BLM-Black Lives Matter

Simone Smith, Staff

Views change a lot about someone. From how they are seen, if they are respected or disliked. To what you look like and being your true self. People decide to ‘believe’ in things just because everyone is, and it’s the ‘in’ thing to do. And in 2020 one of the biggest of these views is a three word phrase, Black Lives Matter. 

According to https://www.pewresearch.org/, 6 out of 10 americans don’t support Black Lives Matter mainly because many don’t believe it will accomplish anything. However, what people don’t realize is that this is so much more than a hashtag. 

Nina Smith, ninth grader at Auburn High, dislikes when people use BLM just for clout because “they are being even more ignorant and close minded on the subject. They support BLM, but not the movement, like they want the quality of the shirt but not the brand.” This means that many people do believe that browns and black lives do matter, but don’t think protesting or trying to make a change is worth it.

People come up to me and say, ‘You’ve never been called derogatory names or been disrespected. Tell me, has anyone in your family been shot by the police, by anyone?’ What people don’t realize is just because an individual hasn’t been directly treated in a wrong way, life is just built differently for people of color. For years, for decades, for centuries. 

Mya Watson is happy  to be part of the Tahoma community but thinks in schools that the “curriculum is based that the only time you can see yourself is during the repetitive slavery talks.” When someone whose a part of the black community is innocently killed hurts all of us. 

Finally the biggest question of them all, that varies from BLM vs ALM or to the dreaded politics and religion talk; Would you still be friends with someone if there beliefs did not coincide with yours? Junior Shaan Haapasaari decides he would “be friends with them; it’s hard though. Can’t get over it. It’s always in the back of my mind.” Mya and Nina both think they would make sure they fully understand the others opinion before they make a decision. Nina thinks since “You’re technically a kid in high school; ignore politics; it’s probably their parents opinion rubbed onto them. 

PSA: We know we all matter, that all our lives matter, (this is certainly and definitely true,) but remember that we cannot all matter until blacks and browns lives do too.