#BLACKLIVESMATTER or #ALLLIVESMATTER?

I had the idea for this post a couple of days ago in my government class. It was something I was yearning to discuss, so of course I had to write a post about it. I jotted the idea down in my notebook. I had written "#blacklivesmatter or #alllivesmatter?" in big black letters on the top of the page so I wouldn't forget it. Shortly after, the teacher called for lunch and we were dismissed. I left the page open on my desk and exited the room, thinking nothing of it.

When I returned, I noticed that something had changed. One of my classmates had circled "#alllivesmatter" in my notebook. I was astonished. For some reason, I hadn't imagined that my habit of writing down all of my thoughts would turn into a very strange and short lived conversation. I admire my classmate for their bravery to deface my notebook to express their obviously firm belief. (That sounded sarcastic. I wasn't supposed to be). For that reason, I would like to address the rest of this entry to my anonymous peer.

Dear friend(?) in my government class,

Hey, good for you! I think it's really cool that you have formed an opinion on a topic that a lot of people seem to dismiss. I'm actually really glad that you chose to show it to me, a person who is stubborn and, depending on the subject, hostile when it comes to my beliefs.

However, I disagree wholeheartedly with your preference for the label that "All Lives Matter", and here's why. (Hold your breath, here it comes. Sorry....you asked for it!)

Let me start with an analogy.

Let's say you and your friend start a club. Book Club? Why not. As you and your Book Club friends sit down to discuss financing the club, you notice that your club gets significantly less money from the school compared to other clubs. Naturally, you decide to start a petition to the school to give your precious Book Club the funding it deserves. You decide to call it "Give Money to the Book Club".

A friend who is not affiliated with your Book Club, however, suggests the name "Give Money to All Clubs". What? Why? Your friend explains that all clubs deserve to have appropriate funding, why should you only show preference towards the Book Club? You, as the Captain of the Book Club, ignore this silly opinion. Of course all clubs need money, but right now, we are just focusing on the Book Club.

Of course all lives matter, but right now, we are just focusing on the black ones. 

Unlike my nifty analogy, denouncing the hashtag "Black Lives Matter" does a lot more harm than denouncing "Give Money to the Book Club". We're not talking about money. We're talking about lives. Human beings.

First of all, it completely erases the issue. Claiming that "All Lives Matter" seems like you think the problem doesn't even exist. And it does. There are so many statistics and studies concretely proving that police officers are much more likely to be violent towards a young black man than any other demographic. (If you disagree, Google it. I don't have time to argue with inaccuracy.)

Secondly, it is the epitome of white privilege. When (primarily) white people take a movement targeted towards black people and shift it to also include themselves, they are exemplifying what history has already proven, white people are power hungry. In this situation, it almost seems like white people are the favorite child in a family. When the parent (America) finally pays attention to the other child (Black people), the spoiled favorite child (White people) freaks out and demands attention. "Whoa, Camille! That is so racist! I can't believe you just said that about WHITE people!" Listen, I get it. It might be hard to swallow, but its the truth. But you're not in this, white america. This issue requires your support, not for you to make yourself a victim too.

When it comes to "All Lives Matter", it isn't the words that are the problem, it is the way they are said. If they are said to fill in the clear gap that yes, some lives seem to matter less, then it works. It it is said to blatantly state that All Lives Matter without paying attention to whose or any inequality in the subject, that is an issue. Judith Butler, a Professor at UC Berkeley explained the issue perfectly when she said,

"When some people rejoin with “All Lives Matter” they misunderstand the problem, but not because their message is untrue. It is true that all lives matter, but it is equally true that not all lives are understood to matter which is precisely why it is most important to name the lives that have not mattered, and are struggling to matter in the way they deserve."

To read more of Butler's opinions on the matter, I encourage that you read this amazing article from the New York Times.

I apologize if I seem angry or unfair. It is hard to talk about something as emotional as this while maintaining complete composure.

Thanks for tuning in. Please tell me what you think on the issue in the comments, or feel free to tweet me @theonechameleon.

xxCamille

cultural appropriation: a white person's guide

The line between cultural appropriation and cultural exchange is a very, very thin one. It can be very difficult for people to grasp. It is kind of like the difference between "sampling" a song in one's own creative work, and simply stealing it. It is, however, something that is very, very important to understand. Cultural appropriation is one of the main weapons used against minority cultures and people since the beginning of time, and has only magnified itself as we become more globalized. Now, let me explain what it is and why it sucks, and how to avoid it.

Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines appropriation as the "unlawful taking or withholding of something from the rightful owner under a guise of authority". Stick the word "cultural" in front of the definition, and booyah. In short, cultural appropriation is when somebody of a different culture steals aspects of another culture without appreciating its significance just because they can.

You're probably asking yourself, "So what? I like headdresses because they look cool, and you're telling me I can't wear it just because I'm not Native American? That's racist." Okay, you're sort of right, but mostly wrong. Lets say you're at a Powwow with a Native American friend whose tribe wears headdresses. With your friend's consent, sure thing! Throw that headdress on and experience the culture. This is OK because you aren't stealing anything and you understand the cultural significance of the headdress. Now, lets say you're at Coachella, and you decide to bring along this same headdress and wear it around the festival. This is NOT OK. Taking an item of religious and cultural significance and wearing it as a prop for "fashion" is completely disrespectful to the culture. It is obvious that you don't understand the true meaning of this headdress if you wear it at an event like Coachella, and therefore, it is cultural appropriation.

Now that was just one example. Cultural appropriation happens on a much larger scale too. From white musicians sporting cornrows and fashion bloggers wearing bindis to the entire movements of art and genres of music, ideas have been stolen from people without the means to defend themselves for centuries. Its not hard to understand why this sucks for the people these things were stolen from. Their culture, their heritage, has been taken from them and used for a purpose they were never meant to be used for. It is incredibly dehumanizing and disrespectful to so many people.

But this doesn't mean you can't rap because you aren't black or celebrate Holi because you aren't Indian. This doesn't mean that your art can't have African influences if you aren't African or that you can't add Yiddish trumpets to your song if you aren't Jewish. It is about understanding who you took it from, what it means to them, and allowing these people to present themselves how they wish to be known, not how you declare their culture. Make sure that the things you "borrow" are authentic and respectful to the people you take it from. Different cultures should never be used as props for your own gain. It is crucial to understand the difference between respectful exchange and stealing.

As said by 16 year old Hunger Games actor Amandla Stenberg, "[a]ppropriation occurs when a style leads to racist generalizations or stereotypes where it originated but is deemed as high-fashion, cool, or funny when the privileged take it for themselves."

I highly recommend this video by Stenberg on cultural appropriation specific to black culture. Her eloquence and clarity when explaining such a controversial topic is something I greatly admire.

As usual, I strongly encourage debate and (respectful!) conversation in the comments or online.

Thanks for sticking with me, and see you soon!

xx camille