Both on a personal and social level, today, Friday, July 8th, 2016, is shaping up to be a significant day for me, and it’s not even the weekend yet.
As we were learning about the Bangladesh terrorist attack on civilians, that happened a week ago today, that news was quickly interrupted as news of another attack came out on Sunday. This time the attack was in Baghdad, Iraq, making it the deadliest attack on Iraqi civilians since the U.S led invasion of 2003.
As news of those civilian deaths circulated our news channels, less than 2 days later, Tuesday morning, we hear about another attack. This time, the attack on civilians is within our shores.
Alton Sterling had no weapons in his hands, he was down on the ground, he could not move, and he was shot 6 times, at close point. The cops held him down and shot him 6 times. Make no mistake about it, this was a terrorist attack on a civilian.
But just as we are learning about Alton Sterling, on Wednesday we learn about another civilian killed by authorities. Philando Castile was pulled over for a busted tail light and was shot to death while he sat in his car. His girlfriend, Diamond “Lavish” Reynolds, painfully caught his death on video.
Upon news of these 2 civilian deaths, the Black Lives Matter movement hit the streets demanding justice for Philando Castile and Alton Sterling.
Then on Thursday night we hear that the Dallas' protest have turned violent. An Army veteran (perhaps others too) went out and killed 5 police officers. It is important to note, many of these officers died protecting peaceful protesters during the shoot out.
So much news of death is happening that it’s hard to absorb and keep up with.
However, in the midst of all this painful news… some people have started bringing up the question, asking again, why is it about #BlackLivesMatter all the time? Now that these cops have been killed in Dallas, isn't BlackLivesMatter perpetuating the problem? Plus, don’t #AllLivesMatter -- including the cops who were killed?
So, in the middle of all this painful news, in case you are asking why the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag exists, or why it’s taken center stage, and does it perpetuate the murder of cops? Since I believe asking any and all questions should be encouraged (how we handle issues is what separates those who seek a solution from those that seek a fight), then let's fully address this with actual evidence.
When we take time to look at actual hard numbers, percentage wise, black people are killed at a higher rate by cops than almost anyone else in the USA (besides Native Americans, that is. Yes, believe it or not, Native Americans are killed at a HIGHER percentage rate by cops than anyone else in the USA).
To say the least, the numbers on this are shocking and are the following:
Black people make up 12-13% of the US population, but cops kill between 25-28% of the Black Population. This means, Black people are killed at a rate more than double their population, which would put Black people on the “extinction list” if this continues. As far as I'm concerned, in the USA, black people are on the “endangered” list.
Latinos make up 17% population, but cops kill 14% of the Latino population -- which means Latinos are on the just “barely surviving” list. If black people go on the “extinct” list, then latinos might take their place on the “endangered” list.
White People make up 63% of the population, but cops kill 48-49% of the white population. Which means that even though White people (numbers wise) get killed by cops the most, percentage wise it is different. Percentage wise, white people are on the “doing OK” list because they don’t have to worry about “barely surviving" and definitely don’t have to worry about becoming “extinct”.
When we look at the hard numbers, we realize white people still get to populate at a 16-17% higher rate than the rate cops kill them by. Being the naturally inquisitive person I am (apologies if you hate questions) I have to ask, why? Why is this happening? Yes, inquiring minds want to know.
Is that because white people commit less crimes than anyone else, are white people really less criminally minded? Is that the case? Or could it be something else, like our deep rooted sentiments about race? Or should we not ask that question? Either way, whether we want questions asked or not, one thing is clear. The hard numbers show that something is going on and it must be solved.
So how do we solve it? By taking care of the most endangered person, that’s how. The point is that if we always take care of the most endangered person then (as a natural, occurring, domino effect) we end up taking care of everyone.
So again, yes, #YesObviouslyAllLivesMatter - but #BlackLivesMatter is about taking care of the most endangered person - hence, taking care of everyone.
Now, with that... because Native Americans are getting killed at a higher rate than anyone else in the USA - and we barely talk about it in the US media — or even in activist circles it barely gets noted — I have to definitely say #NativeAmericanLivesMatter.
Here are the hard percentages: Native Americans make up 0.8% of the US population, but cops kill them at rate of 1.9% -- Meaning, Native Americans are killed at a rate that is exceedingly more than double their actual population, more than black people. No wonder Native Americans are practically already extinct in the United States, they should already be on the “extinction” list, and we do not talk enough about this. We need to be talking about this problem much more, and we need to address it.
Still, that does not mean the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag is unnecessary because that hashtag has helped highlight this crucial, important issue on a nationwide scale. Because of Black Lives Matters, I started googling all these statistics. Thank you to them, I am more informed today than I was yesterday. This is the natural, occurring domino effect I mentioned above.
Civilians are getting killed everywhere, so are cops and military personnel. But this doesn't mean that the black lives matter hashtag implies a hatred of cops or of anyone who isn't black. Black Lives Matter has helped inform us more. Furthermore, The Black Lives Matter movement has, rightfully so, addressed the killing of the cops and has condemned them. It is simply incorrect to assume that Black Lives Matter wants death and/or doesn't care about other people. That assumption is incorrect. What the black lives matter hashtag does do is create the space for the possibility of a loving discourse that addresses taking care of everyone. Loving Black People does not mean hating cops or other people, you can love everyone. This is not mutually exclusive. We need more loving discourse to stop any and all attacks, domestic and abroad, on all people. This is what the Black Lives Matter movement has helped us understand and it is what it has asked us to do.
#BlackLivesMatter NativeAmericanLivesMatter #LatinoLivesMatter #AsianLivesMatter #PeopleWithMixedEthnicityLivesMatter #InuitLivesMatter #ArabLivesMatter #WhiteLivesMatter #AnyoneThatWasLeftOutYourLifeMattersToo #YesObviouslyAllLivesMatter #BlackLivesMatterHasAwakanedOurCollectiveConsciousness
A google search, worded in the following way “black lives matter hashtag why does it exist”, generated the following results for me:
1.) http://blacklivesmatter.com/herstory/
2.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Lives_Matter
3.) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/history-black-lives-matter_us_56d0a3b0e4b0871f60eb4af5
4.) http://www.wired.com/2015/10/how-black-lives-matter-uses-social-media-to-fight-the-power/
5.) http://www.relevantmagazine.com/current/nation/problem-saying-all-lives-matter
6.) https://blackmillennials.com/2014/12/01/what-you-mean-by-alllivesmatter/
7.) https://themelodramaticconfessionsofcarlalouise.wordpress.com/2015/12/20/all-lives-matter/
8.) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/67061481929895713/
9.) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/67061481928203437/
10.) http://www.browndailyherald.com/2016/03/21/blacklivesmatter-co-founder-urges-activism/
11.) https://www.theodysseyonline.com/whitelivesmatteryeah
12.) https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/can-black-lives-matter-improve-race-relations-america-l-campbell
13.) https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.browndailyherald.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F03%2FBorowski-black-lives-matter.png&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.browndailyherald.com%2F2016%2F03%2F21%2Fblacklivesmatter-co-founder-urges-activism%2F&docid=nNZMFoBJp-z2ZM&tbnid=3LBhioyFp2uX1M%3A&w=1819&h=862&bih=752&biw=1575&ved=0ahUKEwjoor_iruTNAhUFyT4KHfLHCqE4rAIQMwgoKCQwJA&iact=mrc&uact=8
As we were learning about the Bangladesh terrorist attack on civilians, that happened a week ago today, that news was quickly interrupted as news of another attack came out on Sunday. This time the attack was in Baghdad, Iraq, making it the deadliest attack on Iraqi civilians since the U.S led invasion of 2003.
As news of those civilian deaths circulated our news channels, less than 2 days later, Tuesday morning, we hear about another attack. This time, the attack on civilians is within our shores.
Alton Sterling had no weapons in his hands, he was down on the ground, he could not move, and he was shot 6 times, at close point. The cops held him down and shot him 6 times. Make no mistake about it, this was a terrorist attack on a civilian.
But just as we are learning about Alton Sterling, on Wednesday we learn about another civilian killed by authorities. Philando Castile was pulled over for a busted tail light and was shot to death while he sat in his car. His girlfriend, Diamond “Lavish” Reynolds, painfully caught his death on video.
Upon news of these 2 civilian deaths, the Black Lives Matter movement hit the streets demanding justice for Philando Castile and Alton Sterling.
Then on Thursday night we hear that the Dallas' protest have turned violent. An Army veteran (perhaps others too) went out and killed 5 police officers. It is important to note, many of these officers died protecting peaceful protesters during the shoot out.
So much news of death is happening that it’s hard to absorb and keep up with.
However, in the midst of all this painful news… some people have started bringing up the question, asking again, why is it about #BlackLivesMatter all the time? Now that these cops have been killed in Dallas, isn't BlackLivesMatter perpetuating the problem? Plus, don’t #AllLivesMatter -- including the cops who were killed?
So, in the middle of all this painful news, in case you are asking why the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag exists, or why it’s taken center stage, and does it perpetuate the murder of cops? Since I believe asking any and all questions should be encouraged (how we handle issues is what separates those who seek a solution from those that seek a fight), then let's fully address this with actual evidence.
When we take time to look at actual hard numbers, percentage wise, black people are killed at a higher rate by cops than almost anyone else in the USA (besides Native Americans, that is. Yes, believe it or not, Native Americans are killed at a HIGHER percentage rate by cops than anyone else in the USA).
To say the least, the numbers on this are shocking and are the following:
Black people make up 12-13% of the US population, but cops kill between 25-28% of the Black Population. This means, Black people are killed at a rate more than double their population, which would put Black people on the “extinction list” if this continues. As far as I'm concerned, in the USA, black people are on the “endangered” list.
Latinos make up 17% population, but cops kill 14% of the Latino population -- which means Latinos are on the just “barely surviving” list. If black people go on the “extinct” list, then latinos might take their place on the “endangered” list.
White People make up 63% of the population, but cops kill 48-49% of the white population. Which means that even though White people (numbers wise) get killed by cops the most, percentage wise it is different. Percentage wise, white people are on the “doing OK” list because they don’t have to worry about “barely surviving" and definitely don’t have to worry about becoming “extinct”.
When we look at the hard numbers, we realize white people still get to populate at a 16-17% higher rate than the rate cops kill them by. Being the naturally inquisitive person I am (apologies if you hate questions) I have to ask, why? Why is this happening? Yes, inquiring minds want to know.
Is that because white people commit less crimes than anyone else, are white people really less criminally minded? Is that the case? Or could it be something else, like our deep rooted sentiments about race? Or should we not ask that question? Either way, whether we want questions asked or not, one thing is clear. The hard numbers show that something is going on and it must be solved.
So how do we solve it? By taking care of the most endangered person, that’s how. The point is that if we always take care of the most endangered person then (as a natural, occurring, domino effect) we end up taking care of everyone.
So again, yes, #YesObviouslyAllLivesMatter - but #BlackLivesMatter is about taking care of the most endangered person - hence, taking care of everyone.
Now, with that... because Native Americans are getting killed at a higher rate than anyone else in the USA - and we barely talk about it in the US media — or even in activist circles it barely gets noted — I have to definitely say #NativeAmericanLivesMatter.
Here are the hard percentages: Native Americans make up 0.8% of the US population, but cops kill them at rate of 1.9% -- Meaning, Native Americans are killed at a rate that is exceedingly more than double their actual population, more than black people. No wonder Native Americans are practically already extinct in the United States, they should already be on the “extinction” list, and we do not talk enough about this. We need to be talking about this problem much more, and we need to address it.
Still, that does not mean the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag is unnecessary because that hashtag has helped highlight this crucial, important issue on a nationwide scale. Because of Black Lives Matters, I started googling all these statistics. Thank you to them, I am more informed today than I was yesterday. This is the natural, occurring domino effect I mentioned above.
Civilians are getting killed everywhere, so are cops and military personnel. But this doesn't mean that the black lives matter hashtag implies a hatred of cops or of anyone who isn't black. Black Lives Matter has helped inform us more. Furthermore, The Black Lives Matter movement has, rightfully so, addressed the killing of the cops and has condemned them. It is simply incorrect to assume that Black Lives Matter wants death and/or doesn't care about other people. That assumption is incorrect. What the black lives matter hashtag does do is create the space for the possibility of a loving discourse that addresses taking care of everyone. Loving Black People does not mean hating cops or other people, you can love everyone. This is not mutually exclusive. We need more loving discourse to stop any and all attacks, domestic and abroad, on all people. This is what the Black Lives Matter movement has helped us understand and it is what it has asked us to do.
#BlackLivesMatter NativeAmericanLivesMatter #LatinoLivesMatter #AsianLivesMatter #PeopleWithMixedEthnicityLivesMatter #InuitLivesMatter #ArabLivesMatter #WhiteLivesMatter #AnyoneThatWasLeftOutYourLifeMattersToo #YesObviouslyAllLivesMatter #BlackLivesMatterHasAwakanedOurCollectiveConsciousness
A google search, worded in the following way “black lives matter hashtag why does it exist”, generated the following results for me:
1.) http://blacklivesmatter.com/herstory/
2.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Lives_Matter
3.) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/history-black-lives-matter_us_56d0a3b0e4b0871f60eb4af5
4.) http://www.wired.com/2015/10/how-black-lives-matter-uses-social-media-to-fight-the-power/
5.) http://www.relevantmagazine.com/current/nation/problem-saying-all-lives-matter
6.) https://blackmillennials.com/2014/12/01/what-you-mean-by-alllivesmatter/
7.) https://themelodramaticconfessionsofcarlalouise.wordpress.com/2015/12/20/all-lives-matter/
8.) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/67061481929895713/
9.) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/67061481928203437/
10.) http://www.browndailyherald.com/2016/03/21/blacklivesmatter-co-founder-urges-activism/
11.) https://www.theodysseyonline.com/whitelivesmatteryeah
12.) https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/can-black-lives-matter-improve-race-relations-america-l-campbell
13.) https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.browndailyherald.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F03%2FBorowski-black-lives-matter.png&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.browndailyherald.com%2F2016%2F03%2F21%2Fblacklivesmatter-co-founder-urges-activism%2F&docid=nNZMFoBJp-z2ZM&tbnid=3LBhioyFp2uX1M%3A&w=1819&h=862&bih=752&biw=1575&ved=0ahUKEwjoor_iruTNAhUFyT4KHfLHCqE4rAIQMwgoKCQwJA&iact=mrc&uact=8