Introduction
The problem of the black population’s oppression and discrimination in America has been one of the biggest in society for many years. The main problem is the lack of awareness of oppressors and their desire to prove their superiority. It is only rational that the response to discrimination is the emergence of social movements to protect the rights of oppressed populations, one of which is Black Lives Matter. At the same time, many opponents of this phenomenon appear, completely denying any movement or arguing that the lives of all people matter and that it is not worth singling out one specific social group.
Discussion
One of the most prominent manifestations of opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement is ‘All Lives Matter.’ Its supporters argue that in social movements for social equality and justice, one cannot single out only one population category that requires protection. Among the causes of this movement, West et al. call the desire of white people to keep “superior treatment” to themselves (1139). In addition, often, All Lives Matter supporters need more knowledge regarding modern racial discrimination. In their opinion, all people are already equal, regardless of race or ethnicity, and are equally oppressed. Therefore, there is no need to fight exclusively for the rights of the black population since protection is necessary for everyone.
In addition, the concept of discrimination for many people still needs to be fully understood and has blurred boundaries. ‘Discrimination’ is often interpreted as any action directed at a person contrary to his ideas about society. Expressing a disagreement with another person’s opinion can be regarded as discrimination. In such circumstances, there is a “significant disagreement about where to draw the metaphorical line between behaviors that should be labeled ‘discrimination’ and behaviors that should not” (West et al. 1140). Against the background of a misunderstanding of the concept of discrimination in society, there is a conviction that there is no blatant oppression of black people and everyone is on an equal footing.
In addition, opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement is often encouraged by the authorities. Moreover, it is not uncommon for the government to be an example of negative behavior patterns against BLM, which society adopts. One example of this phenomenon is the case in Arkansas, where the local police, supported by the government, arrested black citizens who went to the rally (Cantu and Mallet). First, it violated a person’s constitutional right to freedom of expression and peaceful protest. Secondly, this situation again showed white people that they had more power and opportunities in American society.
However, it is worth noting that the opposition to Black Lives Matter also arose from the concept of the movement itself. By choosing the slogan ‘Defund the Police,’ BML activists have almost destroyed the initial positive mood in society regarding the movement (Lowry). Many politicians, followed by citizens, considered this slogan obsolete. Moreover, the methods of achieving the goals and conditions that BLM put forward were unclear. Consequently, extensive opposition to the movement has emerged both offline and on social media such as Twitter (Klein et al. 2). Moreover, the existence of conflicting concepts in society has led to increased negative attitudes and escalation of the conflict.
Conclusion
Thus, among the main reasons people oppose Black Lives Matter are their lack of awareness of contemporary issues of racial discrimination and the desire of white people to maintain their social superiority. As a result, there are movements aimed at demoralizing BML activists. Moreover, physical force and violence against black people who support BLM are not uncommon. Another notable factor is that the government often restricts Black Lives Matter in an attempt to control citizens. Thanks to this, people who are opposed to BLM have the idea that such actions on their part will also go unpunished.
Works Cited
Cantu, Aaron Miguel, and Kandist Mallet. “How to Crush a Movement for Racial Justice. ” The Nation, Web.
Klein, Colin, et al. “Attention and counter-framing in the Black Lives Matter movement on Twitter.” Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, vol. 9, no. 1, 2022, pp. 1-12. Web.
Lowry, Rich. “The Failure of Black Lives Matter.” National Review, Web.
West, Keon, Katy Greenland, and Colette van Laar. “Implicit racism, colour blindness, and narrow definitions of discrimination: Why some White people prefer ‘All Lives Matter’to ‘Black Lives Matter’.” British Journal of Social Psychology, vol. 60, no. 4, 2021, pp. 1136-1153. Web.
