HAYLEE MATECKO

Jodi Picoult did an amazing job of highlighting that not only is there obvious racism in our country, but there is a passive racism that is much harder to admit. It's a result of overcorrecting the possibility of looking racist; it's a result of not wanting to look racist but having a deeply rooted, learned behavior that causes one to instinctively cower away from those of the opposing race. Those who the system favors don't understand that there is a need for all races to become equal in the system. The Black Lives Matter movement is necessary because currently, black lives aren't favored by the system in the same way white lives are. The "All Lives Matter" retaliation has been created by people who receive the privilege of never having to wonder if their lives matter, but simply are offended by someone else speaking out for equality. Affirmative action exists to give opportunities to people who don't have the same opportunities as white people, because of a cycle that needs to be broken. By avoiding talking about race, we pretend it isn't an issue and turn a blind eye to something that affects a huge percentage of the population every day. Being honest about the privilege white people have is the only way to progress forward as a society that values every life the same way and teach future generations that you can't just "not see" race. Race is something to be seen and ethnicity is something to be celebrated, but neither should ever inhibit one's opportunities in life.