about Black Lives Matter is that they believe that only black lives matter, rendering all other lives unimportant. This misconception led to the All Lives Matter movement, which is largely made up of white people, and believes that all lives matter equally. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that sentiment, but to use the phrase to dismiss the plight of black men and women is abhorrent.
Of course white lives matter too, but who ever said that they didn't? The Black Lives Matter movement exists to draw attention to the fact that black men and women are discriminated against and that this discrimination can be fatal.
"Black Lives Matter is an ideological and political intervention in a world where Black lives are systematically and intentionally targeted for demise."
The overwhelming problem here is white privilege. White privilege does not mean that white people have better lives, easier lives, or access to more opportunities than other races. It does not mean that white people inherently do not face any hardships. White privilege is the luxury of not having to think of your race in everything that you do. It's not wondering whether somebody was rude to you because they don't like you or because of your skin color.
White privilege simply means that your race is not a factor in the way that you interact with others, or in the way that you see yourself.
As a white woman, I have experienced life at the poverty line, I have experienced discrimination, and I have not had an easy life. But, in all of that, I never had to wonder if my skin color was a factor. That is white privilege. I cannot see the advantages that I may have, and I cannot see the impact that my race has on the way that I am treated. But that does not change the fact that it does exist.
I debated on whether to write an article about white privilege, due to its off-putting and controversial nature. Not many people are ready to own up to that privilege, and feel the urge to fight back against those who point it out. But, in light of recent events, I feel that it's time to examine the role that white privilege plays in these issues. To understand what is happening in the world around us, we must first own up to our privilege and realize that not having to think about the color of our skin is a luxury that others do not have.
