So, let me get this straight…
Don’t wear hoodies
Don’t wear hijabs
Don’t wear turbans
Don’t wear kufis
Don’t wear kurthas
Don’t wear bindis
Don’t wear saris
Don’t rock locks
Natural hair or ‘rows
Shave our beards
Keep our shoes on
Don’t wear sneakers
Pull our pants up
Turn our music down
Learn English
But don’t speak it too well
Or we’re elitist
But don’t speak with an accent
Or you’ll think we don’t speak English
Maybe keep a nice nickname
That you
Can pronounce
Believe in God
But not our religions
Just your religions
Integrate
Assimilate
Become American
But don’t pick up your bad habits
Like being casually homophobic
Or you’ll lock us up for ten years
Get a job
Don’t be a drain on society
But don’t take your jobs
And don’t own every damn business around here
Make our own money
But not so much money
That we can show off our clothes
Or cars
Or jewelry
Or move into your neighborhood
Or build a house of worship there
Don’t try to bring our own languages or histories
Into your schools and colleges
But stay in school
Become American
But try not to practice the first amendment too hard
And don’t even THINK about
The second one
Play by these rules
And maybe
Just
maybe
You’ll consider
Not shooting us dead
-rv
this poem is dedicated in loving memory of Trayvon Martin
and to Shaima Alawadi, who was killed just this week in California.
may your families and loved ones find peace.
http://rajbhogstreetz.tumblr.com/post/19904333717/so-let-me-get-this-straight
Don’t wear hoodies
Don’t wear hijabs
Don’t wear turbans
Don’t wear kufis
Don’t wear kurthas
Don’t wear bindis
Don’t wear saris
Don’t rock locks
Natural hair or ‘rows
Shave our beards
Keep our shoes on
Don’t wear sneakers
Pull our pants up
Turn our music down
Learn English
But don’t speak it too well
Or we’re elitist
But don’t speak with an accent
Or you’ll think we don’t speak English
Maybe keep a nice nickname
That you
Can pronounce
Believe in God
But not our religions
Just your religions
Integrate
Assimilate
Become American
But don’t pick up your bad habits
Like being casually homophobic
Or you’ll lock us up for ten years
Get a job
Don’t be a drain on society
But don’t take your jobs
And don’t own every damn business around here
Make our own money
But not so much money
That we can show off our clothes
Or cars
Or jewelry
Or move into your neighborhood
Or build a house of worship there
Don’t try to bring our own languages or histories
Into your schools and colleges
But stay in school
Become American
But try not to practice the first amendment too hard
And don’t even THINK about
The second one
Play by these rules
And maybe
Just
maybe
You’ll consider
Not shooting us dead
-rv
this poem is dedicated in loving memory of Trayvon Martin
and to Shaima Alawadi, who was killed just this week in California.
may your families and loved ones find peace.
http://rajbhogstreetz.tumblr.com/post/19904333717/so-let-me-get-this-straight
good find
