Reportedly White Americans and Republicans dismay.
As they feel their power and prestige slip away.
They want to make their advantage stay.
Won’t allow for others to stand in their way.
But getting a taste of having less
Doesn’t seem to get them to re-assess.
To see how others have been grieving
About the injustices they’ve been receiving.
It’s a wonder that they don’t think empathy.
To understand how it has been for other of their fellow-men.
Generation after generation.
Just like Trump’s reaction to his infection with Covid-19.
After his recovery, there was no empathy.
Instead he was bold and boastful,
Strutting with pride.
As if to beat the virus, all you have to do is try.
That’s the same feel and message
Those who are disenfranchised have been getting.
“Don’t let it dominate”. “Don’t let it take over your lives”.
Just ignore or overcome – the poverty, injustice and racism strife.
But imagine what it must be like to be born into poverty.
And Society is telling you, it’s because you’re lazy.
Imagine being judged, incarcerated or killed
All the negative – Just because of the color of your skin.
Imagine trying as hard as you could
But you meet with obstacle after obstacle.
It’s understandable that at some point,
There may be a surrender.
When learned helplessness takes front and center.
Then you are deemed as not wanting to do better.
On the other side, when you choose to fight, you are criticized.
Your behaviors seen as angry and inappropriate.
So nothing you do appears adequate.
If your car bumps at every turn it will be difficult to not feel boxed in.
Even the roots of oak trees curl when it’s limited space they are given.
When you’re not allowed to spread your wings,
How can you fly?
When you are targeted to remain poor,
How can you soar?
How can you pull yourself up by the bootstraps –
When you don’t even have boots?
Like blaming the victim, the recipient of the abuse.
So as Whites and Republicans fight to keep their status.
And to obtain that, other lives don’t matter.
Seems similar to others’ claims and aims –
That of White Supremacists and the KKK.
Members of all of these groups
May be more alike than they care to admit.
In the words of the Bob Marley hit:
“Who the cap fit, let them wear it”.