I often find myself embarrassed to live in this country.

In this country where people spend more time waiting in line for overpriced coffee than waiting in line to talk to their children’s teachers.

In this country where celebrities are paid a significant amount for sacrificing their privacy while men and women are paid not nearly as much for sacrificing their lives.

And instead of doing something about it, I wrote this poem.

And I now see that I am part of the problem.

How dare we say we are a great country?

There are people without homes

Kids fighting a silent war

Families struggling to stay afloat.

We are not part of the problem, we are the whole problem.

I know we can redeem ourselves.

I know that we carry the potential to be something greater than our self righteousness.

It is like we are behind a fogged up window and we refuse to put our hands to the glass because that would mean getting our hands wet and once our eyes witness the coldness of our planet, we are obligated to do something about it.

I am ashamed of our country for submitting to cowardice when we are self-proclaimed home of the brave. 

I have seen more guts in 15 year old Pakistani girls who take bullets at point-blank range for just wanting an education.

I have witnessed more backbone in elementary school kids who shave their heads to let their friends know that they are not alone.

I want to live in a country where Revolution is not just the name of a song or television series.

I want to live in a country where revolution is sparked by the youth and we infect politicians and businessmen with our truths.

I don’t want to fear badges and sirens or even being scolded by the principle.

I am not the simple-minded American I think many people are, that many people think I am.

I am aware of real world issues and I don’t want anyone to duct tape my mouth shut so that I don’t start a panic.

We must initiate change so that our children will not grow to be like us, 

Easily distracted and manipulated by technology and magazine headlines.

We will never be younger than we are at this moment.

We are the youth and revolution starts with you.