I just watch Selma
It huts my heart
to know that
this actually happened
in my lifetime
I was 10 in 1965
living in a small town
in Ontario Canada
As a white child
I knew nothing
of Selma Alabama
I remember
my parents horror
at the news
of events
as they transpired
but a white child
In a liberal community
in the great whit north
I had no real understanding
I still barely
understand.
This I do know…
If we are not vigilant,
If we just spend our lives
with our eyes closed…
relying on those in charge
to make the right decisions
and do what’s right
for mankind…
…we will lose
we will lose to apathy
we will lose to those
willing to step up
and take charge
with ignorance
and force
with violence
and hate
and fear
..hate and violence
are learned responses
gut responses to fear
fear of change
fear of loss
fear of differences
fear and violence
taught at the knees
of people suffering
from fear
Can we not learn
from our past?
There’s a great deal
of dissent
about some of the
representations
in the movie Selma
Instead of bitching
about the right and wrong
of representations
Can we not learn from
what we know happened?
what we have seen
live footage of?
Or are we already
living in fear?
