How the Black Lives Matter Movement Was Started - Essay Example

Black Lives Matter Name Institution Date Background This paper talks of how the Black Lives Matter movement was started, and it's aimed. The black lives matter is an internationally recognized African-American based organization seeking to validate the lives of blacks. The organization is working to rebuild and build the liberation of blacks. It was created in 2012 following the murder of Trayvon Martin and the George Zimmerman, the murderer, was acquitted for his crime. Trayvon, the 17-year-old dead, posthumously prosecuted for his murder while the real killer walked free. Trayvon Martin was African-American living in Florida while the George Zimmerman was a Neighborhood, watch captain. The black lives matter is a call to action to respond to answer to the anti-black racism that lingers in the society today. The movement seeks to overcome the extrajudicial killings of the black people in the hands of the police and vigilantes. The movement started as a hashtag #BlackLivesMatter in July 2013 after George Zimmerman acquittal in the killing of the 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. weeks after the saga of Trayvon Martin, the story reached a few until Ryan Julison, Attorney representing Martin’s family reached a strategist in Orlando and a white member of what was slowly building to Team Trayvon. The story went nowhere because the media hesitates to broadcast a story with a racial aspect, especially one that features a black victim of white injustice (McKinley, 2014). After the meeting Crump, the Orlando-based strategist, the Trayvon saga began broadcasting to the larger world demanding the arrest of the killer and justice to the deceased. The use of the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on various social platforms became nationally recognized for the demonstrations in the streets calling for action to end the extrajudicial killings of the Black in the hands of police officers and vigilantes. The online movement was formed by black community organizers who foresaw it go viral. The conversation is broadening around states in which Black People are left powerless in the hands of the state by being denied their fundamental rights and dignity. The movement is working for a place where no Black lives will not be targeted for this tragedy. Humanity and resilience to face the oppression is the aim of the movement. Fighting for equity and appreciation of the Black people by taking the hashtag off the media to actions, the black lives matter is a cry for all black lives struggling for validation (Clark, 2016). The movement works under various guiding principle to achieve their set goals. The movement is committed to appreciating and celebrate differences in gender and skin color and the commonalities. They are working day in day out for freedom and fair justice for the black people and their whole existence by creating a loving community that binds through their struggle for existence. They are also working to achieve the love, freedom, and justice for the Blacks and ensure that the same is practiced for those who may not be necessarily black. The movement targets to bring the all black people together as one family by creating awareness of the different ways that black lives are impacted globally. They seek to appreciate all black lives regardless of their sexual, gender identity, economic status, and immigration status. Beliefs or disbeliefs. The movement committed to creating a community embodied and practicing equality, justice, peace and engagement with one another. They started with the fact that all people, regardless of their age have the capability to learn and lead. They foster an intergenerational network free of discrimination based on the color of the skin or the origin of people. Their aim is to be recognized worldwide (McClain, 2012) The defense program of these needy black and Latinos are underfunded thus putting them lying behind the rest. The platforms being underfunded are the primary reasons why they are the unable fight for the right of these individuals, things like good living conditions and good pay after working. The black has to work for longer hours to put food on the table, and some jobs do not even employ them due to their color despite having the qualification required. This program is diminished in power for them not to have the bargaining power to administer power to the government.In case the government gives them its ear they receive little bond. This has led to to the movement to rise up and ask equality and a higher in funding of the defense program for the minority. Police on the criminal justices make it harsh to the people by imposing worse consequences to socioeconomic inequalities for those with criminal records and diverting them to the public spending. This collateral effect affects mostly the black as they are the once who are essentially sentenced as compared to other citizens. Some of this include once sentenced you cannot be employed in some government organizations. Once imprisoned for the first time, you became a suspect in case if something similar happens in your surroundings. This has led to people of the color to remain weak at a very higher rate as they are inappropriately affected as compared to the rest. This initiative intends to reduce prison admission to eliminate low-level offenders from these consequences. There are many inappropriate race-neutral policies and laws have a disparate racial impact. This law mainly affects the black making them subjected to sentences. Killing Scenarios According to Huffington post, 194 black people have been murdered in 2015 and 2016. This number includes deaths in law enforcement. Their statistics are based on tracking police killings with the help of The Guardian. Recently, Police officers fatally shot Lamont Scott, a black American in Charlotte, North Carolina. Police were pursuing another man when the landed to Scott, who they claim was armed. Scott was ordered to drop the gun by police, a gun that he did not possess and shot him dead. The video went viral on social platforms. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a day after Scott murder, a video was released online depicting the death of Terence Crutcher who was stranded on them middle of the road after his car broke down. The officers claim that he did not follow the order to put his hands up while the video shows him walking towards the vehicle with his hands in the air. There is no vivid reason why the officer killed him while the video indicates that he co-operated with the police orders. Terence did not have any weapon in his possession that may have threatened the officers. He was innocent and needed help to tow his broken vehicle but instead police he appeared to be a thug in the eyes of the officers. In July 2016, another killing happened in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. Philando Castile was shot dead by police officers. Diamond Reynolds, his Fiancée, recorded a video of Philando bleeds to death from the gunshot wounds. He was shot thrice for unknown reasons. In Louisiana, Sterling died after being shot by police officers. The officers were pursuing a man who was in possession of a gun after they received a report when they came across Sterling (Barker. A, 2014). In the video, Sterling appears to be lying on the ground before the police shot him at close range. The officers say Sterling was trying to reach for a gun in his pocket, which is contrary to the video. Sterling did not possess any weapon as police claims. A study conducted in 2015 shows that six out of ten Black men are treated unfairly in the hands of the police officers and vigilantes. Since 2014, the media has broadcasted many cases where police arrest and kill black people. In 2014, Michael Brown, 18 years old lost his life in the hands of the police in Missouri. Research conducted by The Guardian shows that middle-aged black males have a high percentage to suffer death or mistreatment in the hands of the police. (Guardian, 2014). The number of the deaths of the blacks rise every day. In 2015, the Guardian estimated that at least 300 blacks were killed the United States police. On the contrary, another research revealed that black cops are more likely to arrest and mistreat the black suspects more than the white cops. The activists have questioned the modern day policing where police take lives like they do not stand for anything. (Guardian, 2014). Statistics reveal that Keith Scott, Terence Crutcher, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile were innocent and did not have to lose their lives. Some of the deceased were prosecuted based on false accusations while some of the real killers were acquitted of their cases. The policed lacked justifiable reasons to kill the innocent blacks. The black community could no longer remain silent again. The extrajudicial killing was becoming more rampant each day, and action had to be taken to stem the tide. The campaigns went viral on social Medias and on the streets. Black Lives Matter campaigns Racism has become an issue that needs to be addressed before getting out of hand in the United States. The movement has utilized any available channel to pass the message on the whole world. This includes using social Medias: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and many others. Social platforms have become the widely used channels to communicate following the rapidly growing technological knowledge and innovations. The use of hashtag ‘#BlackLivesMatter’ hashtag on social platforms has taken the campaign to global levels. A huge number of people use these medias every day to communicate and exchange information. By posting videos showing police commit extrajudicial killing on the social platforms enhances bigger audiences worldwide and sometimes reaches the top Governments officials and even the president (Taylor. N, 2015). The movement has involved the top black celebrities in the United States in joining them in their campaigns to help them reach a higher audience who are their fans. The stars include basketball players, movie actors, musicians, radio presenters, and socialites. Some of the celebrities include Carmelo Anthony a basketball player and a hero of the black youths in America. He called other athletes to join him in the campaign the menace facing his people. Jay-z and Beyoncé have acceded to the campaign using music performances in different social events to fight racism in America by criticizing the vice in the society today (Davidson. N, 2016). Drake, a black-American and a hip-hop musician is using his music and a huge fan base to curb racism in the American society. He talks about America his second home, which is now stained by the strained relationship between police and the people of, color asking people to turn back to the good old days. LeBron James, a basketball player, and a black American joined the campaign to end racism in America. Serena Williams, a dominant athlete in her generation, stood before the audience after winning at Wimbledon to criticize the act of racism to her millions of fans after she woke up to the sad news that another black man killed in a controversial manner by the police officers. T.I, a musician, and a producer took part in Atlanta to call for mandatory demonstrations to raise their voice to the Government to take actions and the extrajudicial killings. Kendrick Lamar, a black American musician who is adored by many including President Obama, is a member of the movement to criticize racism through his music to the fans worldwide. Ice cube, Nicki Minaj, Cedric the entertainer and many other blacks came together and filmed a movie named ‘Barbershop Next Cut.' In the barbershop, blacks came to bond with each other and found solutions to survive. Their town is faced with different kind of conflicts that make them vulnerable to death in the battle because of their color of the skin. The movie calls for unity among blacks where they solve conflicts with each other and encourage harmonious living. They also encourage the parents to take good care of their children by observing the kind of company they keep. Some of the children hung up with the criminals and end up being killed in the process of law enforcement blaming the police for killing a black person. All these efforts are dedicated to both blacks and whites to join hands in the efforts to curb the menace of racism, appreciate the Black Lives, and stop looking down upon them as if they are not entitled to live. A life is a life regardless of the color of the skin, origin, location, economic or social status. All lives are the same in the eyes of the creator. All Lives Matter vs. Black Lives Matter All lives matter campaign developed to counter the Black Lives Matter campaign following a misconception that the campaign is favoring one side of the story: the blacks only. Indeed, all lives matter, but if the one hand is discriminated, there is need to fight for validation from those undermining them. The whites termed the Blacks as selfish and only concerned with their well-being and not for other who may not be black. The campaign had the aim to show that every human life has an equal worth and deserves dignity. Every person deserves to live. The campaign rejects all attempts to separate humanity into those who have the right to live and those who do not. The society should recognize that racism is unjust to all and that human worth is not based on such characteristics. The rich do not have more rights over the weak nor do the white have more rights over the blacks. All lives matter. The campaign supports equal dignity and opposes the extrajudicial killings of the Blacks. No humans deserve injustice based on their physical appearance. Every person deserves ultimate dignity because everyone matters and everyone counts. Treating others with dignity and respect even those who may not be the same skin is one way to end the disaster that is clipping in the society today. Treating every person with dignity is one way of moving forward without discriminating people regardless of their color. The movement advocates for unity among blacks and blacks, whites and white, black and whites as a way of eliminating racism and appreciating each other. The All Life Matter claims that the white people were being left out of the Black Lives Matter movement in search of the solution to racism that could end up dividing people instead of uniting them. Solution to racism Racism is an enormous problem engulfing the society today. It is sad to hear about riots and murders of the black people in the hands of the white person. The black people cannot sit back and watch their fellows suffer hoping that one-day justice will come knocking at the door. The problems with police brutality are becoming more rampant each day. The issue does not only affect the minority but affects the society. Prejudice policing is messing communities and encouraging racial division (Trevor. N. 2016). The victims (Blacks) are urged to raise their voice about racism that faces them without any fear. They should conduct peaceful demonstrations so their grievances can be listened and addressed by the branch of the Government concerned. They should push for the removal of the bad cops who disrespect the badge by not upholding their duties to protect and serve the citizens. The officers who shoot and ask questions later should hold such position in the society (Trevor, 2016). They are also urged to record police encounter where the officer is compromising the rights of a black man to use it as evidence to fight for justice. In conclusion, the black people have suffered more in police brutality than the white people. Some of them are innocent but end up killed for no good reason. Black Lives Matter is progressing well in fighting racism by creating awareness across the world by use of the social platforms. To be fair enough, all lives matter not only the black or white lives. Appreciating all lives is the step to moving forward to a racism-free society. The Americans should exercise their right to vote leaders who will unite them and not try to divide them based on their appearance. Every life counts. References McKinley, J. & Baker, A. (2014). Grand Jury System, With Exceptions, Favors the Police in Fatalities. Etc., L. B. (2013). New ethnicities and urban culture: Racisms and multicultural in young lives. United States: Taylor and Francis Clare, R. (2016). Black lives matter: The black lives matter movement in the national museum of African American history and culture. Transfers, 6(1), doi:10.3167/trans.2016.060112 Internet sources http://blacklivesmatter.com/about/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/black-people-killed-by-police-america_us_577da633e4b0c590f7e7fb17 http://www.teenvogue.com/story/support-the-black-lives-matter-movement Read More