Lives Matter

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has started a much-needed discussion on race equality and the institutionalized racism that exists in the country. This is a good thing with so much of it being normalized and hidden in some ways. Those not directly affected just do not see it. It does not impact their daily lives, so it is not a concern which is unfortunate.

A disturbing side effect of the BLM movement is others jumping on the “X” Lives Matter band wagon MEME’s; for example, there is a Blue Lives Matter, All Lives Matter, and even a White Lives matter. Some of these MEMEs even noted that all the talk about race is the issue. Some are taking it a step further and doing a white pride month. These all really amount to an effort to silence the voice of change and to confuse and obscure the issue.

Part of the problem with some of the rhetoric is the notion, feeling, or belief that whites are being made to feel guilty or they are guilty of the past. This is utter nonsense. We are not guilty for the sins of the past, but we do have a responsibility for changing the present and the future. To work to correct social injustices and inequalities that exist within the system. In doing so we make a better country and world for everyone.

BLM should be a concern for everyone. We cannot claim to be the shinning city on a hill when we do not practice the principle being proclaimed. Life, liberty, and justice for all cannot have an asterisk beside it specifying who “all” really is. You cannot support these principles and the principle of democracy if you are supporting the marginalization of a whole class of people.

Correcting these social injustices has benefits for everyone. As they are lifted up and given opportunities to also reap the benefits of a modern society, poverty and crime can go down. Tension between groups can be lessened creating a more peaceful society. The concept of equality becomes real and tangible.

It needs to be understood it is not about taking something from one group and giving it to another. It is more about reaching down and helping your fellow man stand on their own. Bringing them up so everyone can look each other in the eye as equals and not down on a group with some misguided superiority ideology.

The process will not be easy, but getting the conversation started is a must if we want to solve the problems. Part of that conversation must be educating each other. I would venture to say most Americans are unaware of the dark history in racism and other areas in this country’s history.

Here are a few examples being passed around on memes and a thought.

The Tuskegee Experiment[i]

This experiment conduct by the United States Public Health Services (PHS) and the Centers for Disease and Control ran from 1932–1972. They experimented on 600 black males giving them Syphilis and recorded the progression of the disease. They thought they were getting free healthcare.

One-drop Rule[ii]

The One-drop rule was a series of laws that defined what black was. By definition, anyone with any ancestor that was black that individual was considered black. These laws did not appear until the Twentieth century. Tennessee started in 1910 passing “one-drop” type laws followed by others states.

Through the 1930s and 1940s Walter Plecker of Virginia and others changed mixed race families to black setting a binary race system. Changing many peoples defined race without their knowledge. It was not until 1967 that the Supreme Court struck down a Virginia law that prohibited interracial marriage and Plecker’s Racial Integrity Act and the one-drop rule.

Drapetomania[iii]

This is the notation that slaves ran away because the master treated them well and as equal causing a mental illness to wonder. This pseudoscience was published as late as 1914 just before WWI.

WWI and WWII Veterans

Black veterans were treated differently during these conflicts and in the jobs that they could perform. Then they came home, they returned to two completely different countries. Blacks had to suffer the legislatives controls like the Racial Integrity Act and other segregation laws. The intent of these laws was to keep them in their place. They deserved the same honor a respect that whites got for their services rendered.

When you think about the Tuskegee experiment and how it was happening as late as 1972 it is appalling. Compound by the ethical problems of experimenting on people and murdering some. This is government sponsored racism and these are but a few small examples of why things must change.

The coming and necessary changes may seem painful and useless at first such as, removing monuments. Monuments are symbols that represent ideas that are meaningful and celebrated. Confederate monuments that essentially celebrate defending a society base on slavery have no place in a society of equals. Therefore they need to go. Our language will need to change over time to remove derogatory references. Harder change and even more necessary will need to come in the form of government changes to ensure equality.

[i] Wikipedia Article on the Tuskegee experiment: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_Syphilis_Study

[ii] Wikipedia article on the One-drop Rules: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-drop_rule

[iii]Wikipedia article on Drapetomania: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drapetomania