Not the white man’s world

I see you protest 

I say you have the right

I even say I’m glad for you

Because if no one did, more would fight.

But you see us dying

Shot with cold blood to the ground.

Then you say “no protesting!”

Defending guns and extra rounds. 

Do you know when your ancestors got here?

Do you know their names?

Mine were forced to build this nation

Allowing you to play these games. 

They worked sun up to sun down

No tunnel to look to the light

Terrified to lose their children 

To rape, to work, exhaustion from the fight.

They built this place

You pledge is yours 

You say you have the right to reopen

Because everything the light touches, somehow, is yours. 

Nevermind the First people 

Whose ancestors knew the land

This “exceptional nation” stripped away

Forced to poverty and homelessness 

So you have more space to play. 

You yell in the faces 

Of those whose blue lives you say matter

Until they infringe on you, right?

Until they say no to you, right?

The U.S. poisons all of us, and it’s poisoned you.

You say you are AMERICAN

The rest of us are African, and

Asian and

Native and

Mexican and

Then (-) American.

Fuck that. 

I’m American. 

My ancestors’ blood threads through this soil 

They had no choice – it benefits me, it benefits you.

It’s tricky because I see our connection clearly

But you think it’s still just you.

Your claim to this land

Your place as countryman

You don’t know the truth.

You cling to your religion and bible

Your stories of a white man’s lord

Set up where white man’s dominion is all earth 

Even the heavenly world.

This might frighten you more than anything else I’ll say

But,

That’s all a lie.

No white jesus waits for you in heaven

We’re all destined to die.

The disrespect you’ve put out

I have absolutely no doubt 

Will find you when your time is out.

The holder of creation 

Gave me authority to tell you now

You cannot hide forever

Behind your ignorance and fear

You cannot build a fortress with enough cameras 

To stop that insecurity you feel.

The feel of stolen land

Tilled by stolen people.

Still, I’m here to tell you

There is another option:

Love your fellow human. 

All of every race and creed

And when you announce allegiance to this country

Make sure that includes me.

Be sure to acknowledge all ancestors 

The ones who built your ground 

And when you protest for your haircut

That’s fine, even STILL, I’ll say your right is sound.

But when you’re silent for a white man’s bullet 

That sends a black man to the ground

I’ll be here to remind you

The time will come, when you will die

Your soul lost, nowhere to be found.