Violence is never the answer. The shooting in Dallas, Texas, that occurred over the weekend resulted in the death of five police officers. The officers were on site during a peaceful protest by Black Lives Matter that mourned the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile that happened last week.
The shooter, identified by the Dallas police department as 25-year-old Micah Johnson, retaliated against all policemen in an effort for justice. Instead, he created a backlash in the community that is completely counterproductive to the mission of Black Lives Matter.
The way that both Sterling and Castile died is absolutely horrifying, and I pray for justice to be served accordingly. Johnson’s actions, however, are equally and morally reprehensible. The shooting led to an outcry by various celebrities and political figures, such as NBA player Carmelo Anthony and singer John Legend, both of whom condemned Johnson’s actions.
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.” Repaying horrific violence with more needless violence is not the way to encourage justice or bring about meaningful change.
Many have mourned with both victims’ families and friends and have also condemned the shooting in Dallas. There are those who have sought action to encourage change to address this issue directly. Even still, however, there are some who disregard the message of Black Lives Matter entirely and harp that "All Lives Matter."
Of course all lives matter. We as a society need to stop saying this every time there is a Black Lives Matter protest. The central message of the Black Lives Matter movement is not that “White lives don't matter” or that “Black lives matter more.” It’s “Black lives matter just as much as everyone else's.” Most importantly, Black Lives Matter is not anti-police either.
This problem is systemic. Stereotypes are harmful. Profiles can be misleading. Society simply saying “all lives matter” brushes off the Black Lives Matter movement and combats its core message. As long as society continues to do so, no real or meaningful systemic change can occur.
Recent reports suggest that Sterling was brandishing a handgun at a homeless man outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, prompting the homeless man to make a 911 call. Other reports have said that Castile was an armed robbery suspect before being shot. Even if the reports are true, it in no way, shape, or form justifies the horrendous, brutal murder of these two men.
Black Lives Matter advocates for a unifying of races, which ensures that black people receive fair and equal treatment and that their lives are deemed just as valuable as others. Throughout our history as a country, black people have been unfairly marginalized and mistreated. That is undeniable.
There is nothing wrong with Black Lives Matter highlighting the problems that still exist today, particularly regarding racial barriers. The problem with saying “all lives matter” is that it blatantly ignores the prevalence of racial tension, especially between police and black people.
This kind of mindset is ignorant, which is exactly why we as a society must stop saying it. It stops us from addressing issues of race and instead encourages us to ignore them.
We must find a way to stop needless acts of retaliation and look to change in a concrete manner. The only way we can do that is to recognize that there is a problem that needs fixing. Black lives matter, just as much as others.
