Why Black Lives Matter and not All Lives Matter?

Many people who hear or see the words, Black Lives Matter immediately respond with “All Lives Matter”. But do they? Are all lives in America treated equally? Or, are some lives less valued than others?

There are very few people who are on the internet or who watch the news who have not seen recent videos of people who have been assaulted or even killed by police. Unfortunately, most of these recordings are of Black Men and youth. According to the Los Angeles Times (08/16/2019), “Getting killed by the police is a leading cause of death for young Black men in America.” This means that Black youth and men are two and a half times more likely than white men and boys to die in an encounter with law enforcement.

El Defensor Chieftain Editor