Black Lives Matter: All over the world
The world is not just black and white. As much as we hate to admit it, the colour of a person’s skin does influence perceptions of that person. By now, I think it’s safe to assume that most people are aware of the discrimination African American people face in the United States. I’d be very surprised if you had never heard of Black Lives Matter and what they are fighting for. The fact is, the campaign that spawned from a hashtag (#blacklivesmatter) on social media platforms, has grown into a social justice crusade with millions of supporters spanning the globe. Earlier this month, Heathrow airport in the UK was nearly shut down because of Black Lives Matter protestors. While I can appreciate that they were giving a voice to an important cause, this social injustice occurs in a country roughly 7000 kilometres away. So where do we draw the line? Is someone that shares a post or uses #blacklivesmatter considered a true activist and should we be getting involved in a fight that isn’t ours?
Footage of Black Lives Matter protesters shutting down the roads into Heathrow airport
There are two sides to this. I’m not saying that it’s ok to be ignorant bystanders as others face discrimination. While I do believe that as more people get involved and support a cause, the stronger the impact it has, but it can also be taken too far. Historically, there have been cases where the support of ‘white’ Americans has positively impacted the power struggles faced by ethnic minorities. In 1964, Sue Sojourner (a white, Californian woman) was described as “the catalyst that built the most powerful Black political organization possible in Holmes County,” in a time where African Americans were seen as lesser citizens. She played an instrumental role in gaining African Americans the right to vote. Without Sue, change would not have been possible.
Today, these social imbalances still exist, and not just in the United States. Ethnic minority groups all over the world as valued less than the majority race. This is why so many people feel so strongly about Black Lives Matter. They can relate. The sense of collective identity created by this campaign has inspired other ethnicities to use the campaign for their own causes. You don’t even have to look very far to see it happening. Marches and protests are occurring right here in Australia (mostly in Sydney and Melbourne). While these do feature the Black Lives Matter name and ideals, they are furthering a local agenda and, of course, still supporting the African American cause. When a group of people can collectively identify with an issue or cause, it is fair that they act on it and use it to push their own similar message.
However, this can backfire and can cause more harm to the overall campaign than good. The British supporters at Heathrow airport are a perfect example of this. The disruptive nature of their protest (causing road closures and delays at the airport) and the fact that it is less of an issue in the UK meant that many people were unhappy with the show of support. You could go as far as saying that this stunt devalued the initial message in the minds of the British public. The problem was that the public couldn’t identify with the Black Lives Matter movement, and therefore, didn’t think it was their place to act.
It’s not entirely fair to say that this is the only reason the British public reacted so negatively towards the Heathrow protesters and their message. To a certain degree, all the people stuck in their cars or stranded at the airport, became unwilling participants in the protest. Usually, people do want to support important causes, just as long as it doesn’t impact their daily routines. We’re all guilty of not having enough time to help out. Often, we (myself included) get caught up in the idea that writing a status on Facebook, using a hashtag, signing an online petition or re-tweeting a Tweet is a good enough show of support. Academics have labelled this ‘armchair activism’ or ‘slacktivism’. We’re all guilty of this. We’re just too busy to actively participate in campaigning for social justice issues.
On one hand, there have been countless online campaigns for issues that get minimal support outside of cyberspace. One such campaign was 2011’s Tumblr blackout, created as a silent protest opposing changes made to the social media platform. The event raised widespread attention, with more than 18 thousand people committing to participate in the blackout. But, when it came to it, the number of people that actually logged off Tumblr for the day was dismal. Often, people like the idea of contributing to a cause, but when it comes down to it, they just don’t care enough to actually do anything about it.
However, I don’t believe ‘slacktivism’ is totally useless in creating change. A 2011 study found that people who were ‘slacktivists’ were more likely to volunteer their time and money to social justice causes at a later stage, essentially making them active supporters. I guess you could say that ‘slacktivism’ is just the first stepping-stone towards activism. For Black Lives Matter, slacktivists have played a huge role in spreading their message. How else would they have had such a lasting impact on millions of people in countries all over the world?
Even the smallest action shouldn’t be underestimated or undervalued. In the end, it helps to give a voice to causes that otherwise might not. While it is important to show your support for issues that are important to you, there is definitely a point where being involved can negatively impact the overall success of the movement.
Originally published at The Isthmus.
