Preface:
There is a difference between declaring that “Black lives matter” and supporting the Black Lives Matter organization. You can 100% believe that black lives matter without aligning to all of the values & goals of that particular foundation*. This post is about the declaration and not the organization. (I come back around to this in my wrap up in point #4). Now, here are four thoughts on the phrase “Black Lives Matter.”
1. “All Lives Matter.”
Many people feel that the phrase “Black Lives Matter” is incomplete because all lives matter. While I understand the sentiment, here is what I believe is important about the refrain “Black Lives Matter”: It is attempting to raise to the forefront of American consciousness an issue that needs attention. I liken it to wearing pink to raise awareness for breast cancer. There is something that is afflicting millions of lives and we all can help contribute to working toward a solution. When I am going through the line at the convenience store, sometimes I’ll see a little box that collects spare change for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, or research for fighting Lung Cancer. I don’t scoff and get offended and say, “all disabilities matter,” just because my mother-in-law is fighting a different disease. I don’t get mad at lung cancer research because it’s not the type of breast cancer my mother has been fighting for years. Saying black lives matter is not taking away from the fact that all lives matter. It is saying that black lives have been undervalued and this needs to be remedied.
2. “Syrian Refugee Lives Matter.”
A few years ago, my pastor led a group of folks from my conservative, Bible-believing church to the country of Lebanon, where they had the opportunity to spend time ministering to Syrian refugees in a tent city in the Bekaa valley. When they came back, our pastor and team members shared about the plight of refugees living in tent cities and our congregation was encouraged to help support a ministry that was in Lebanon providing essential supplies and hope to these people. Our congregation did not get offended because we were focusing only on one particular group of people that needed help. Our church didn’t say, “But all missions matter!” Rather, we were moved with compassion by an issue that needed our focus and investment and we acted upon that need.
3. “___________ Lives Matter.”
What about Blue lives matter? Don’t Native American Lives matter? What about unborn babies and battered women and immigrants and Latinos…? They all matter! Every human being matters. But here is the thing: when we try to correct the phrase “black lives matter,” often times it means we are not listening to a cry that needs to be heard. There is a specific issue that is affecting people that needs our attention at this time. And we marginalize people and minimize the issue(s) that are afflicting them when we write it off.
4. Wrap Up:
There may be aspects of the #BLM foundation/organization that rub you wrong or people associated with the movement that are doing things that you disapprove of. You do not have to embrace the organization or become a part of the hashtag. But I think it would be wise to understand that the movement has sprung out of a need to address a very important issue of justice in our country, and we need to build our understanding of the reality of that situation. Then, we can work to build bridges and push for solutions together. Racism still exists in this country. Verifiable statistics* and personal stories bear this out. This should bother all of us who say that we are not racist – especially those of us who say we are Christians and believe that the image of God is imprinted upon every human being (Genesis 1:27, 9:6) and that God’s family includes people of every tongue, tribe, and nation (Revelation 7:9). We must work together to eradicate the evil of racism from our society.
*Resources:
1.) For eye-opening statistics about inequities in hiring practices and professional compensation check out “The Black Tax: The Cost of Being Black in America” by Shawn Rochester.
2.) For a look at the history of segregative laws in housing development in America and its long-term effects upon wealth distribution among African-Americans in this country check out “The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How our Government Segregated America,” By Richard Rothstein.
*You can get information about the BLM organization’s principles and goals here: https://blacklivesmatter.com/about/. I do not share this as a personal endorsement but to provide a reliable source so that you can do your own research on the organization and draw your own conclusions.
