The Black Lives Matter movement was sparked by the killing of Mike Brown; soon after, the lives of many black men and women were lost. The suspicions toward police and the obvious disregard for black lives engulfed the nation in a feeling of fear and anger. Many people took to social media using the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter, a tag that was meant to show the oppression that black people still face, and to honor those who lost their lives.

This article is in no way an attack on the police, however, it is meant to shed some light on the blatant privilege that a police officer (and, for the most part, a white man) receives. Many of the officers who have had some sort of confrontation with black people have ended up dead; adding insult to obvious injury most if not all police officers who have killed a black person have not been found at fault or even faced any charges. How does one justify the murder of an unarmed black man? How does one justify the murder of a restrained black woman? Can we honestly say we know of all cases of police violence toward black people?

Along with the #BlackLivesMatter tag came the #AllLivesMatter. By using this tag, it diminishes the black lives that were taken away; black lives are the ones that are being erased without repercussion. Many white people are perceived by the media as “mentally disabled” while black people are labeled as thugs. White people have a voice and strong representation in this society, but when it comes to black people their rights are often erased and silenced. The tag #AllLivesMatter is an insult to those black people who have lost their lives to racism and police brutality. There is no need to represent those who already have representation. The purpose of this movement is to shed light on the black lives that are being lost, but instead, the movement is being whitewashed. Once there is complete equality, then maybe you can use the tag #AllLivesMatter.