Presidential candidates on the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders (the Independent senator from Vermont) and Martin O'Malley (the former governor of Maryland) were on the stage at the 6/18/2015 Netroots Nation when O'Malley was interrupted by a protest group that chanted "Black Lives Matter". In response Martin O'Malley said "Black lives matter, White lives matter, All lives matter".
What O'Mally said was true. All lives DO matter. But the crowd booed and O'Malley later apologized... because he realized that the reason the Black Lives Matter movement exists is because some people do not believe Black Lives Matter.
| Sandra Bland: Today's "Sandy Speaks" is going to focus directly on my White people. White people, yes, Black people know that all lives matter. But what I need you guys to understand is that being a Black person in America is very very hard. Although you all love to say, "oh nobody should see race. People are the reason that racism is still alive". Well, what kind of people are the reason? Black racists have no power. Whereas White racists do. They have power because they are in positions of control. Or they are in positions where they can influence the control over Black people. Yes, that is very true.
...at the moment, Black Lives Matter. They matter. Our media is showing you -- obviously they don't. So, if y'all can sit around and say "all lives matter"... I want you to go, put it on a poster, and stand out on a corner somewhere. If we can get enough White people to show that all lives matter, maybe they'll stop killing our Black brothers. Because that's obviously what it's going to take. For the White people to get up and get tired of Black people saying "Black Lives Matter". So, if y'all want it to stop, you get out there and do something about it. I'm not a racist, I grew up in Villa Park IL. I was the only Black girl on an all-White cheerleading squad. ... Black people, you will not be successful in this world until you learn how to work with White people. But I want the White folks to really understand out there, Black people are truly doing as much as we can. Not all of us, but some of us are doing as much as we can. And we can't help but get pissed off when we see situations where it's clear the Black life didn't matter. For those of you questioning, why was he running away, well goddamn. Because in the news that we've seen as of late... you can stand there, surrender to the cops, and still be killed. For those of you who feel like All Lives Matter... if you want to put it on a poster, I will stand out there with you. But if you're not ready to do that, do not get on my page with it. Plain and simple. You might have a Black friend or two... and I'm not calling all White people racist, because y'all are not. But for the ones who want to get on my page saying All Lives Matter? Show me in American history where all lives have mattered. Show me where there has been Liberty and Justice for All. Like that fucking Pledge of Allegiance we love to say. Excuse my French, cause Sandy Speaks don't usually cuss. But I'm really irritated by the responses to the post I made earlier... ...White people... if all lives mattered, would there need to be a hashtag for Black Lives Matter? Think about that. Truly think about that. Yes, Black on Black numbers are extremely high. Yes they are. But that is because there are uneducated people who are hell bent on self-extermination. I am not one of them. I am into building up my kings and queens. For me, Black lives matter. And then, subset, All Lives Matter. Take it or leave it. |
Wikipedia: Sandra Annette Bland (2/7/1987 to 7/13/2015) was a 28-year-old African-American woman who was found hanged in a jail cell in Waller County, Texas, on July 13, 2015, three days after being arrested during a traffic stop. Officials found her death to be a suicide. There were protests against her arrest, disputing the cause of death, and alleging racial violence against her. A wrongful death lawsuit by Bland's mother settled for $1.9 million.
Video: Sandra Bland talks about Black Lives Matter on 4/8/2015. (4:07).
9/7/15 1:33pm dsb #20.