Saturday, July 13, 2013

Stand Your Ground




(for Trayvon)


Oh what's race
got to do
got to do with it?
What's race
but an inappropriate
notion of the OTHER.
Could have been
anyone in the world
walking down the street
that rainy February night
stranger who instills fear
makes you cold with fright.
Scary figure draws you out
the safety of your car?
What made you so righteous,
unafraid to stand your ground
come face to face
with potential threat?

Oh what's race
got to do
got to do with it?
What's race
but an inappropriate
notion of the OTHER.
Lone black teen
unarmed,
sipping on some tea
HOODIE on his head
only protection
from the rain,
walking down
wrong street
on happy valley
INVADING
their personal space
suspicious, yes.
Not figured to be someone’s
guest.

Oh what's race
got to do
got to do with it?
What's race
but an inappropriate
notion of the OTHER.
Mr. Wanna be police
doing what police
do best, put benefit
of the doubt to rest
just profile.

That neighborhood is yours!
He couldn’t
be someone’s guest.
Use deadly force
in self defense to defend
the place, that’s your right
to be in your ground, don’t retreat
don’t give up, your ground.

What's race but a marker
of what someone can be, is
and deserves. Wasn’t
it reasonable to believe,
to feel scared, to believe in good faith
that Lone black teen
unarmed Lone black teen
was there to take your life?
Rush him, face those fears, don’t
retreat stand your ground, secure
your space. What's race
got to do, got to do with it?


Note: Since the inception of “Stand your ground laws” in 2005 in Florida, self-defense claims in shootings have tippled.  Support independent publishing Tupelo Press http://tupelopress.wordpress.com/3030-project/

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