We have been following the controversy over people declaring “All Lives Matter,” which is now viewed as racially insensitive and a “micro aggression” against the black community. We recently discussed the heartfelt apology given by Kathleen McCartney, the president of prestigious Smith College after she said “all lives matters” rather than ‘Black lives matter.” Now Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley has followed suit with his own apology for saying that “all lives matter” in a speech, which he was interrupted by black audience members booing and protesting.
The protesters had been chanting that “Black lives matter!” and O’Malley simply responded: “Black lives matter. White lives matter. All lives matter.” There was a time when that would have been viewed as a true and uplifting sentiment to express. It is now viewed as insensitive and audience members booed O’Malley.
O’Malley later made a public apology and said “I meant no disrespect. That was a mistake on my part and I meant no disrespect. I did not mean to be insensitive in any way or communicate that I did not understand the tremendous passion, commitment and feeling and depth of feeling that all of us should be attaching to this issue.”
Ironically, O’Malley’s opponent Hillary Clinton was also called out for saying “all lives matter.” Clinton used the phrase while telling a story from her grandmother: “I asked her, ‘What kept you going?’ Her answer was very simple. Kindness along the way from someone who believed she mattered. All lives matter.”
That produced an outcry with Renita Lamkin, a pastor at the St. John AME Church in St. Charles, stating “With her statement that all lives matter, that blew a lot of support that she may have been able to engender here.” The Clinton campaign rushed out a statement that Clinton used “All Black Lives Matter” the year before.
Source: CNN
Strange, that comment fits two posts perfectly.
Clearly it’s time to ban the American and British flags.
Slavers!
And these flags, too.
All slavers, at some point in their histories.
Ban all flags!
Ban all history!
Start at Year Zero.
http://findicons.com/files/icons/952/preview/country_flag_full.png
Emphasizing one race over the other divides the country. ALL lives do matter, no matter who or what. This idea that one race should be given more attention than another continues to poor acid on an open wound.
Politician’s often waffle in order to get votes. O’Malley is a typical politician who just proved that he is a wiffle-waffler and is not a good candidate for the job.
@Bill H
Your teeth are racist white, so who knows?
“All lives matter” is insensetive because racial demagougery is okay when it is about people of color, but it is not okay when it is about white people. By saying “all lives matter” one is implying that perhaps racial demagougery is actually not okay regardless of which side you are on, and the minority side does not want to hear that.
I suspect I am going to get my teeth kicked in for saying that, but…
Issac: I didn’t understand the backlash until you explained it. Thanks.
I still don’t know, however, that promoting racial distinctions, in this case by presidential candidates, serves a purpose other than consoling potential voters, and in this respect the political correctness is worse than the alleged crime.
Isaac speaks the TRUTH: Black lives matter!
Black lives only matter IF killed by a White person OR a police officer.
Isaac, excellent agitprop.
If only we could hear the strain in your voice and see the tears rolling down, it would have achieved Maximum Doubleplus Good Gravitas.
“All lives matter” is the slogan for pro choice groups. OOPS!
So all lives don’t matter!!??
Or it just depends on who’s saying all lives matter?
If I get offended then I have the right to crucify whoever said what!?!?!?
This is beyond stupid.
People still upset about ancestors that were slaves, the only problem, not all slaves were black…my great grand mother was a white slave. But I live my life and try not to be offended by any off hand remark. Geez!
The issue of the moment is that Black lives seem to matter less than White lives. This is the headline worn by a constant stream of media articles of Blacks being treated more harshly, seemingly because they are Black. This is not an opinion. This is not a spin. This is fact.
The reasons for this deplorable condition can be debated and the blame can be laid where ever. However, the condition does exist and is front page news.
So, any politician whitewashing the situation by attempting to bury a shameful part of America under a statement of, “All lives matter”, illustrates either a woeful lack of understanding for this condition or kowtowing to one segment of the public, that part of the public whose lives seem to matter more.
The statement, “Black lives matter.”, is relevant, current, and represents the problem that the politician should be addressing, not whitewashing.
That the politician is so spineless so as to take it back instead of elaborating and then addressing the real problem presents a shallowness not seen since the three stooges.
Obama has certainly brought racial healing. For Chissake, he has us fighting the Civil War again!
Mr. O’Malley is showing the firm commitment to leadership in the face of adversity that we expect in a presidential candidate.
And this man wants to represent us! What a gutless bozo.
All lives do matter. The ferocity of the word police is astonishing.
The statement: “All Black lives matter!” is disconcerting. It is denigrating. It is like saying all Negro lives matter. Tell that to the NAACP. Or all Colored lives matter. That would make them unhappy too although they refuse to alter their name. Soon the statement: “All African American lives matter!” will be seen as wrong and denigrating. Al was not born in Africa. Neither was our President. He is a Hawaian American or however ya spull it.
One phrase which I think all Americans should think about today. It comes from a book which one can still buy on Amazon. It is a statement which O’Malley and Hillary will not back away from if they know what is good for them:
“FOUR LEGS GOOD! TWO LEGS BAAAAAAD!” (From Animal Farm, not Animal House)
Remember this if you own a convenience store in Dellwood (outlying Ferguson) and Michael Brown’s offspring shows up and does a strong arm robbery. Don’t shoot even if his hands are not up. All lives matter. Did you folks know that Governor Nixon held back the National Guard on the night that the No True Bill was made public and the stores were all burned in Dellwood? He did so because all lives matter.
Given that O’malley helped institute “Broken Windows” in Baltimore as mayor, and the unrest in that city as a result of that policy, it is absolutely 100% fair to corner him on this topic.
White lives matter, but:
1. Last on the list of lives that matter (white men being dead last).
2. As a source of income for the lives that matter more.
3. As the origin of All Evil in the History of Ever, they matter as much as dirt matters: to be trod upon.
All lives do matter, but that’s not the point. White lives aren’t being valued less in this country (all though in this age of capitalism run amok one can make the case for no lives mattering but that’s another story). In this case, it’s less about the phrasing itself, but the origin of it. I really could care less about what passes for leftist politics of the college Tumblr crowd these days that is coddled crap, but most of this “All Lives Matter” stuff specifically emerged. from the white, right wing, generally not fans of black people crowd. It wasn’t a unifying phrase, it was a retort and a snide, snarky and denigrating one at that. While the words said plainly do not make it is obvious, it’s a dog whistle when known in context.
I’m really getting tired of all this silly “political corectness.” All lives do matter and no one should be apologizing for suggesting this.