I’m in a state of shock because of the continued disregard of black and brown lives and society’s denial of it. When #blacklivesmatter was started, many countered that no, all lives matter. Do all lives really matter when a terrorist group in Nigeria claims 2000 lives and it is barely mentioned, but the killing of 9 in France is the major headline on every media outlet? If all of these lives matter and are equal, then why does the media only focus on the France attack? I can’t help but feel like these 9 lives taken in a terrorist attack are valued and sympathized with because it happened within a European country. In no way am I saying they shouldn’t be valued, however 2000 innocent lives in Nigeria, a large thriving country within Africa that has been the victim of terrorist attacks, are also taken and yet their lives are diminished and ignored in the media. So when do all lives matter? Is it only within their respected ethnic communities? If yes, why does the rest of the world rally together when the lives don’t happen to be black, brown or red? When will equal value be placed on non-white lives? It’s hard to believe that after the atrocities that happened in Rwanda the world will once again sit by idly while thousands are murdered on the African continent, but then again should I be surprised? America, the world’s police, has dehumanized black, brown, and native people since before their country was formed. During colonial times European countries charged with great vigour to decimate the people and claim their land, because to them black, brown and red lives did not matter, and today the ugly truth is they still don’t matter. The fact that we live in an information era to the point that technology has shortened the distance and the news from one side of a globe can instantly be shared on the other side of the globe. It would seem that humanity could be that much more aware of what is happening within our society and to our fellow human beings, but I suppose you would have to see all of humanity as human beings in order for that to be true. We’re only halfway through January and the necessity of the emphasis on black lives mattering is once again clear as day. If all lives matter I’ll be the voice shouting that black lives are lives too. If they are Charlie then I’ll also stand in solitary: I am Africa, I am Nigeria, I am every country within, so when blood is shed on that continent the wounds cut me deeply. I value all people, all lives – but it’s sad to know that black lives only matter to a few.

Photo credit: (bloody africa) http://www.stuartwilde.com