Today, there is a severe struggle against racism firmly strengthened in the system. Looking back at the country’s past, one can recall many examples of disrespect when Black people’s lives did not matter to others – slavery, lynching, Jim Crow laws, and other situations. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) is the famous movement of the continuing struggle for justice that supports some of its predecessors’ traditions. The movement’s representatives seek to eliminate violence against African-Americans and defend their rights. The movement’s struggle attracts public attention, and those who do not understand the need for societal changes can criticize BLM. For example, the slogan “Black Lives Matter” can be ambiguously interpreted and cause condemnation as excluding other races as important. Despite potential criticism of the movement and its recent emergence, I believe that the BLM supports the old struggle for equality through its actions and statements, including the slogan.
The phrase “Black Lives Matter” aims to protect and support oppressed groups and achieve equality. I think it is essential to understand that the expression does not belittle other races but draws attention to the fact that Black people should be treated equally as other people. Highlighting one race, the phrase does not discriminate but draws attention to the problem that this group suffers. This assumption is justified by the history of oppression and the long struggle against it. Marginalized people usually do not seek to become new oppressors but want to enjoy their rights, which they are deprived of. In a situation where people do not receive the protection and privileges guaranteed by human rights, feelings of anger and frustration due to injustice may arise, as well as questions about these deprivations’ causes. Therefore, the phrase “Black Lives Matter” is a requirement of recognition that Black people should enjoy their rights the same way as all citizens.
The discussed phrase is not just the movement’s slogan but, in fact, its beginning and the way of protest. The hashtag # BlackLivesMatter spread on the Internet in response to the killing of African Americans by the police in circumstances where the use of force was not necessary. All people in society, regardless of race, deserve and expect protection provided by law enforcement agencies, but the murder incidents fuel inequality and lack of rights for oppressed groups. BLM seeks to stop the violence directed at the African-American community and strive for justice in society. Having begun their activity on the Internet, BLM representatives also expressed their protest on the streets in rallies. Consequently, by calling for demonstrations against murders and drawing attention to the lives of African-Americans, the movement has become very famous several years after its appearance.
I believe that despite its novelty, the BLM movement continues the old struggle, covering other activities and views, such as the Civil Rights Movement. BLM and the Civil Rights Movement creators continue the tradition of resistance to oppression, which has lasted since the transatlantic slave trade began. The Civil Rights Movement and BLM goals are directed to the most pressing problems of their time, and a non-violent strategy is used to attract attention and start a dialogue on these issues. Moreover, both movements devoted their efforts to the problems of the murder of African-Americans, although to varying degrees. It is also worth acknowledging that today incidents become known quickly getting into the news and the Internet. Moreover, everyone can express an opinion and share it on social media, thus finding like-minded people and calling them for protest. This fact makes the Civil Rights Movement protests so impressive, requiring considerable effort, and at the same time challenges modern movements in the search for new effective methods.
Thus, the BLM movement, which arose several years ago, seeks to stop violence against the African-American community. The movement’s slogan “Black Lives Matter” may be misunderstood, but it aims to protect and recognize the value of the Black population equally with other races. Although BLM arose recently and has unique modern features, it is part of the long struggle. Resistance to the suppression of race has lasted since the slave trade began and caused many movements’ appearance. One of the most influential is the Civil Rights Movement, which shares common features with BLM, revealing their connection. Both movements defend the rights of Blacks, fight for justice, and use non-violent methods, drawing attention to the problem. The differences in activities are caused mainly by the peculiarities of time.