Antisemitism on the Rise: The Left Conveniently Embraces ‘All Lives Matter’

In 2016, when the Black Lives Matter movement was in its infancy, Vox published an article called “Why you should stop saying ‘all lives matter,’ explained in 9 different ways.” The argument, expressed in prose, comic-strip, and video form, would soon become a platitude on the progressive left: The incantation “black lives matter” distinguishes that group from all others, asserting “that black people’s lives are relatively undervalued in the US. . . . The country needs to recognize that inequity to bring an end to it.” Consequently, the phrase “all lives matter” was not as innocuous as it sounded. It was deemed a denial of the special suffering of black Americans; one Black Lives Matter activist even called it a racial slur.

In offices and campuses across the country, it quickly became common knowledge that appealing to universal principles when a particular group is suffering was not acceptable — and probably a sign of latent bigotry.

About the Author

Tal Fortgang

Tal Fortgang is a legal policy fellow at the Manhattan Institute.

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In 2016, when the Black Lives Matter movement was in its infancy, Vox published an article called “Why you should stop saying ‘all lives matter,’ explained in 9 different ways.” The argument, expressed in prose, comic-strip, and video form, would soon become a platitude on the progressive left: The incantation “black lives matter” distinguishes that group from all others, asserting “that black people’s lives are relatively undervalued in the US. . . . The country needs to recognize that inequity to bring an end to it.” Consequently, the phrase “all lives matter” was not as innocuous as it sounded. It was deemed a denial of the special suffering of black Americans; one Black Lives Matter activist even called it a racial slur.

In offices and campuses across the country, it quickly became common knowledge that appealing to universal principles when a particular group is suffering was not acceptable — and probably a sign of latent bigotry.