F is for Freedom

For the land of the free, there sure is a lot of bondage and incarceration imbalance.

You can only go to jail if you're not a straight, conservative, wealthy, white male.

Sure is a lot of segregated qualifications to achieve the "American Dream."

Sure is a lot of oppression toward those whose ancestors were in bondage.

Hate crimes on racial minorities.

The struggle for LGBT+ rights.

Islamophobia and Xenophobia.

Sexism and workplace discrimination.

All the rights that were fought for.

All the lives that were lost or

Changed forever due to injury

Post-Traumatic Stress.

Sure is a lot of that floating around in these "United" States of America.

How is this the land of the free if we had to fight a civil war to abolish slavery.

I guess when you write the Star Spangled Banner, your eyes are so star spangled

That you only see that the flag waves over the land of the free white people.

"The rocket's red glare.

The bombs bursting in air."

Over the Middle East.

Anti-immigrant laws.

Scratch that, actually.

Because they’re executive orders.

“Freedom isn’t free.”

As true as that may be,

Some aren’t even able to

Cash in our ancestors’ deposits

After they already paid for it.

With blood

And burning sweat

And tears

So many bitter tears

Alarms in Aleppo...

Bombs over Baghdad...

Congratulations to the Captains

The alphabet is changing.

But the constant is F

for Freedom.

 

This poem is about: 
Me
My community
My country

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