All Lives Matter

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All Lives Matter is a response to the slogan Black Lives Matter (#BlackLivesMatter). Those who say "All Lives Matter" (or alternatively, "Cops Lives Matter" or "Blue Lives Matter") often assume that the Black Lives Matter slogan means that protesters believe that only black lives matter. For example, an October 2015 Fox News headline read: "Do All Lives Matter or Only Black Ones?"[1] #BlackLivesMatter organizers have clearly stated that they believe all lives matter and they are calling attention to a problem in which black lives are not valued as much as other lives in America.

Characterization of Black Lives Matter as Anti-Police

Often those claiming "All Lives Matter" simply share their views in brief statements on Twitter. However, Gwinnett County Sheriff Butch Conway submitted a lengthy statement to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution outlining his views.[2]

Conway wrote of his anger at "the fringe groups who started the culture of police hatred" because they "widened the racial divide in our country by alleging that officer involved shootings stem from racism." He characterized the police killing of the unarmed black teen Michael Brown by saying, "An officer who acted within policy to preserve his own life became the poster child for alleged police racism and suffered damaging, irreversible life-long consequences."

Conway views the instances of police violence that sparked the Black Lives Matter movement as "someone obstructing police officers trying to do their jobs" and the solidarity with those killed by police as "blatant disrespect towards law enforcement officers performing their duties."

In his view, the actions of the police have nothing to do with race. He conflates Black Lives Matter protesters with those "inciting riots and committing murders" and calls them "domestic terrorists" and "a hate group." He believes, "Their message is that police lives don’t matter."

Articles and resources

Related SourceWatch articles

References

  1. "Do All Lives Matter or Only Black Ones?," Fox News, October 17, 2015, Accessed November 18, 2015.
  2. Tyler Estep, "Gwinnett sheriff issues scathing statement: ‘All lives matter’," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, September 15, 2015, Accessed November 18, 2015.

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