Real gun violence;

The kind of thing that sneaks up on you when you start to grow up.

Super soakers are just a bit of fun,

Cool off as water hits you like a shotgun.

Action-packed video games and loud bangs,

It’s as if the desire to kill is ingrained in our brains.

It’s all harmless fun,

When it’s a game between friends,

But as soon as you open up twitter

This is what the hashtag trends:

#JusticeforTrayvon.

It’s like the police brutality won’t ever end.

We feel grief for maybe a second or two,

And then we move on quickly

because that’s what we’re expected to do.

“These things happen, it’s best not to sulk”;

You’d think because these things happen,

We should revolt.

Playing “pretend violence” when we’re young,

Only numbs us for what’s to come.

We’ve become so used to these gun violence headlines,

That the chances of change are seeming slim to none.

Why do we just accept things?

It’s 2018 and somehow they still exist,

Homophobes are those who are intolerant of others right to love,

They spew words of hate,

And they kick and they shove.

Homophobic hate crimes, they happen more than you think.

They say gay is a choice,

And it makes them sick.

But it seems the only choice made here,

Is their choice to be a prick.

Equality isn’t something to be argued,

It’s a finished discussion.

But even after reading this,

You’re probably going to still let your friends homophobic jokes slide,

Without repercussions.

Why do we just accept things?

The color of one’s skin is not a representation of worth,

But we still choose to quietly hate and to hurt.

From racial slurs to racial profiling,

Everyone acts like they can’t hear blacks screaming and hollering.

The black man makes only 70 cents to a white man’s dollar.

Through systems of quiet discrimination,

they’ve tried to lesson each of our values.

So let’s try to educate them on a lesson of equality,

A book of “How-To’s”.

With all this said,

We’re aware that racism should be dead.

But that doesn’t mean people aren’t going to choose

to still be willfully ignorant instead.

Why do we just accept things?

Cat calls in the streets and unwanted touches under the sheets,

These are the things we don’t ask for-

To be touched by creeps.

Keep your mouth shut,

It was no big deal,

But your ignorance to our “no’s”,

Destroys our ability to heal.

We speak up about sexual harassment and assault,

Because that’s what we’re told to do.

But as soon as we tell our stories,

It becomes old news.

Why do we just accept things?

He gives a whack to your head,

“It was probably something i said”.

A hard blow to the chest,

“Oh he just isn’t feeling his best”.

“Abuse is inexcusable”,

Something most can preach.

But when it’s time to speak up for someone involved in abuse,

We stand idly by because “it’s not our relationship”,

Therefore it’s no use.

I think i’m getting tired of just accepting things.