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At a surface glance the sentiment all lives have value and meaning, that all lives matter, seems essentially in agreement with ‘Black Lives Matter’. And yes the idea that all lives should be viewed as having worth, value, as mattering is the core sentiment being spoken to. It is the sentiment at the source and the ideal being sought. The reason it is ‘Black Lives Matter’ specifically is the fact that societal attitudes, abusive behavior, and systemic bias having been clearly broadcasting the message that black lives do not matter, or in the most generous interpretation they matter less. Which isn’t any better.
Responding with proclamations of ‘All Lives Matter’ might seem like an ideological agreement or even an attempt to enhance the sentiment to an ideal scope, and that might even be an intent behind it, but in reality it is an action which is invalidating, silencing, and tries to push a counter narrative. However noble the potential sentiment, when it is used to speak-over and silence people seeking to be seen and heard it becomes warped and distorted into a weapon of diminishment and discrimination.
Noble intentions alone are not good enough. We need to make sure the tools and methods we…