Monday, March 26, 2018

Marching in the Streets

I almost subtitled this one: another rant. Triggered by too many posts and comments by FB friends and friends of friends, and a few overheard conversations. 

Children leading marches in the streets,
giving speeches,
being interviewed on news shows.
And what do some people think
about young people caring enough
to speak out.
Teenagers
who care enough
to organize
a movement?
For some reason,
rather than applauding students
who choose to exemplify what democracy means,
Some people find a need
to mention Tide pods,
Somehow insinuating that an entire generation
is trying to get high
on laundry detergent
And therefore we shouldn’t take them seriously.
I guess that is easier than
admitting that
children may have a legitimate concern
and care enough to speak out,
organize marches,
and exercise their Constitutional rights.
I guess it is easier to paint a broad brush
and ignore the individual truths
being spoken
Than to listen to the message.
Our children are trying to save their future,
The one that we the people, their parents,
seem bent on destroying.
Our children are trying to create a country
in which their safety within the borders is protected
as strongly as their safety from dangers
outside the borders.
What Tide pods have to do with that,
I have no clue.
Just another diversion
from what really matters.
Just another attempt
To silence the messengers.
Just another day
in the life of a democracy
where so may people seem to have forgotten
what freedom
really means.