"I can't breathe."
Three words.
Three simple words.
Three heartbreaking words.
Three words that sparked a movement.
An innocent black man was murdered.
Yes.
Murdered.
Cops held him down
Whilst he gasped
For breath.
And you expect
Us to stay
Silent?
They can't breathe
As they mourn the murder
Of their family members.
As they see their mothers,
Sisters, fathers, brothers,
Aunts, uncles, cousins
Get killed unjustly.
They can't breathe
As they see cops
Watching their every move
As they buy groceries.
They can't breathe
As they get pulled over
By a white cop,
Not knowing if he is
Nice or not.
Not knowing if these
Are going to be
Their last moments
Alive.
We can't breathe
Whilst innocent
Black brothers and sisters
Are being killed
By those who are meant to
'Serve and protect'.
But I guess that motto
Only applies to you
When you're white.
Because when you're white,
You look like them.
When you're white,
You're 'not a threat'.
When you're white,
You don't have to stand up
Against oppression
Because
You're
Not
Oppressed.
We can't breathe
Knowing that
Us white people
Can protect our neighbours.
Our friends.
Our family.
We have the privilege
To be able to walk
Without the fear of
Being killed.
So we should walk.
We can't breathe
Not acting against injustice.
You gave us books
About revolutions.
About corrupt governments and
Evil institutions that
Preyed on the underprivileged.
We admired
Katniss, Harry and Tris.
We felt inspired
As they made a stand.
So how can you
Sit there and
Expect us
Not to be furious?
How can you
Expect us
Not to
Fight?
"I can't breathe."
The people chant
As they take to the streets.
The murder of George Floyd
Acted as the match
Which ignited the
Ever growing bomb
Of frustration and anger
Of years of oppression
And brutality.
We can't breathe
As the power hungry
And abusive cops
Throw tear gas into the
Crowd of peaceful protesters.
They can't breathe as they're
Pinned down by four cops each,
Simply for standing with their
Hands up.
Don't you see?
They're not the problem.
How can you breathe,
Knowing that this is all happening?
How can you breathe,
Whilst supporting a system
That instigates violence against those
Who need help?
How can you breathe,
Knowing that you have chosen the
Side of the oppressor?
Until the world is put right,
Until black brothers and sisters
Don't have to fight
To be treated as our equals,
How can you breathe?
Because them?
They can't breathe.