Yes, yes, I know. You want to use the #All Lives Matters hashtag to reclaim its negative connotation. You want to set yourself a part from white supremacists, white nationalists, detractors to the cause, idiots, morons, and people that don’t have anymore depth than the limited complexity beyond a bumper sticker.
You want to show the world that you’re not a racist white supremacists or nationalists. You want to show the world that you’re not that kind of Black person, Asian person, or Latinx person! You want to make a name for yourself!
I hear you. I just don’t think you’ve fully analyzed this.
So, I noticed two authors on Facebook wanting to claim the word in order to assert their humanity and how that they really are down with ALL LIVES MATTERS!
I’ve heard the fire analogy. I get that, too, but we need something more.
This analogy, just like the limited and problematic equity analogy are limited.
Here’s my following analogy that I posted on FaceBook:
Monique L. Desir 
I am white. On moving to London in 1994 I dated a black lady (her parents where from Dominica while she was born and brought up in London).
I remember visiting villages in Devon and Cornwall and my then girlfriend commenting on how people where staring at us. To this day I’m still unsure to how much of this was down to racism and how much to curiosity. There where no unpleasant comments and everyone was welcoming when we visited local businesses.
Turning specifically to the Black Lives Matter and the horrendous murder of George Floyd, I have been deeply impressed with the dignity of his family’s response. They cry out for justice and (rightly) condemn the minority of demonstrators who have destroyed property and employed violence whilst demonstrating.
I have, however been concerned by one spokesman for Black Lives Matter (interviewed on the BBC) who refused to condemn the destruction of property. Her argument was that life is more important than property. Of course I agree that human life possesses greater value than property. However at a time when people are/where destroying property (some of which belongs to black people) it struck me as a very irresponsible thing to say. Such comments play into the hands of racist extremists (white supremacists etc) who will try to use them against all those who are (very properly) calling for racism within the police to be rooted out.
Best wishes, Kevin
Kevin, I copied and pasted your comment so that way I respond to everything:
YOU:I am white. On moving to London in 1994 I dated a black lady (her parents where from Dominica while she was born and brought up in London).
What does your ethnicity have to do with your response that either supports or criticizes my post? What does your relationship with a Black lady have to do with this post?
YOU: I remember visiting villages in Devon and Cornwall and my then girlfriend commenting on how people where (sic) staring at us. To this day I’m still unsure to how much of this was down to racism and how much to curiosity. There where (sic) no unpleasant comments and everyone was welcoming when we visited local businesses.
I don’t know what this anecdote has to do with my post; however, I wonder if all this pretext is being used as a roundabout way for you to show that you’re not racist because you dated this woman who happened to be Black. If so, read this post: https://adaratrosclair.wordpress.com/2020/05/30/am-i-your-beard/
If not, read this post anyway: https://adaratrosclair.wordpress.com/2020/05/30/am-i-your-beard/
YOU: Turning specifically to the Black Lives Matter and the horrendous murder of George Floyd, I have been deeply impressed with the dignity of his family’s response. They cry out for justice and (rightly) condemn the minority of demonstrators who have destroyed property and employed violence whilst demonstrating.
What does this comment have to do with my post? You seem to be meandering down a cul-de-sac of circular reasoning. And when you use the word “dignity” are you implying that those who grieved in a different way do not possess dignity? Dignity, after all, has a positive connotation while its antonyms such as shame, ignominy, and disgrace do not. I do not condone or support the damaging of property and despite that fact, I understand. Martin Luther King said it best: “A riot is the language of the unheard”. I have compassion and I can empathize.
YOU: I have, however been concerned by one spokesman for Black Lives Matter (interviewed on the BBC) who refused to condemn the destruction of property. Her argument was that life is more important than property. Of course I agree that human life possesses greater value than property. However at a time when people are/where (sic) destroying property (some of which belongs to black people) it struck me as a very irresponsible thing to say. Such comments play into the hands of racist extremists (white supremacists etc) who will try to use them against all those who are (very properly) calling for racism within the police to be rooted out.
I cannot speak for this BLM spokesperson. The Black Lives Matter movement is not a monolith. Black people do not have a hive mind. There is no Queen Bee, although, I have been told that Beyonce or Janet Jackson would be a candidate. I digress. Yes, life is most definitely more important than property. So, why do you contradict this statement with a caveat? And when you mentioned that “such comments play into the hands of racists extremists” I think I’m beginning to understand where you or those who think like you are coming from in response to my post. You have deduced that people’s lives don’t actually matter more than the property they destroy if they’re actions are in opposition to what you believe the status quo to be. Remember that movie with Macaulay Culkin when he “defended” his property, placing himself in danger? He had plenty of opportunities to whisk himself away to safety, to tell an adult what was about to go down at his home while he was all alone. The movie is written in a manner where most audiences are okay with this comical violence as he sets up complicated traps and reigns nearly murderous mayhem on the two thieves’ heads because he’s protecting his family’s property. Here’s the catch, Macaulay’s character is celebrated for “protecting” his property all the while it is being destroyed in his One Kid Army stance, and few people question that. Interesting.
That said, this leads me to that enlightening point you almost made when you fixed your mouth to say some of the property being destroyed by “black people” belongs to “black people”. Oh really? Unfortunately, that’s not the complete narrative and even if people weren’t destroying property, white supremacists would still be doing white supremacist things, so your argument comes off as channeling unnecessary and questionable “whataboutisms”. Read this to know what’s going on behind the apparent chaos: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/01/george-floyd-riots-violence-damage-property-police-brutality
History has shown the many, many, many, many times Black people have tried to make a peaceful place for themselves and the many times their own government and neighbors have stopped them from doing so. I’m not anyone’s Walking Talking Encyclopedia nor am I a Magical Negro Mentor (contrary to Stephen King’s stereotypical depictions lol), so use those smashing keyboarding hands to research this incredibly unfair and complicated history and educate yourself. You’ll be glad you did. Or maybe angry and motivated to help make the necessary changes. Here, I’m feeling generous and will give you a few more links to get you started: https://www.history.com/news/black-wall-street-tulsa-race-massacre, https://www.zinnedproject.org/materials/assassination-of-fred-hampton, and https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/07/us/burglars-who-took-on-fbi-abandon-shadows.html (this is behind a paywall but it is so well worth the read)!