Catherine Chatto

Black lives matter as all lives matter How well do we really know racism in today’s happening around the globe? Why is that a lot of people got so much talk about it that they even thought of answering it with violence? Why some people putting their lives into risks just to achieve what they want to achieve? What’s with so much hope for acceptance in this cruel world? There were a lot of questions hanging around the corners of our minds. Do black lives really matter? Do all lives really matter? The government as inept for 8 years Black Lives Matter movement came to life when Trayvon Martin, an African-American boy residing in Sanford, Florida was shot by a patrol named George Zimmerman who was roving around Sanford, that later on acquitted from second-degree murder. The patrol countered that it was a mere self-defense from Trayvon Martin that has been obviously believed by the court. It was a high-profile trial that took the attention of black people resulted to protest and gained support from the whole world not just the government’s injustices-opposition. 8 years later, on May 25, 2020, George Floyd, 46, was about to be arrested by Minneapolis police but rather pinned dead, kneed on the neck by Derek Chauvin and the three other officers as accomplices namely: J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. Up until now, it brought so much grief to the black community and the supporters, like as we all now see on the news that protests from all over the world are actively calling out injustice to be stop and justice to be serve, fairly. Based on the videos taken by the witnesses that came from different angles, you will notice that George Floyd is requesting Derek Chauvin to free him because he cannot breathe anymore. Calling “Mama” is a sign in there that he doesn’t have any plans to resist. But Chauvin knelt down still that George Floyd almost loses his breath that later on obviously resulted to his death. Police report says that George Floyd was actively resisting and there are still a lot of possibilities to happen. “Justice will be served” according to Keith Ellison, the lead prosecutor in George Floyd case. Let us just believe and have faith. On the other hand, in the social media world, a lot of celebrities are making their stands voicing on twitter and Instagram about their rage on the criminal justice’ injustice. Surely, they felt bad, we all do. But are they really that serious about the Black Lives Matter outrage? Are they hearing the true plea of black community? Where were they when Eric Garner also cried “I cannot breathe” in New York 6 years way back? Some of them, didn’t do anything, at all. Some of these celebrities are just hitching to this Black Lives Matter movement hype. Strengthening the black community on the other hand is a must because the superiority coming from these white people is getting out of hand though we cannot sweep generalize them but it is now rampant. Going back to celebrities that are just riding the trend, they are really quite smart on catching the hearts of black community for their own benefit. We all do have brains and they are obviously using it. I am not against anything but these fake celebrities are just not good for the movement. It must be hard for those people who are not born and raised in US to fight for acceptance that they have been dreaming of. This issue is very important just to be forgotten. There are so many things we can do. This injustice must be heard and purified. I can say this isn’t about the race anymore. This isn’t about black vs. white or brown or whoever that is. This is a pure contempt in humanity that only justice can correct regardless of what color do these persons born with. Danger is everywhere. Danger doesn’t choose anyone to be harmed with. The only thing that people can do is to change how they will respond. It’s the people’s choice now on how they will respond to these injustices portrayed by black people. A change in criminal law must be considered. Killing people won’t make anything better. Everything will get worse. It is so frustrating to think that some people out there spent their lives fighting for things that are supposed to be granted to them naturally. Waking up every single day fighting for freedom. Fighting for life. The only thing that can change all these concerns is a just system. Nothing more, nothing less. The power vested to these people must be used correctly because look at now that it turned out the other way around. It is chaotic as hell. I just pray that one day, everything will change. No more deaths for the oppress. No more deaths for the unheard. No more deaths for the black people, no more deaths for the brown people. No more deaths for the white people. No more deaths just because there must be someone to blame. If we keep doing all these things then all those deaths for freedom will mean nothing. Unto the next generations, it will always be there, no change. Pointless. This Black Lives Matter speaks volume. This isn’t about the black people anymore. This movement is about defending the voiceless. Correcting injustice. Showing the authority that they are nothing without the people. Letting the authority to be aware that government’s first job is to protect the people and they are not that effective right now. The Black Lives Matter movement is the voice of the awaken. The voice of changed people. The voice of having enough futility in the system. The voice of million people crying for help. And this is just somewhat beautiful. I hope this movement won’t go to waste. I hope people behind this movement would be able to resist the power of money because we all know what people can do for money. And it is scary. I hope that I will still be around when the time comes that everyone is equal and there’s a justice all around the globe. All love.