Why “All Lives Matter” is problematic

By: Alexxa Rojas

Dominating the current socio-economic climate, the death of George Floyd in May of 2020 stimulated the boiling point of an ongoing nationwide movement titled ‘Black Lives Matter.’ The movement, founded in 2013, was in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. Overall, the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement sheds light and brings awareness to the unjust racial profiling of black lives in the circumstances of police brutality. The simple phrase, as stated from their organizational webpage, is an “affirmation of Black folks’ humanity, our contributions to this society, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression.”

What does this have to do with ‘All Lives Matter?’ Well, opponents to the movement use this term as a counterargument or replacement to the original “Black Lives Matter” implying that the movement’s slogan suggests Black lives matter more than those of others. On the surface level, the phrase “All Lives Matter” seems well-intentioned, seeming to support equality on all levels regardless of any category of one’s identity. However, in reality, the idea that this phrase is simply ‘well-intentioned’ is entirely ignorant and insensitive.

As a counter-argument or rebuttal to ‘Black lives matter’, the phrase “All lives matter” acts to suppress and invalidate the real problem that Black people are facing in the real world. A popular cartoon created by Kris Straub demonstrates the issue with the phrase. Seen from the image, if a house is burning down, you’re obviously going to focus on putting out the fire instead of watering a house that’s just fine. In this analogy, black lives are the burning house, and everyone else is living much more comfortably in the house that isn’t burning down. Clearly, one is a bigger problem. The point of Black Lives Matter, both the phrase and the movement, isn’t suggesting that black lives are more important than other lives, rather, black lives are maltreated and insignificant; as a nation, we need to recognize that. Like past president Barack Obama says on the usage of both phrases, 

“I think it’s also important for us to understand that the phrase ‘Black Lives Matter’ simply refers to the notion that there’s a specific vulnerability for African-Americans that needs to be addressed. It’s not meant to suggest that other lives don’t matter. It’s to suggest that other folks aren’t experiencing this particular vulnerability and so we shouldn’t get too caught up somehow in this notion that people who are asking for fair treatment are somehow automatically anti-police or trying to only look out for black lives as opposed to others…” 

Using the phrase “all lives matter” is downplaying a real problem we face as a society, the hundreds, thousands, of unjust deaths of innocent black lives because of the corrupt hand of law enforcement is not something to be placated or pacified with a vague and ignorant expression. The legal system made to protect innocent civilians is actually inflicting more harm introducing the question of who the real villains really are. When those who hold a large, overwhelming position of authority and power abuse this for the intentional demise of a certain group of innocent lives, said the system needs a serious culture change.

 Instead of saying “all lives matter,” try to recognize that in order for real change to happen, address issues, don’t go around them or bypass them for a more ‘comfortable’ viewpoint. All lives don’t matter until black lives do.