Black Lives Matter

How bad can it get? I’m really not sure. I’m nervous. I’m disappointed. I’m even a bit scared.

Each day I see more and more division – and meanness.

In the past couple of days I have read: horrible comments on the live feed of the NAACP gathering that happened in Pawleys Island. They are asking for the resignation of the mayor over discriminating comments he made. I don’t blame them. An elected official called efforts by African Americans to be treated equally as part of a terrorist organization. That’s pretty threatening. And false. I have seen over 100 comments on a post I made responding to a question from WPDE on the BLM movement and none of them were very nice. And, this morning my hubby read to me many, many mean comments from people after learning the simple fact the Clemson football players have decided to have a sticker on their helmets promoting Black Lives Matter.

These are all local people. My community neighbors. They are people who live near me, shop with me, go to church with me.

I realize South Carolina sits in the middle of the south, and therefore segregation, discrimination, and racism are part of their history. It’s a state of plantations and confederate flags. It’s a place where some white folks still wish the civil war ended differently. I realize it make take a few more generations to finally move past the systematic racism here.

But….

Lately, the archaic beliefs, still held by so many, is out in the open. It seems everyone is taking sides. And, wow, it’s not pretty. It’s down right scary. People are getting so mean with their rhetoric that I fear it won’t take much for it to turn violent. Even here in Pawleys Island and Georgetown.

I walked with Black Lives Matter a few months ago. I still very much believe that until ALL lives matter, we must lift up that black lives matter. I have not moved away from the core positive belief in the organization. I feel we are in the middle of a new civil rights movement.

Unfortunately, the message has been misconstrued. People have turned it around and made BLM into a group of thugs. It is not. Let me repeat, it is not. Do not listen to false information. There may be a few trouble-makers who want to call themselves part of BLM to stir it up… and they are. But, the majority of those who are part of BLM (me included) are peaceful and want to promote equality for black Americans.

It’s interesting because the sports world is finally getting it. I hope they don’t back down. I see so many people pushing back on them, saying they will not support certain teams anymore. All I can say to that is the need to strive for equality is more important than a sports fan leaving. Stay strong athletes. Continue the message.

My hubby read me a comment that appeared on the Clemson site this morning by a young woman. I don’t remember her name. But it’s a great analogy. If someone said that the rain forest was in trouble and we needed to support it, give it extra love and money… we would understand and many would be there to help. It’s not that the other forests in the world are not important. It’s not that we look down or look at other forests as less. All forests are important – and beautiful – and provide balance in nature.

The same can be said about Black Lives Matter. Of course all races are important and all colors are beautiful. Our world would be lacking without everyone in it. But, right now, we need to look at the black lives, and we need to give them support. We need to make them an equal inhabitant on planet earth, and do what we can to lift them up.

Because… black lives matter.