The phrase “All Buildings Matter” has become the latest incendiary social media slogan to go viral. The phrase is being used by some supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement on Twitter, as a point of comparison to those who traditionally respond to their concerns with the phrase “All Lives Matter”.
The viral hashtag is trending second overall in the US on Twitter, being beaten out only by the traditional 9/11 slogan #NeverForget.
Supporters say the phrase isn’t meant to denigrate 9/11 victims:
While the phrase was obviously designed to to stoke controversy, many users are saying that their intention isn’t to minimize the tragedy of the sombre day. Instead, they argue that ‘All Buildings Matter’ is a way to illustrate the way that #AllLivesMatter is often used to minimize the severity of discussions surrounding police brutality.
Many still say it’s in bad taste:
Origins of the hashtag date back to 2016:
Though this is the first time “All Buildings Matter” has gone viral to such a degree, the phrase has actually been around for a few years. It was first coined by Michael Che in a standup routine in 2016, in which he also compares discussions about 9/11 to ones about systemic racism.
