Too many times in response to seeing or hearing "Black Lives Matter," we hear "All Lives Matter." If those who so vehemently and critically react with this comeback would just stop for a second and think about the lead-up to all this, maybe they wouldn't feel so left out in this plea to be noticed. I include myself when I ask white people to accept that their lives have always mattered; we have never had to beg society to notice that we are being treated as if we are less worthy because we are rarely the recipients of this type of injustice. This movement is not about us; it is about people of color. People of color are the ones who are consistently treated as if the color of their skin for some reason makes them less worthy of "liberty and justice for all." For all, not just for white people, but for all. We need to hear and respond, not with anger, but with compassion and empathy and, above all else, action to make things right.

Cathryn Sells

Grover Beach