Roxane Gay says there is a double standard with support for gun violence protests vs. Black Lives Matter
Thousands of young people across the country are calling for stricter gun laws in the wake of last week’s deadly high school shooting in Parkland, Florida—and writer Roxane Gay noticed something.
The New York Times best-selling author believes there is a double standard in the national support for the movement against gun violence.
That same level of support, she argues, was not extended to young people who protested police and gun violence targeting Black and brown people.
“It is interesting to note the difference in support for the kids in FL versus the kids in Black Lives Matter. I say that with full admiration for the kids in FL, to survive such a trauma and fight for everyone to be safer. But that’s also what was happening in Ferguson and beyond,” Gay wrote on Twitter.
It is interesting to note the difference in support for the kids in FL versus the kids in Black Lives Matter. I say that with full admiration for the kids in FL, to survive such a trauma and fight for everyone to be safer. But that’s also what was happening in Ferguson and beyond
— roxane gay (@rgay) February 21, 2018
Let the debate begin…
Roxane Gay caused a debate online with her comments. Some users agreed with her critique while others felt she was being divisive.
“See, this is just disinformation. The BLM movement was embraced by virtually the entirety of the liberal establishment,” said one critic. Another user backed Gay up writing, “To support BLM you have to acknowledge state violence against marginalized people and the fact that it is systemic. Neo-Liberals don’t want to do that.”
Seeing some of the criticisms, Gay tweeted another post to further explain her position. “I started to think about this after George Clooney’s announcement. And it isn’t divisive to observe the difference in support from the media, from celebrities, etc. I think the FL kids are fucking awesome but so are the kids in Ferguson and Baltimore and Chicago and more,” she tweeted.
I started to think about this after George Clooney’s announcement. And it isn’t divisive to observe the difference in support from the media, from celebrities, etc. I think the FL kids are fucking awesome but so are the kids in Ferguson and Baltimore and Chicago and more.
— roxane gay (@rgay) February 21, 2018
