Racism
Racism dates back to the slave trade. African Americans, also referred to as the Blacks, have, over the years, gone through a series of segregation, discrimination, and humiliation, not only in their day to day lives but also in workplaces, schools, and even in the transport sector. At the same time, thousands of blacks have been killed in the hands of law enforcement officers, who see them (blacks) as a threat to security and social normalcy. In an effort to address discrimination and ill-treatment of blacks, Black Lives Matter was formed. This paper seeks to examine the Black Lives Matter movement and the actions the movement has taken to foster social change, especially in regard to equality among all races.
Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter is basically an international social movement that was established in the United States in the year 2013 (Britannica, n.d). Initially, Black Lives Matters was formed online (online movement) by Black community organizers, namely Opal Tomoti, Alicia Garza, and Patrisse Khan-Cullors, under the hashtag “#BlackLivesMatter.” Over the years, the movement has grown to become an international movement, having incorporated other civil rights movements across the world. As its name suggests, Black Lives Matter highlights the condemnation of unwarranted and unjust killings of African Americans by law enforcement officers. The fact that the Blacks are more likely to be killed by the law enforcement officers forms the basis of the Black Lives Matter. The movement is specifically dedicated to fighting anti-Black violence and racism. The movement has been vocal in condemning police brutality against the blacks. Simultaneously, the movement has been demanding for upholding a society that values humanity and the lives of black persons just the same way as its values the humanity and lives of other races, including the whites.
Types of Actions
In an effort to foster respect, humanity, and dignity in relation to Black people, the Black Lives Matter has been holding influential and large protests, not only in the United States but also in other parts of the world. Led by local chapters, Black Lives Matter has been organizing various programs and campaigns to advocate for the rights of the Black people, in addition to calling for equal treatment of all races, irrespective of their color, age, education, nationality, country of origin, disability, and other social background differences (Britannica, n.d). The chapters are usually affiliated with Global Network Foundation and non-profit civil rights movements, which are active in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. The impact of Black Lives Matter was evident recently following the killing of George Floyd. The video that circulated on social media of a police officer suffocating George Floyd to death elicited a lot of anger in the United States and across the world (Gottbrath, 2020). This triggered massive demonstrations in cities across the United States and other countries, including Canada, Kenya, and Britain. The public opinion was automatically swayed in favor of the movement “Black Lives Matter.” Also, the tragedy attracted wide attention on how the racism problem has been entrenched within American society.
Sociological Explanation
As earlier mentioned, thousands of Blacks have died at the hands of law enforcement officers. Others have been maimed and brutally injured on a mere accusation that they have committed crimes. The fact that American prisons contain a higher percentage of prisoners of African origin clearly indicates that Blacks are more likely to be arrested and jailed. Out of these social vices, Black Lives Matter had to be forced to address them. Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” By virtue of being created in God’s image, no one has a right to discriminate against others on the basis of their race, color, or nationality. Black Lives Matter was formed to ensure there are equality and equal treatment amongst all races.
Conclusion
Black Lives Matter has been a critical civil rights movement, especially in ensuring that the Blacks are treated just like the whites by virtue of being human beings. By organizing protects, the movement has played a key role in fostering peace, equality, fairness, dignity, and humanity among all races.