I've noticed that the slogan Black Lives Matters appears to be marketed as the current civil rights campaign. If the goals are for justice and to stop the shootings of innocents, then I will agree those are good. Someone even tried to explain to me that the slogan implies a "too" at the end, which changes the impression you should get when you see it. However, there are so many problems with the slogan that it's actually slowing down progress rather than helping it. Intent may be good, but just as someone might say a racist word without realizing it is offensive, promoting "Black Lives Matters" will result in so much unnecessary conflict, tensions, and death.
Here are the issues I have with BlackLivesMatter as a slogan (and why it'll never gain full support)
- It sounds so racist: Someone explained that the slogan implies a "too". Why isn't that too explicit? Otherwise it can (and has been) interpreted as "Black Lives Matter More"
- It's easy for extremists: Black Gangsters who want to simply murder can use the slogan and it's hard to anyone to disassociate with them. They act with what people understand to be the slogan's meaning.
- It's associated with crime: Again with extremists. That's the impression in the mind of people, especially the cops. How often when an innocent cop is shot do we see the same people who say "Black Lives Mater" say "Cops' Lives Matter"? More so, since it's associated with crime, cops will not support it. If both parties can unite, then there will be peace.
- It sounds so black-centered: Why should other minorities support this? Why support a slogan that sounds like it will die as soon as the blacks are covered? I often saw that when the same things happen to other minorities, they don't get the hashtag support from the "black community"
- It accuses people of stupidity without giving them a reason not to: Someone said that this is a point of people being judged on looks and how people aren't looking deeper. If the audience is stupid, why make it harder by making things implicit instead of explicit? Why make things complicated when they should be simple?
- The slogan will result in more shootings: The blackLivesMatter slogan is always said against cops, which strikes fear of retaliation into innocent cops. This fear only increases the amount of innocent shootings because they are now rightfully scared for their lives. Even more so in gang-ridden territories. Hence the name is having the reverse effect
- It won't win: Civil Rights won because it was a name all could fight under. As Black power, it failed epically and only divided the nation further.
- Refusals to change the slogan reinforces the idea that it's black-centered and not about real justice: It should be easy for them to usurp the slogan "All Lives Matter." Since that gets attacked, those watching the issue only see that the blacks don't care about others.
The solution? A new slogan that takes the point and makes it invulnerable against extremists. As long as extremists can take a slogan, the cause can be easily destroyed, but if they act against the slogan that can't be violated, then it's easy to disassociate with extremists. The proposal: Life Matters
Reasons:
- Someone explained that "All Lives Matter" has the reputation of being used by people who want to ignore the issues they are trying to bring up. I don't believe that was the origin of the phrase. More so that it was to make that too explicit. But since the black community won't believe that explanation, a different slogan is needed
- Life Matters takes the core of what someone can expect to be good about Black Lives Matter. It makes it specific as well by saying each life matters, therefore don't kill. Cops should not shoot innocent blacks and blacks should not shoot innocent cops.
- By making it specific and general, no side can claim to adhere to it while murdering another
- It's easy to condemn extremists and identify who is truly for justice and who is for malice
- This is a slogan everyone can unite under and the cause doesn't die.
- It's simple yet powerful. It's true.
The rest is up to the community. What is best for society? Stubbornly using a slogan that only creates conflict and is easily used by extremists? I see some twitter feeds that promote hate and use the hashtag #blackLivesMatter. There is certainly fear in innocent cops that some blacks they come across will shoot them. That fear is deadly. Using a bad slogan will only slow progress and result in death for many parties (especially blacks and cops). Is that good? No. So let's adopt a slogan that is rooted in peace, life, and love. Any refusal will show that you don't care about society and justice because now I have shown why BlackLivesMatter is an evil slogan despite any good intent. Good people want peace and progress to be as soon as possible with deaths avoided. Let's march on that.
With Love,
N. D. Moharo
#LifeMatters
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