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The time has come to help equality become reality.
During recent times, silence has become an unacceptable option. An opinion holds more weight than it ever has, and it is high time to support the needy by spreading the word and expressing yourself. However, as various ideas are supported and encouraged, it is crucial to notice the ideologies emerging that do not promote equality and contribute to the injustice of discrimination suffered by minorities for years. All Lives Matter is one such declaration.
To undermine the trials and tribulations suffered by a minority community by saying 'all lives matter equally' is short-sighted. Since times immemorial, many races, castes, and genders have been discriminated against, and now is the time to uplift them- to give them a respectful position amongst others in society. By focusing on them for a moment, we are not saying they are above others- we are giving them deference that has been long due. Yes, all lives do matter, and will always be equal, but the time has come to help equality become reality, and uplift others.
When people do not have equal resources, we do not add to surplus, nor do we subtract from it. We merely add to the deficit until we reach an equilibrium. Similarly, by giving the communities that have not received the proper attention they deserve a chance to be noticed and heard, we are not taking from the oppressors or the majority. We are fixing a problem that needs immediate correction- communal disparities.
A major issue with saying all lives matter is that we imply that all lives are equally at risk. This is untrue and unjust- discrimination exists and is a reality: living in denial or ignorance will not solve the problem. This is the twenty-first century, and if change does not begin from here, then we are wasting cognizance, technology, and knowledge that have never before been possessed by humanity. To say that we have been asleep is an understatement- our eyes have only begun to take in the view of injustice, violence, and oppression that has existed for long, unnoticed. Never did anyone say, "Only black lives matter". Cries of "All Lives Matter" have the effect of diminishing the plight of a community that has suffered violent subjugation in the past and continues to feel the residual ill-effects of history, with overt and subtle racism still evident. Movements in the United States of America have brought to light the strength of the common man. We are at a point in time where any unjust dominance can be countered with valid arguments. Repudiation of the truth is not an option anymore- rising above prejudice and stigma is a duty.
A simple analogy to highlight the difference between "Black Lives Matter" and "All Lives Matter" is the popular one of 'House on Fire'. Suppose a house in the neighborhood catches fire. We cannot ignore the burning house and say 'All Houses Matter'! Of course, they do, but to ignore the needs of the injured to favor the healthy in the name of equality is utterly wrong. In basic terms, your house matters, but it is not on fire! We have to focus on the specific house as required- and right now, in the twenty-first century, the requirement is abolishing any form of either overt or subtle racism, discrimination, inequality, and many other crimes against human beings by human beings.
At its face, "All Lives Matter" sounds like a 'we're-all-in-this-together' statement. Some may be using the phrase to suggest that all races should join hands and stand together against racism, which is a sentiment that comes from a good place. The issue, however, lies deeper within because the phrase takes the focus away from those in need. Saying "All Lives Matter" redirects the attention from lives that are truly in peril.
While the intention of the phrase "All Lives Matter" may be to put everyone’s life on equal footing and convey a sense of unity, "All Lives Matter" is in truth, more divisive than unifying. It abates focus on the violence, discrimination, and overall inequity faced by various individuals. As someone rightfully said, "To fully claim Black Lives Matter (or another movement which focuses on only a section of society) is to move one step closer to All Lives Matter." We commence from here and move towards a future where no one faces partisanship or bigotry.
We are not born with hate in our hearts- it is cultured, taught, and imposed until equality becomes a foreign concept and superiority begins to blind us. It is up to us, the new generation, to use the voice we have been given to say, "Yes, all lives do matter, but they have not mattered equally until today, and it is time to change that." We must bring change: starting from our surroundings and coalescing outwards until egalitarianism is achieved.
