#blackouttuesday is BS. Here's why - Black Police Officer and Business Owner on George Floyd

This is an uncomfortable truth that needs to be heard. Many people are posting a blank, black screen on social media with the hashtag #blackouttuesday to show support for the killing of George Floyd and for injustice against black people by white police officers. For 99% of these people, this is all they will ever do. Doing anything more than this would require actually getting off their butt and doing work. And 99% of these people are not willing to do this work.

Tomorrow they will go back to their lives and by Thursday or Friday they'll be back to posting their usual garbage. Tik Tok dances, instagram challenges, you name it. But you and I both know that 99% of these people will NOT have gone into their cities in an effort to evoke actual change. And just like that, #blackouttuesday will be forgotten. Think I'm wrong? Tell me what caused the last riots across the country. Do you even remember the name of the victim that triggered those riots? Go ahead and google it.

You see it's very easy to past a blank, black image on your social media account and even change your profile picture to a black circle. That's REALLY easy and will surely let your followers know that you're a "good person" who is supporting a good cause. You may even get a few comments from friends thanking you for your support. Good. But then what happens tomorrow? What happens next week? What happens next month? How long before you change your profile picture back to what it was?

For 99% of people, posting the black image is the MOST they will ever do. And everyone reading this knows...it does nothing. It's been done in the past and nothing has changed. What makes people think this time will be any different? They know it won't be different, but posting the black image makes them feel good about themselves; like they did "something." Reality is, as for change, they did nothing.

Change happens not through "awareness." News Flash: Everyone is aware there's a problem! Change happens by those who MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN. Turning this into an opportunity to join a social media trend won't change a thing. This is has been proven time and time again.

Not all cops are bad. Not all cops are racist. Not all black people are criminals. Not all white people are racist. No group of ANY people can ALL be put into one bucket. No social media hashtag is going to magically evoke change. Change comes from those willing to do MORE than simply post a photo with a hashtag. Change comes from those who are willing to do SOMETHING REAL to evoke change, without being recognized for it on social media.

If you're reading this and you did post the black image with #blackouttuesday, great! What ELSE are you gonna do? Organize a meeting between police and black youth in your area? Meet with your local police chief? Meet with local black church elders and police? Anything?!