All races should support BLM. This is why.
All races should support BLM. This is why.
Jenny Han / Assistant Opinion Editor
George Floyd. Breonna Taylor. Elijah McClain. These are some of the countless names that became symbolic in the resurfacing of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Since their founding in 2013, BLM states in their official website that they are “committed to struggling together and to imagining and creating a world free of anti-Blackness, where every Black person has the social, economic, and political power to thrive.” However, as BLM garners widespread support, it has also attracted more skepticism, especially from those who aren’t Black. Many people feel they have no obligation to help a group of people who aren’t like them. They struggle to understand why Black people are at the forefront of these issues and thus become reluctant to fight for a group of people that don’t represent their own interests.
As someone who isn’t Black, I admit that I also struggle to truly grasp the full extent of the hardships and discrimination that Black Americans face on a daily basis. I am by no means a perfect ally. But because I am not Black, I believe that it’s crucial that I stand for BLM. Here’s why I urge you all to do the same.
On the surface, Black Lives Matter may seem like a movement exclusive only to Black people. However, according to the official BLM movement, BLM was never meant to exclude anyone; the movement aims “for freedom and justice for Black people and, by extension, all people.” BLM rather highlights a deeper issue that is ingrained into the foundation of our country. The preamble of the Constitution promises to “establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty” to “We the people of the United States,” but when were Black people ever a part of that “we?”
The microagressions, institutionalized racism, police brutality, school-to-prison pipeline, and modern day slavery in the prison system that an immeasurable amount of Black people face today clearly shows that they were never meant to be a part of that “we.” In fact, the list that I had just given about the oppression that Black people are more likely to face is only the tip of the iceberg. The argument that I’m trying to make here isn’t marking the racism that other races go through (which is also an issue) as invalid or nonexistent. Rather, it’s to prove that Black people face these issues at a disproportionately larger rate compared to other races.
Others also argue that the BLM movement demeans the struggles of those who aren’t Black; “My life was hard too even though I’m not Black!” is a common statement that highlights this point. However, the point of BLM isn’t to invalidate the struggles of those who aren’t Black. BLM points out that those who are lighter skinned don’t have to constantly worry about being judged by the color of their skin. You and I will never have our names, hair, skin color, and countless other of our own physical features be used to antagonize us. However, those are all struggles that many Black people face throughout their lives.
Additionally, some people say that BLM is racist because “All Lives Matter.” Some would go as far as to say that BLM is a hate group meant to target and “fight back” against white people. However, BLM isn’t saying that one group of people is superior over another. It means that Black Lives Matter because they haven’t been treated as if they do matter. It’s important to note that the All Lives Matter (ALM) movement was created to counteract the BLM movement because they felt that BLM called to take away their privileges and rights. Those who actually believe that All Lives Matter would support Black Lives Matter because all lives can’t matter until Black ones do.
If BLM makes you uncomfortable but ALM doesn’t, then what makes you uncomfortable isn’t the message that BLM is trying to portray. It’s the word Black that does and you need to be asking yourself why that’s the case.
If you feel just as passionately about this topic like I do, there are several ways that you can become an ally. There are a vast amount of petitions that you can sign to demand justice for the countless victims of police brutality. There are also dozens of non-profit organizations such as Color Of Change, NAACP, The Okra Project, along with bail and memorial funds to donate to if you have the funds to do so. But most importantly, being a good ally starts with inner change and education, specifically by first checking our biases and privileges.
We need to acknowledge that the beliefs we used to hold may be inaccurate and we need to work towards dismantling the racism inside of ourselves first before we can change the world. I will not deny that it’s an extremely uncomfortable process, but this is how we become better people, better allies, and better citizens. We need to say their names: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain.
“The views expressed in the editorial and op-ed sections are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego, or its student body.”