Photo obtained from Kirk Franklin’s Facebook page

Here I am again, about to go into details on why the Black Lives Matter movement is very important. Frankly, I am tired of trying to plead with the world that my life matters. I feel exhausted writing all these think pieces on why Black lives matter because it should be common sense right? But it’s not. In just this week, at least 3 Black men have been murdered.

This is not just an American problem, it is a problem of Western societies, in general. A Nigerian man, Emmanuel Chidi Namdi who fled Nigeria because of Boko Haram was very recently, beaten to death in Italy, for defending his wife over a man who called her a monkey. In America, this week also, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile were unfairly and senselessly murdered by people of the uniform who are supposed to protect the public against injustice. For over a decade, the Toronto Police has used a carding system that has been problematic in that African-Canadian persons have been very commonly racially profiled under this system.

What is it with Western societies and Black skin? If a nation cannot manage its diverse society, why then is it called a developed nation? Is economic development supposed to be more important than respect for human rights? The world should be tired of the high rates of murder of Black people in Western societies and these societies should be tired of treating Black people unfairly. No one human was created to have more value than the other. If you are reading this and believe that Black people are not supposed to be equal in value to people of other races, you may not be a shooter or even own a gun but you are our silent killer.

To the individuals that feel that “Black Lives Matter” is a divisive phrase, please understand that it is not. I believe that all human lives matter. Everyone should believe that, however if you look at the world we live in today and truly examine it without bias, you will understand that Black lives don’t matter to many. This reality needs to change not  just because it is 2016, but because racism even in the 1850s or 1950s should never have happened. The reality needs to change because it is injustice to be automatically deemed a criminal upon sighting and killed because of the colour of your skin.

So, I am using this think piece as a reminder to those who are reluctant to speak up about the senseless violence, the constant unjust killings and the reasons for why these modern day Black Lives Matter movements are needed, welcomed and appreciated. I want to see more Caucasians, more Aboriginals, more Asians, more Indian people and so on, advocate because if it was any other group of people being killed so frequently, the world ought to be provoked too.

I want to also extend my heartfelt condolence to the families of the officers who lost their lives and those who were injured in the unfair and heartbreaking shootings that took place in Dallas, this week.

Love & peace,

Chiamaka

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