By Natalie Murray ‘18

Say you’re traveling through the desert when your water runs out and you become severely dehydrated. Another traveler has much more water than they need, so you tell them, “I need water.” They reply, “everyone needs water,” and give some to a healthy, perfectly hydrated traveler. This is, essentially, “Black Lives Matter” versus “All Lives Matter.”

People who oppose All Lives Matter aren’t denying that everyone’s life has value. They dislike All Lives Matter because that particular movement wasn’t created by white people who want to help all minorities who face discrimination. All Lives Matter was created by childish individuals who wrongly assumed that Black Lives Matter meant Only Black Lives Matter, and proceeded to throw a tantrum disguised as a social movement.

All Lives Matter may seem like it’s better for “focusing on everyone,” but by grouping all people together, it implies that all races face the same level of discrimination and injustice, and that’s just not true. White people aren’t shot for carrying a toy gun or playing loud music. White people don’t face the same dangers that black people do, and stating the obvious that all people’s lives matter isn’t going to solve problems faced by any race.