Do All Lives Really Matter?

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By Marlena Ryan

Do all lives really matter? It is a phrase that has been heard a lot in 2020 since the murder of George Floyd. Vice President Mike Pence even expressed his agreement with the phrase back in June on “Face the Nation” when he stated, “I really believe that all lives matter”. When protests took place in cities big and small across the US and across the entire world, it was amazing to see the signs and to hear the chants of people black and white, proclaiming, Black Lives Matter. But almost immediately, there was this refrain that started to also be heard, coming predominantly from white people who did not like or were not comfortable with the statement, Black Lives Matter. The slogan that these people began to say was All Lives Matter. Of course, all lives matter! People matter, and we should treat each other as we ourselves want to be treated. But, if one of my children was hurt, tending to my hurt child does not mean that the rest of my children or even anyone else’s children do not matter. If All Lives Matter, then black lives should matter too.

If All Lives Matter, then the people who support this statement, should also show concern for immigrants, the indigenous community, the LGBTQ community, the homeless, the list could go on. The concerns regarding black on black crime within black communities and police brutality should also matter to them too. When the response to a person stating Black Lives Matter is one that talks about high crime in Chicago, IL or in Oakland, CA, the people who support All Lives Matter should care about these cities too. They should care enough to seek change. Why do they only bring up these issues when the Black Lives Matter movement or police brutality against black people is being discussed?

While All Lives Matter is not a movement, the fact that we have movements in this country is nothing new. There have been and currently are movements across the US seeking change for various social issues. Social movements are started when a group of people decide to organize around one specific cause and take action. The Me Too movement, which started in 2006, seeks to help survivors of sexual harassment and sexual abuse. The March for Our Lives movement, started in 2018 by survivors of the Parkland shooting in Florida, seeks legislation to stop gun violence. The Moms Demand Action movement, started after the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012, is a movement of moms who want to see stronger gun laws. And MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), started in 1980 by a mom whose 13-year-old daughter was killed by a drunk driver. MADD fights to stop drunk driving. Each of these movements was started by people who were personally affected by the issues they were seeking awareness and change for. Yet, a person does not have to be directly affected by these social issues in order to show support for them. I have never been the victim of gun violence, but I still stand in support for seeing the gun laws change in our country to prevent and stop gun violence. If All Lives Matter, each of these issues should matter too.

Notably, there have been counter protests to some of these social issues, including one opposing movement to the Me Too movement called Him Too. Still, it has been generally understood that a movement focused on sexual violence or gun violence was not meant to focus on domestic violence or on the opioid crisis because movements are started with the focus of one issue in mind.

The Black Lives Matter movement was started in 2013 by three black women in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman, the man who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in 2012. Black Lives Matter is a movement that is against racially motivated violence, and since 2014, after the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, has held protests and sought police reform in response to police violence against black people. While most of the protests around the Black Lives Matter movement have been peaceful, there has been violence and destruction that has taken place at some of these protests and even outside of them in the name of the movement. And while the violence and destruction has occurred for a number of different reasons, I personally do not agree with anyone displaying violence or behaving destructively in the name of Black Lives Matter. However, I still stand in support of Black Lives Matter. I still support the need for change in how police officers treat black people. I can be in support of a cause without being behind tactics that perpetuate violence and destruction. The need for change remains regardless of how demonstrators behave in trying to bring about change.

Saying Black Lives Matter does not mean that only black people matter or even that black people matter more than anyone else. Nor does it mean that black on black crime, or any other type of crime is acceptable or unimportant. A group of people could come together and start a movement around black on black crime or any issue. So, to say in response to Black Lives Matter that All Lives Matter, is to reject the issues that the Black Lives Matter movement is seeking to change. It basically tells a black person that the issues around police violence against black people are not important.

When Black Lives Matter is countered with All Lives Matter, the people who stand behind this statement do not make what they are saying personal. They do not use this statement to show how they are truly concerned about black people, or immigrants, or victims of gun violence, or any other group that this statement could encompass. If All Lives Matter, the very issues that they point to as being ones that should infuriate the black community should infuriate them too. Not because they are afraid of becoming marginalized or having their suburbs disappear, but because they truly care about the welfare of their fellow humans.

Do all lives really matter? I think that they do and that they should. But the hate and violence that we see in our country today would speak contrary to this. I wish that saying All Lives Matter could be used as a way to unify people. Perhaps it could if those who used this phrase would specifically say how they would want to help and see change for black people and for the many, many lives that have value but feel devalued. But currently, Saying All Lives Matter is not used to really show concern for anyone. It is simply used to try and quiet someone’s voice. And right now, it is being used to quiet the voices of a group that is hurting and has felt marginalized in our society.

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