These songs of Freedom...

The saddest moment of my day happened at the end of today-

At the gym as I'm working out, (the gym.... The only place that keeps me sane these days), I got to talking with G, a  man who also works out there. 

He's a big guy, well built and towers over me. He talks to me with the utmost respect, does not hit on me and actually sees me as another human being and not a piece of meat.

Inside his chest beats a sweet and compassionate heart. He has the gentlest eyes and is very soft spoken. I  like G. I respect G. 

He sees me beasting it out and throwing weights around and he asks 

"why are you training so hard?"

I tell him I'm not training. I'm angering today, because of all the many things that are unjust. We get to the topic of #Ferguson and his brow furrows. 

"You know," he confides after he heard me rant for a bit,

 "I'm scared. Sometimes I see a cop on the road next to me and I'm scared and I think- oh shit, I hope he don't pull me over. I hope he don't think I'm bad and shoot at me if he pull me over."

I felt my eyes well up with tears.

You see, G is a black man...

"It's not right G." I tell him. "It's fucked up! You should not have to be scared" 

This beautiful, peaceful, sweet soul should NOT have to be scared. But he is-

Because we live in an age where despite all the progress we have made the insidious vibes of hatred and racism run deep. Where the concept of supremacy is based on the color of your skin.

"I'm so sorry," I say- "it's fucked up!"

"Don't be sad, I didn't mean to make you sad" he comforts me.

"I am sad, not because of you but because it's fucked up" I sniffle.

"You know you the only white person that asked me about it." He says after a while

"I'm not white G. I was born in Uganda. In Africa."

"For real?!" And he breaks into a smile...

"Yup yup" I smile back.

"You know what?" I say,

"It's red..."

He looks at me for a bit and then smiles. He gets it. 

"Yes it is. It is for sure!"

We say goodbye. 

It's red-

Blood!

 

Yours 

Mine 

G's

It's red...

No one's any better or superior-

But race is about divisions

Because divisions empower profiteers

Hatred is taught 

And learned 

I wonder why so many are SHEEPLE 

And don't get it?

How long will they kill our prophets

While we stand aside and look...?

Won't you help to sing

These songs of freedom...

They're all I ever had-

Redemption songs-

These songs of freedom 

No one is ever FREE until ALL of us are free.

Enough is enough. 

We have to stand up for freedom

For all

JUSTICE for all

So that a SHAIMA won't die in Gaza because she was born on the wrong side of town...

Nor a Mike Brown in Missouri

And a gentle, sweet man won't have to worry that he might be mistreated because his skin is darker than mine...

Won't you help to sing...

These songs of FREEDOM!

 

#justice4MikeBrown

#FreePalestine