by Camryn Parsons
how many more lives
before our congress decides
it is time to say ok
we have a problem
that will not go away
without the adults
realizing they have the power,
they have the power for change.
kids are being shot down
and no I do not mean their voices
which is already bad enough
but their bodies
bloody
in a haunted hallowed hallway
where they came to spend the day
learning,
not ready to send their lives away.
and I guess it’s easy for you to say
when you haven’t faced that type of pain
“it’s not the guns, it’s the people”
but could a single knife cause this unbearable strife?
could it create seventeen new victims
all with families and homes
whom now have never felt so desperately alone?
we have a fight rising among us
but that does not do what a new law does.
we can not pass these regulations and rules
but we can say we want them and we need them
and assault rifles can no longer be such accessible tools.
you are the ignorance to our cause.
we are the songs of millions
and you are the button always pressing pause.
we are fifteen and sixteen
and we are tired of thoughts and prayers.
since when do fake consolidations
get our country anywhere?
and if one person tells me it’s fine –
Donald Trump can continue to pray
I am going to reply not a text message but a whole essay:
HERE is the hope
HERE is the fear
HERE is the government afraid to come near
because near would be too close to accepting
the responsibility for the death of our children
in a place of education.
the school is not a place of goodbyes but hellos
so don’t question our shouts, hell no hell no.
Sandy Hook did not call change
you know what – I will rephrase.
elementary kids killed did call for change
in fact that phone rang and rang and rang
and yet those perfect politicians
they refused to pick up
because answering that phone of despair
would mean that someone would have to care.
and if there was not change then
what the hell are we supposed to do to make change NOW?
and when I say now I mean now I mean now because the month is February
and the year 2018
and in the United States
we have had more school shootings than the rest of the world combined
so come on, dear god, try to tell me again it’s not the right time.
and if we don’t say now if we don’t claim now
then when will unexpected death strike our nation’s halls again?
when will another loving child lose their very best friend?
so please, I do not care whether you know how this will end
I care that you sit in your chair and you pretend to care
and the most you can do is make a shitty tweet and press send
while meanwhile you refuse to meet
the real issue at hand
yours is too small to grasp
long enough
to actually understand.
thoughts and prayers don’t save lives.
POLICY does
REGULATION does
AN EFFORT DOES.
conservative vs liberal doesn’t matter in this battle.
the qualification you need is to be a person
because as person you must realize
we don’t have the time
to let one more kid die,
one more family to be traumatized.
but shit despite this all,
despite every single one of this government’s flaws,
there is some shred of faith
because look at the teenagers unwilling to accept
that this second amendment has led to so much death.
we cannot fight violence with violence
just like we cannot fight hate with hate.
it’s time to realize the country we claim to be so great
is not willing and ready to control our own fate.
us teenagers, no, we are not going to wait till the next date
the next headline of another school shooting.
we are not willing to wait
until every person in this country is a victim –
no, we have given ourselves the permission.
- will. fight.
will you be with us, dear government,
or against us?
no matter your answer, you best be afraid of us.
PSA: some politicians and part of the government are doing some pretty awesome things! However, others are doing a pretty trash job. So this is not @ the whole government, this is @ the part of it that thinks they can solve the issue of guns with more guns and that are simply not doing enough at such a crucial time.
HB IN RETROSPECT 