Explain how the black lives matter movement may have influenced the positions and views Smith expresses in “not an allergy for mike brown” and “Dinosaurs in the hood”

Answer

Explain how the black lives matter movement may have influenced the positions and views Smith expresses in “not an allergy for mike brown” and “Dinosaurs in the hood”

The Black Lives Matter movement (BLM), begun as an online crusade, with its main objective being the campaign against racism and violence that surrounded the black people of America, commonly referred to as African Americans. It was formed as a result that the whites did not value the lives of the African Americans’, leading to a series of unjustifiable black people deaths caused by the whites. The BLM existence, paved way for people to express their concerns and air out their views concerning black lives in a more safe and reliable way (Carney 186).

 Danez Smith’s, a poet, contributed in the Black Lives Matter movement through his art of poetry. In his poems, “Not An Elegy for Mike Brown” and “Dinosaurs In The Hood”, he simply tries to tell the public that he is not going to remain silent while the black people are being killed and discriminated by his fellow nationals. He addresses a list of concerns that affect the lives of the black people (Smith 243).

Positions and views expressed by Smith

Race.

Black lives matter movement disregards the hardships African Americans face because of the race factor in the society. The stigma affecting blacks have made them suffer inhuman injustices from the whites because of their skin color. Smith expresses his bitterness concerning the issue of race affecting the black people in the society.in his poems when he mourns the death of a young black man by the name Mike Brown. In his poem “Dinosaurs In the hood”, he says “Nobody can say nigga in this movie” as if to affirm his stand against racism (Smith 243).

Equality.

The Black Lives matter movement champions for equality. The discrimination that faces black people because of their skin color has made them suffer extremism from the white men. The ideology that has been in existence for so many years, undermining the black race and referring to the whites as superior has contributed enormously to the discrimination of the African Americans. Smith in his poems talks about the idea that discrimination and oppression should stop. He writes a poem creating an imagination of how he would want his world to be, personalizing his characters to fit the criteria of how important black lives matter. He states, “This movie can’t be about black pain or cause black people pain,” and “I don’t want any racist shit about Asian people or overused Latino stereotypes…”to signify the importance of equality amongst his characters (Smith 242).

Violence and brutality.

The black people have been a victim of violence and brutality from the whites. These acts of violence being one of the main reasons that led to the formation of the BLM movement. And these offences committed against the black people is what the BLM movement vows to put across until it comes to an end. Smith plays a major role in championing for the rights of the black people, the backbone of his poems revolves around the matters of violence against the African Americans. He expresses the need to stop the deaths of black people when he states, “No bullets in the heroes. & no one kills the black boy. & no one kills the black boy.” To signify that he is tired of mourning the deaths of black people (Smith 243).

Conclusion

Black Lives Matter movement opened a platform where people could speak their hearts out concerning the injustices that faces the African Americans. The people’s opinion and views concerning the issues affecting blacks could finally reach the public through poetry, songs, articles and movies, safe platforms that do not subject the black people to aggravated assault.