Yes, White friends, agreed ALL lives do matter. However, because of White America’s historical and current racist inhumane perspectives, precious Black Lives have been targeted and extinguished for centuries with impunity, and ‘color-blindness’ has been invoked in an attempt to erase the facts, extent, and consequences of racially-based harm. That is why we demand and cry out in this vale of tears, that BLACK LIVES MATTER!!!
In 2012, Trayvon Martin was killed by a vigilante white security officer, in front of his affluent home while carrying a bag of Skittles candy, under cover of Florida’s insidious ‘stand your ground’ law. President Obama said Trayvon could have been his son. In response this senseless racist murder #BlackLivesMatter was started by three Black women: Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi to fight for justice and expose to the world America’s deep-seated hate for of Black people. How many White boys are killed by Black or White Black or White citizen vigilante security officers while walking home from the store? This is not the general “White experience” in America. However, the pervasive killing of Black men, boys and women by White security enforcement is the traumatic lived experience for Blacks in America.
As a nation we have to accept that precious Black lives have been snuffed out with reckless cruelty by White people and show no sign of abatement. There is a deep debt of humanity and justice owed to African-Americans and that is our central focus when we demand loudly that BLACK LIVES MATTER!!!