why #alllivesmatter is problematic
In recent weeks, with growing demand for justice for the constant injustices the Black community has faced for centuries, there’s a debate online about why the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter is used, when it should be the #AllLivesMatter, since no life should be regarded as more important than another.
The term ‘All Lives Matter’ is problematic at the moment because it takes away the focus from the real problem: the fact that Black lives have been taken away due to Racism and prejudice against People of Colour (POC) for as long as we can remember, and it’s time to put a stop to it. Fact of the matter is, we cannot say that all lives matter until we take care of the biggest problem in our society: the fact that Black lives don’t seem to matter to some as much as other lives.
So, while you might be meaning well by fighting the term #BlackLivesMatter with All Lives Matter, please know that no one’s ever said that other lives don’t matter – we’re saying that we can’t focus on all lives until more focus is put on the injustices Black people are still facing nowadays, as that is the problem we are facing at the moment.
Saw a lot of great analogies online that say, if a house if on fire you won’t call the firefighters too all houses. The house that’s on fire must be aided first.
We must bring equality to this world. But until then, we will continue to fight with the communities that are suffering the most and that need their voices heard.
#BlackLivesMatter
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Disquiet Thoughts 
I agree that we must all fight racism and discrimination wherever we find it. And we must not let it go unchallenged, because that is often taken as agreement and support. George Floyd’s death was horrible and wrong. It has been, and continues to be, seen as a grave injustice and one that must be addressed.
Sadly, the problem with #BlackLivesMatter is that not ALL black lives seem to matter to them. While George Floyd’s death is rightly called out as injustice, the death of David Dorn is not. Dorn’s death, and the death of several others in the black community, are ignored or minimized, and the fact that they died as a direct result of the riots surrounding the protests is also ignored or minimized.
Black lives DO matter. Yet until we as a society become unwilling to sacrifice ANY life, or overlook ANY death, I fear that the suffering will continue.
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Thank you for this very meaningful insight…I agree with how you said it is important to keep the focus on the issue in question here, and not turn it into another agenda…Also loved “we will continue to fight with the communities that are suffering the most and that need their voices heard”. Thank you for the post!
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Totally agreed! Infact, I believe that is the case with every protest around us. Like for example, when women’s rights are in question, people come up with men’s rights as well. We know that everyone deserves their rights. But when a particular community is in question, we should support that cause and not dilute it by generalizing it. The example of outbreak of fire, which you have used, is really apt!
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