re. this ALL LIVES MATTER thing, i feel stupidly impelled to put my head in the noose.
I didn't, at first sight, see WTFwas wrong with that statement, no more than Al did. I guess I haven;t come across it often enough, nor in the right sort of context, to appreciate it's usage as a
racist dog whistle.
And when I researched it, found out that I'm not the only naive one, not by a long chalk.
To my mind (go on laugh, insult, unfriend me or whatever) I imagined that as a sort of rallying call, for all of the oppressed minorities (who would surely make up an enormous unstoppable majority ) to get bhind the same banner. I mean, much like when British gays marched alongside the striking miners, recognising that both groups had a lot in common (both being victims of police brutality) . That kind of solidarity on a universal scale would be bloody phenomenal, and- idealist that i am- i still live in hope of it actually happening someday.
But, Ok, Ok, I;ve done my rearch now and know that
some people mean STFU about black people when they say it., and that casts a big shadow over anybody else who innocently picks up that slogan. Which can't be ignored, but its a pity. Some of us (me inclided, evidently) just can't keep up with what ain't considered politically correct, and sometimes baulk at what a bloody great minefield that's become, which doesn't help
anybody's cause.... not unless they have a "divide and conquer"agenda.
Here's a pretty good explanation of why that slogan is offebsive, for anybody else who might be confused
https://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/nba/explaining-lives-matter-actually-means-say/Got it now. And will be very careful not to ever say that, But I really don't like the verbal witch-hunting approach of some of the anti-racist folk . We've had way too much of that in Britain lately (I mean, like, people would burn you in effgy as a "racist"", just for supporting Brexit, and refused to listen to any of the non-racist reasons, because they already know what ypu think, FFS ) It's hateful annd divisive. And now I'm stumped as to where I stand. When these BLM demos broke out, I was quite simply wildly enthusiastic, but now it seems too much of this verbal policing has crept in. Can I honestly and realistically support BLM , whilst
still deploring
that? I dunno, I really don't.