The majority of us are aware of all the heart-wrenching events that have been happening lately around the country and around the world. Between terrorism, police brutality, gun violence, and other incidences of life being lost it seems like we should be proclaiming "All lives matter!" as a response to all of this. I, myself, would hashtag all lives matter or use it as an argument, in general, all last year, but there is something really wrong with it. Like many, I thought that all lives matter coincided nicely with the black lives matter movement. It seems logical to put them together, right? It's similar to the statement of not seeing any color, or not seeing any race, we are all one person, we all matter. I do think this is the good reasoning behind why some unknowingly join this movement and call for it with the best of intentions. In reality, proclaiming all lives matter as opposed to black lives matter is extremely problematic.

Prior to the start of the Black Lives Matter movement last year in light of the shootings of Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, and other unarmed POC, there was no such movement created for All Lives Matter. This was started after BLM almost in response to it. This should say something in itself. Of course, all lives matter. Of course, we shouldn't be killing anyone without a cause. These all are common knowledge notions which are the reason that it never had to be proclaimed in the first place. Calling for All Lives Matter, as opposed to Black Lives Matter, can be seen as a way to derail the entire movement. By focusing on police brutality in general, and ignoring the fact that it occurs in these situations because of racially charged fear, and systemic abuses of power against POC, does not solve anything. Saying you see no skin color or no race, does nothing to aid in the fight for equality because people do want you to see their skin color and they do want their culture seen, but what they don't want is for you to see these factors and deem them as less. The day we recognize the diversity present upon our planet, and that this diversity does, in fact, differentiate us however, it doesn't mean these differences have to separate us as human beings that is when equality will be achieved. We can all be different people but still coexist.

So please, stop trying to call for all lives matter as opposed to black lives matter because by doing this you are ignoring the reason why this movement began in general. Black lives matter was started because of the violence faced against POC which made it necessary to proclaim that their lives matter. Saying that black lives matter does not deem that other lives don't matter, but it was instead a direct response to what has been happening to black lives. When you pull up arguments that regard police brutality against all races you are ignoring the issue of the black lives lost and for the reason that this movement was created. See color, acknowledge race, stand hand in hand with those fighting for black and brown lives. This does not mean that you are valuing one life above another but that you are aiding the cause that is attempting to show that POC lives do matter in the grander scheme of it all.

So if you are reading this and disagree completely with what I am standing and still are using all lives matter in conjunction with black lives matter, that is your call. Just try to recognize why you are using it. Are you using it to aid the cause or to hurt the cause? While proclaiming that all lives matter, do you also acknowledge that the loss of black lives is a problem that must be handled?