Black lives matter?

[Hope]

Another analogy: standing outside a breast cancer clinic, shouting 'all cancers matter'.

The point I was trying to make is that we often try to isolate elements - sometimes to our detriment.  I appreciate that the African element of the US population is a significant one, but then they also have a sizeable Hispanic population, and often they seem to be pushed to one side when it comes to the mis-balance as regards treatment by the authorities.

[Brownie]

Whilst I fully agree with the purpose of the phrase that has been used in the thread title, I sometimes wonder whether concentrating on the importance of all human lives - not just black, white, brown, yellow, etc. - might not be more effective.

I get your point, Hope, absolutely.  However the phrase was first coined by black people who were fed up with the treatment of black people by the police and other agencies.  So I wouldn't argue with it.  We don't have to say, "White lives matter", because they obviously do and whilst we might have problems and occasionally be the victim of racism (as was highlighted earlier on in this thread, very nasty business), it isn't the general rule.  Black people have always had to prove themselves and be better than anyone else to have any credibility;  it should not be so and is clearly not as bad as it used to be but is still very much the case, especially noticeable in America.  There are other groups who are equally marginalised, they probably say the same about themselves.

[Hope]

I get your point, Hope, absolutely.  However the phrase was first coined by black people who were fed up with the treatment of black people by the police and other agencies.  So I wouldn't argue with it.

If you re-read my original post, I say the same, Brownie. 

There are other groups who are equally marginalised, they probably say the same about themselves.

I suppose I'm thinking from an educational viewpoint - its far more efficient to teach the equal value of all human lives, regardless of a person's race, gender, age, orientations, educational ability (academic and non-academic), etc.

[Brownie]

You said: Whilst I fully agree with the purpose of the phrase that has been used in the thread title, I sometimes wonder whether concentrating on the importance of all human lives - not just black, white, brown, yellow, etc. - might not be more effective.


I think we agree with eachother on this one, Hope.

[Maeght]

It does occasionally happen that a "mass killing" is prevented by armed non-police persons. This is interesting:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2015/10/03/do-civilians-with-guns-ever-stop-mass-shootings/

Thanks.