You tell me to be silent. I will not.
You tell me, "Sit down, that's enough." You say, "Okay I'm done talking about this," and "Can we talk about something else now?" You tell me I take it too personally. You tell me it doesn't mean anything. You tell me it's "just a joke." You tell me to lighten up. And then you tell me to be quiet. But as the great Dr. King once said, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." They told him to sit down. They told him to let it go. And they told him it's hopeless. But he stood. And he spoke. And he changed the world. So I will not be silent when you joke about sexual assault. I will not be silent because "we have gender equality in this country," because we don't. I will not be silent when I face harrassment daily just for being a woman. I will not be silent when I cannot walk to my car alone and feel safe. But you tell me "it's just words," when you joke. You tell me it means nothing. And I will not be silent for the atrocities women face across the globe. So I will not be silent about gender equality. And I will not be silent about your racist humor. I will not be silent when your comments encourage harmful stereotypes. I will not be silent as you marginalize an entire group of people. Or even just an individual. I will not be silent as you discuss others lives. As you decide they "just didn't work hard enough," or "they need another job." I will not be silent as you pity them and then judge them all in the same breath. I will not be silent when you discuss this over Starbucks then go home to your warm house. I will not be silent when your candidate poses a serious threat to peace and equality. I will not be silent when you ignore an absence of empathy. I will not be silent in order to "Respect your opinion" because your opinion is reckless. It's harmful. It's dangerous. I will not be silent about the things that matter. So tell me to be quiet. Tell me to shut up. Tell me to go home. Tell me to lighten up. Please. As people are dying from hunger, war, injustice everyday, tell me to lighten up. And to let it go. Because wouldn't the world be a happier place if we all just mind our own business.
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AuthorHello! I'm Becca -humanitarian, caffeine addict, lover of books, people, and all things Jesus. You can find me in my pajamas, day dreaming about rainy days and saving the world. Archives
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