Black Lives Matter / Blue Lives Matter
In the last few weeks we have witnessed a resurgence of violence, hatred, frustration, fear, confusion and disgust throughout our country due to some news stories of traffic stops in which two african american motorists died at the hands of the officers who pulled them over. These had a resounding impact around the world. We also witnessed love, care, support, concern, peace, and cooperation on much smaller scales. My hope is that the latter will ultimately have a bigger impact on our nation, culture and society than the former.
I have read news articles and social media posts on the BLM movement “Black Lives Matter” and similar articles and posts on the BLM movement “Blue Lives Matter”. I read an article on why ALM “All Lives Matter” movement is ineffective because it takes away from the importance of individual lives.
How do we make sense of all of this? Do Black lives matter more than Blue? Do Blue lives matter more than Black? Do white lives matter at all? What about Gay (LGBTQ) lives? LGBTQLM doesn’t flow as easily as BLM, but does that make this segment of the population any less valuable? What about Brown, Red, Yellow lives. I remember a song from Sunday School years ago when I lived in Dallas, Tx. “…red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight…”
I believe the problem we are facing in our country has less to do with the color of our skin and more to do with our refusal to believe that Life Matters.
In 1973 our Supreme Court (SCOTUS) passed Roe v. Wade and essentially made the claim that life doesn’t matter if one is not yet born. When does life matter then? Why are we not focused on aborting cows and dogs and cats and skunks and chickens? Do they have more value than human life? When does a dog become a dog? When does its life begin? Does life begin at birth? Hardly. If you look at the definition of life, it talks about animation and voluntary movement. Who, having seen video footage of a human embryo developing in the mothers womb, can deny animation and voluntary movement?
Now to be fair to SCOTUS, our nation was already struggling with understanding when life matters, as we had struggled for years with accepting that women and blacks were equal with white males. This problem came over from England before us too. And looking back through history every civilization struggled with human value, power struggles, oppression, slavery, abuse, etc.
Why do Black Lives Matter? Because Black people are created by God. Why Do Blue Lives Matter? Because the individuals who work in this field are created by God. Why do LGBTQ Lives Matter? Because The individuals in the LGBTQ segment of society are created by God. Why do UBLM (Unborn Babies Lives Matter)? Because Unborn babies are created by God. Why do PLM (Politicians Lives Matter)? Because people called to this field are created by God. What about Syrian refugees, Cambodian refugees, Berbers, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Christians? Why do the poor, sick, elderly, disabled, special needs people matter? Because they are created by God.
Despite what many today want to believe, the Judeo-Christian foundation is the only belief system that truly values human life. We have not always lived that out very well, but the foundation is there. Our Lives Matter because we are created in the image of God!
If we can all realize our individual worth and that of others then these issues will cease to exist! It is about the true value of human life. Because Life Matters. BLM