#BlackLivesMatter

When it comes to social political issues I don’t usually get involved or give my input because of the sensitivity behind a topic, especially when it comes to political issues such as #BlackLivesMatter. It’s not that I don’t want to get involved but I feel as it’s not my culture so I do not have a right to feel part of the overall group, though I do support it in every way.

Living in the United States as a minority I have witness racism first hand and for someone to say “I don’t understand why it’s such a big deal, it happens to everyone,” kills me because that is what is wrong with this world - Ignorance. How could someone who has never and will never step into this community’s shoe say “it doesn’t matter?” I understand the media covers the issue a lot but it’s not because it’s more important but because this black community is uniting or “collaborating,” to make sure they are heard. A great example, is the creation of “Black Twitter,” where African Americans all around the United States have united on Twitter to make a statement by the use of hashtags and etc. That is a phenomenal creation in my opinion. My favorite would have to be when Twitter users used #IfTheyGunnedMeDown and posted a not so pleasant picture of themselves and than a more pleasant picture to demonstrate that the media would most likely show the not so pleasant if they were to be shot. That alone makes a statement for me because I can relate in the sense that I too do have not so pleasant pictures of myself but in no way do they represent who I am. I also enjoyed how we have talked about Kaepernick and sitting during the national anthem, sure athletes like himself make million a year, which he could donate but that’s not what this community wants or needs but instead taking a stand for the injustices they encounter everyday.

Many would say “#BlackLivesMatters” only shows you the side they want you to see but doesn’t everything in this world? And sure you have movements such as Every Lives Matters, which trust me they do but Black Lives Matters isn’t contradicting this movement but instead are saying that this is what our society is doing to them so what are we going to do about it?

So yeah I was a bit upset when my classmate said this doesn’t truly matter because it’s statements like these that add on to the issues this community faces every day. But I do agree the media does have a lot to do with this entire problem but the media only gives us what viewers watch, so who truly is the problem in society?

Here's a video of how the popular Twitter mannequin challenge was used to make a statement about the movement: #MannequinChallenge