WHOSE LIFE MATTERS?
The Problem with Group-Think
For some time, I wondered why I found the phrase “Black Lives Matter” so annoying. It reminds me of being questioned “Don’t you like (fill in the blank – black, Catholic, gay, etc.)? Each one of us is so much more than a label; we’re unique. Making blanket statements about any group leads one to make assumptions, which, given our individuality, makes little sense. I like many people and constantly seek out chances to chat with almost everyone, but I don’t love everyone. While all lives might matter in a spiritual sense, are they truly equal?
Let’s dig into this deeper, instead of slinging slogans. Would you equate the life of Jeffrey Dahmer or Charles Manson with the life of Mother Teresa? They’re all Caucasian, so… Martin Luther King versus DeWayne Craddock (Virginia Beach killer, 2019). Cesar Chavez versus Jose Ines Garcia Zarate (multi-time felon who killed a woman in San Francisco). If you break into my house and threaten my family, I will consider that your life doesn’t matter as much as mine, as most of us would. I won’t check your race or identity. You are a threat and I will respond with violence.
While each person is born with a potential, value accrues to them based on their contributions and how they exploit their potential. To lump people into categories is to strait-jacket them and if the category is race, to create these collections is racism. The negative reaction to “All Lives Matter” or “Blue Lives Matter” shows that this is not simply about the stated claim—to ensure better treatment from the cops for Blacks. If that is all that this organization stands for, they should have been excited about proposals to change the rules for police engagement and treatment when the bad actors kill or harm people in the process of arresting them. They wouldn’t want to defund the police. Polls show that a significant percentage of the population (including Blacks) do not want fewer cops. If those polled live in more dangerous areas, they are more likely to want a strong police presence.
There’s no doubt that some police target Blacks more than Whites. More Blacks are killed by police than whites. We know the numbers. Defunding them won’t solve that problem. Slinging slogans and engaging in looting, violence and vandalism has never worked. Working with governing bodies to change the ordinances, rules and laws is the only solution possible and in the end a way forward to protect all lives. Even a criminal deserves his/her day in court. But let’s not let this issue divide us as a people. We’re all Americans first, fellow residents of a community second and humans too. Time to come together, not return to segregation and alienation.
