I have held off commenting on the whole “Black Lives Matter” controversy for quite some time, mostly because I can’t believe it is even possible for there to be a controversy. I seriously thought I was imagining it. Apparently I am not. So…. hang on, we’re gonna have to think this one through.
Let’s break it down….
It’s a pretty simple statement. Black Lives Matter. Who in their right mind could possibly argue otherwise? Seriously, how do you argue against that statement?
Then I realized. In my logical, English-speaking mind, the opposite of “Black Lives Matter” is the simple negation, “Black Lives Don’t Matter”. Who would believe that? Who would think that? What kind of racist monster would even suggest saying Black Lives Don’t Matter?
Nobody. No one would. That’s not it. That’s not how it works. First…. you have to twist the message.
Transform “Black Lives Matter” into “Only Black Lives Matter” , then…. now you’ve got something. Them’s fightin words. Now you can work up all your righteous indignity and respond with “All Lives Matter”. All Lives mother-&@#$! That’s right, you ain’t special. All Lives Matter.
But… There’s a problem with that. A big, fundamental problem: Nobody is saying “Only Black Lives Matter”. Nobody. Nobody is saying “Black Lives Matter More”. Nobody is saying “White Lives Don’t Matter.”
Nobody. No. Not anybody. Stop it. Just Stop. Nobody.
The only thing the “Black Lives Matter” movement is saying, is…. wait for it….. Black. Lives. Matter. Just those three words. That’s it. That’s all. Nothing more. Nothing less. It really is that simple.
Only in America would people think “All Lives Matter” is the logical opposite of “Black Lives Matter”.
Do we not understand subsets?
Of course All Lives Matter. Of course Black Lives Matter. These are not mutually exclusive. After all “Black” is part of “All” right? Black people are part of All people, right?
Wait…. now I think I see the problem…