Ever get into a debate with someone about the lack of value society places on the lives of individuals of color? I'm sure many of you have at some point, and I'm also sure that at some point someone said to you "Well what about black on black crime?", I'm here to tell you that black on black crime is a myth. Here's why.

While black on black crime is a thing, it isn't in the way that people try to use it to derail real debates. It's generally used as a means to question how one can say "Black Lives Matter", yet not be concerned with the deaths done by those within our own community. The issue with that though is the fact that most people live in segregated neighborhoods, the inner city is generally full of minorities while suburban areas are either somewhat mixed or predominately white. With that, criminals living among a certain demographic are more likely to commit crimes against that demographic.

It's not really a race thing but more so who one is surrounded by. Additionally, statistics show that 84% of white people killed every year are killed by other white individuals, according to the US Department of Justice Statistics. While I'm at it, I'll go ahead and debunk the gang violence myth as well, between 1980 - 2008 53.3% of gang related murders were committed by white people, so if you're one of those that would go on to say, "Well what about the gang bangers killing black people in your own communities?", you can go ahead and keep that to yourself.

The thing that needs to be realized is that with this kind of logic, one arguing against BLM with the "black on black crime" argument, could be argued against with the idea that any murders committed by someone outside of their own race should not be focused on because of "white on white crime", or any other race demographic, is an issue. See how that doesn't make sense? Now apply that same logic and change our metaphorical individual to a person of authority. Considering that those in authoritative positions are meant to SERVE and PROTECT, one can see how the situation is far worse. Crime against someone of your own demographic is a common thing, and should not be used as a means to minimize what is a real issue in our country: Police Brutality and institutionalized racism.

Furthermore, Black Lives Matter has been disenfranchised so much so that it's message has been perverted by those who do not understand it. Many feel that advocates of BLM are putting the lives of POC above other demographics, but that is far from the truth. There is an implied "too" at the end of this statement because it is clear that the lives of POC have never been valued the way that Non POC lives have. Not only does the criminal justice system discriminate against us with racial profiling and murders being remedied with paid time off instead of jail time, but with systemic discrimination from Red Lining, to Mass incarceration, Housing Covenants, the war on drugs, Employer bias based on name, I mean the list goes on.

There is definitely a deep seated racial issue still prevalent in our country and until we truly acknowledge them, rather than shifting focus to something that we are already trying to work on, it will always remain. We too wish for the end of the killings within our own community, but we expect our government to uphold their promise to protect ALL of their citizens. No one is above the law.