1) The speaker discusses the Black Lives Matter movement, which started in 2013 to protest the deaths of black individuals like Tamir Rice and Sandra Bland at the hands of police. 2) She addresses criticisms of the movement, like claims that it promotes "reverse racism" or that "all lives matter," and refutes these by citing continued racial inequalities in the criminal justice system. 3) Statistics are presented showing that young black men are disproportionately likely to be killed by police compared to other groups.

1. Opinion: Black Lives Matter
Pro-black does not mean Anti-White
By Student Writer Imani Harris
Bridgewater, V.A. - On February 9th, Dr. Amy Tillerson-Brown, an associate professor at Mary
Baldwin College, spoke on the “Black Lives Matter” movement. She starts off by discussing the
fact that the movement started in 2013, when innocent black lives such as Tamir Rice and Sandra
Bland, were taken away because of racial profiling by police officers who felt threatened.
When she says racial profiling, she explains what that means according to the situation of black
lives such as Tamir Rice and Sandra Bland. For the men, “the criminal was big and up to no
good, a thug, he was clearly a threat.” For the women, “she was mentally ill, she probably killed
herself.” She goes on to make a valid point after this statement by stating whether the period at
the end of Liberty and Justice for All should be replaced with a question mark instead since
justice is clearly not being served, but rather just being predicted.
There are those who see this movement as a beacon of hope. Then there are others who see this
movement as “whining, reverse-racism, misguided or stirring the hate pot, because all lives
matter, not just black lives”, as said by Tillerson. She explains that people think that the ones
who stand behind this movement “create inter-racial strife when it should not exist.”
Then she states the reasons why a lot of people do not stand behind this movement. Because
white people get shot, white people are killed by cops, if a black person killed a black person no
one would say anything, and why not include black on black crimes in the movement. She
explains that these opinions are by those who are not just white or black, but people who
“understand contemporary American society as post racial, and they assume that we as a nation
have moved past racial discrimination.” But then she goes on to refute this opinion by
mentioning Trayvon Martin, who was an unarmed 17 year-old boy who was shot and killed by
neighborhood and watch volunteer, George Zimmerman who was not convicted of murder.
Since facts are important when it comes to such a controversial topic, she mentions the statistics
behind why this movement is so important. Young black men in 2015 were nine times more
likely than other Americans to be killed by police. 1,134 deaths have been complied by reporters
just last year. Of the total U.S. population, black men between the ages of 15-24, make up more
than 15% of all the deaths involved in 2015.
She then goes on to mention one of the main trending topics right now, which is Beyoncé’s
Formation music video and her performance at the Super Bowl. In which she and her back-up
dancers were dressed up as black panthers, supporting the Black Panther Party that was created
in 1966 until 1982. Which was formed in order to monitor and challenge police brutality against
black people and protect black people from the KKK.
In light of all of this, the “Black Lives Matter” movement does not mean just black lives. Just
because one is pro-black, does not mean that they are anti-white. In fact, the saying that just
black lives matter was never stated, and is not the meaning behind this movement. This is the

2. mouth of the media, where they feel like they need to twist such words in order to get a rise out
of everyone.
This movement is important because Black lives are being targeted and destroyed, and saying
that “All lives Matter” in response to “Black Lives Matter” is offensive to this cause because
Black lives were oppressed and didn’t matter. Yes, slavery was 150 years ago, so it is over and it
doesn’t need to be talked about. If this is true then the same goes for 9/11, it was 15 years ago, so
it is over and it doesn’t need to be talked about. But yet we still do, because it was a detrimental
part of our history where innocent people, Americans, lost their lives, and also because it made
the media. If slavery happened 15 years ago would it matter now because it made the news?
Innocent people, Americans, lost their lives 150 years ago and they still are now that is why this
movement is so important. There is no difference and both should be remembered and talked
about because they both are a part of American history.