Black lives matter. There is no if, ands, or buts about that. Invalidating someone’s life because of the color of their skin is ignorant and wrong. And until black lives matter, all other lives can’t matter.

Honestly, it boggles my mind that we’re in the year 2020 and we still have groups of people fighting for basic human rights. Why is this still happening? Have we not evolved enough as a society to realize that the past needs to be learned from and that the future needs to be changed so we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past? Apparently not, otherwise we still wouldn’t have people being murdered and judged for the color of their skin, their gender, and their sexual orientation.

It both sickens and saddens me that this is our world right now. It sickens me that in the past week 5 black people have been found lynched and all their deaths are being ruled suicide. Does the media really expect us to believe that? I’m sure there are some who believe that to be true, but I don’t believe it for one second. And these deaths are being swept aside with so many other black deaths and it’s bullshit. The loss of human life is not something to sweep aside or shrug your shoulders at. If these deaths don’t make you angry or upset, then why should any death ever make you angry or upset?

And with all that anger toward this also comes sadness. I am sad for those who have lost loved ones because of the injustice of the world. I am sad for all the families who are fighting to get justice for their lost loved ones who were wrongfully killed. A daughter lost her father and his murder was filmed for the world to see. He called out for his mother. George Floyd called out for his mother. His daughter is now growing up without her father because he was murdered by an officer of the law. Breonna Taylor was in her bed at home and was shot seven times by police. Elijah McClain was walking home from a convenience store when police confronted him. Elijah was then held down by police who beat him and injected him with ketamine. He died as a result. These are just three of the many individuals who have lost their lives because of police officers who didn’t do their jobs properly.

Before anyone says “Not all police officers are corrupt”, think about this- Say you have a police force of 100 cops and out of those 100 cops, you have 10 who dirty cops. Now let’s just say the other 90 cops know about their corruptness, but turn a blind eye to it for some reason. That means that you have 100 dirty cops because the other 90 are doing nothing to stop the 10. But the point of this post isn’t to attack the police- It’s to acknowledge lives lost and a call for change.

Now someone might read this and ask me “What gives you the right to write about this topic? You’re white and don’t understand what a black person goes through.” And that person would be absolutely right- I don’t understand what a black person goes through on a daily basis. As a white female I have a “privilege” of not being targeted for my skin color. I’ve never experienced the fear of walking past a cop and wondering if they’re going to accuse me of a crime. I’ve never had to worry about having my hands in my pockets and a hood over my head because I might be accused of stealing something or concealing a weapon. I’ve never been branded as a criminal, a thug, a gang member, or any other harmful stereotypes because of the color of my skin. So I will never try to pretend that I understand what my black friends go through, but I can support them and fight for their rights, which are basic human rights that everyone should have. Also, if as a white female I have a “privilege” around me, then why shouldn’t I use that “privilege” as a way to help empower a movement that needs our support and our attention? If I have this “privilege” of being listened to, then why shouldn’t I use my voice for good?

I am still becoming educated on this matter. Thanks to the posts of others who are more educated than I am and outspoken friends who directly impacted by this, I learn more and more each day. But I still have a lot to learn and I fully intend to learn more. So while I may not know everything, I do know that supporting Black Lives Matter is supporting human rights and equality. It’s fighting against racial injustice, racial intolerance, and racial discrimination. All Black Lives Matter and I will support those I love in this movement however I can.

I encourage everyone and myself to become more educated and find ways to help support the black community. Some ways we can support the black community are by supporting black owned businesses, donating to charities supporting the black community, reaching out to our local politicians to call for change, and much more to help support this important matter. By offering our support and educating ourselves to be better allies, we are showing the world how important this matter is and that it won’t ever go away.

I don’t want my future children or anyone else’s present and future children to grow up in a world where them or someone they know is invalidated or seen as unequal. We have a chance to make the world a better place for present and future generations. If we aren’t standing for basic human rights and equality, then what should we stand for? We need to do better, so let’s do better. Education, intelligent conversation, and an open mind and heart are our best tools for change, so let’s put them to good use and work toward positive changes for the future.