Frederick Douglass, a freed slave who became an acclaimed writer and a public speaker shared, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” His words forewarned us of a future when struggles regarding the rights of blacks would have overridinge importance. That day is today.
When people object to “Black Lives Matter,” they do so out of misunderstanding. Feeling slighted, many privileged white folks want to hear that they also matter. Of course, we all matter. That level of thinking misses the point.
From the perspective of a mother and a grandmother, I can share my personal understanding of BLM. When my son runs an errand after dark or my grandsons leave for an evening event, I do not anguish over whether they will return safely. This is part of my privilege. I do not have to warn them of dangers lurking outside the door or teach them how to respond if stopped by anyone for any reason.
If my son and grandsons had dark skin, I would worry. In my corner of the world, that explains one reason we must agree, without hesitation or reservation that, indeed, Black Lives Matter. Black citizens still carry the scars and bear the brunt of years of racism. Those of us with white skin never want to admit this fact. We do not even want to hear the words. Even when resisting and arguing, we absolutely know it is the truth. Forgive us. We often know what we are doing.
History.com editors. “Frederick Douglass.” Dec. 4, 2019. History.