A note from Sara Raymond of Castro Valley Matters

With tensions high in the community, some of the discussion in our threads prompted us to hide a few comments due to what we considered abusive language.

Sara Raymond

Last week, in the wake of nationwide protesting concerning police violence and the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Castro Valley Matters chose to publicize local peaceful protest opportunities here in Castro Valley.

With tensions high in the community, some of the discussion in our threads prompted us to hide a few comments due to what we considered abusive language. This included a decision to hide a comment from K. Wright that included the phrase “All lives matter”.

Over the following days, Ms. Wright and I communicated over Facebook messenger about my editorial choice to hide the comment. Continued emotional discussions continued in our community threads over the next several days, with the goal of educating people as to why it is important to recognize and say “Black Lives Matter” at this time in our nation’s history. Things got heated! There was a lot of anger and hurt feelings being expressed both in the threads and in direct messages.

However on Sunday morning Ms. Wright messaged me once again. This time it was to tell me the story that follows. We corresponded a bit more, and I asked her whether she would be willing to share this experience in a blog post. We are all happy that she agreed to do so, and we all hope that it will help illustrate why we have these difficult conversations.

Sara Raymond

A note from K. Wright, who follows CVM on Facebook

I now stand with Black Lives Matter.

K. Wright

I’d like to start by saying I love all people and I’d love an opportunity to share something with you. If you’d be so kind as to keep an open heart and mind to what I am about to say, It is greatly appreciated. I have been going about this all wrong. My approach to the past week’s conversation about Black Lives Matter protests was defensive because I have never viewed anyone any lesser than myself. I felt that to say “Black Lives Matter” would be to say I view other groups of people – other races – as less important. I was upset when my comment that “All lives matter” was deleted, because to me that phrase comes from a place of love for everyone.

I know right about now some of you are already closing yourself off to me….stay with me, please. I am a Christian and I fall short and fail time and time again. While I do still believe that all lives matter…. the statement “All lives matter” is wrong and we shouldn’t be using it. This week I have come to realize that to say “All Lives Matter” is to minimize struggles that I cannot possibly understand. Just as no one can know what struggles you’ve faced and how it feels to be you, the same goes for them. Castro Valley Matters was patient and kind with me on this issue in regards to my past stance regarding Black Lives Matter. Though their kindness as well as my pastor’s words on Sunday, I now stand with Black Lives Matter. You don’t have to be a Christian or religious to show love. But it is our duty to make sure we listen and keep an open heart to those who feel differently than we do. How can I expect anyone to listen to me and try to understand how I feel, if I don’t do the same for them?

We have to set the example. Black Lives Do Matter to me. So I will no longer minimize the BLM movement with a closed heart. Black Lives Matter to me, to Jesus and Black Lives Matter period.

K. Wright