Aug 2015
Growth.
It's why we exist.
We conquered the earth, and moved to the seas.
We conquered the seas, and moved to the skies.
We conquered the skies, first with both our bodies and minds.
And then we moved to the unknown.
Historically speaking, when we have been told "you can't,"
We have responded with an equally indignant silence,
Proving ourselves through our actions as opposed to our words.
Proving that we can.
And then we moved to the unknown.
First, came the architects of the mind.
Then, the architects of the land.
Ad nauseam.
Growth is something we, as a race, have always excelled at.
So why have we stopped?
Look at us.
"But we haven't stopped!"
Pay attention to the world around you.
We are bombarded by a barrage of bullets, blood, and banality.
On a daily basis.
Constant updates of what's wrong with the world.
Masked as calls to action.
In truth a cry for help.
Fear mongering is a commonly used term, nowadays.
Let's not even break down what's wrong with that sentence,
As you can do that yourself,
But instead direct our attention to the fact that it is, in fact, wrong
And it's destroying not only our country, but our world.
And no, I am not full of so much pride in this country that I believe we are the world.
I am full of so much fear that we can destroy it.
And we can, quite easily, at that. It's not a question, at this point.
America is the most militaristic nation in the world.
Ironically enough, this is in fact one of the things we pride ourselves in.
But we spend all of this money protecting ourselves from the wrong thing;
America is a nation at war with itself.
What do we see, on a daily basis?
Pull out your phone.
I'm serious.
Open any kind of news.
Search for the following words in the headlines:
Accident
Mistake
Pain
Loss
Blood
Tragedy
Violence
Racism
Brutality
Shooting
Death.
It's not a question of whether or not you saw them. It's a question of how many you saw.
These are the kinds of topic that sell the best, with media. Research supports that this is in fact what people pay the most attention to.
No ****. I would pay attention, too.
Except that I don't. Because the news doesn't just report the story any more. They add a little pizzazz. Something extra, to make it more attention grabbing.
Nine times out of ten, this extra something is fear.
It's one thing to see an unfortunate tale of a car accident amidst the rest of your daily news.
It's another to see EIGHT PEOPLE SHOT in big, bold, all caps letters
Then to have the "professional" news people drop buzz words like
"Racism, stereotyping, Gun control," and, my favorite, "political agenda."
When all we are shown is fear, all we will learn is fear.
A country united in arms, divided against itself.
Brother against brother.
Father against son.
Politicians against the ideas they're supposed to represent,
And the Law working against it's people.
People act as if police brutality is the norm.
People believe our leaders are out to get us.
Other races aren't to be trusted.
Other religions aren't to be believed.
Other peoples aren't to be offended.
Radical ideas aren't to be conceived.
Change is an outdated word. We have stagnated, and will perpetually decline unless something is done about it.
And, well, when the nation is too scared to do anything about it?
We must grow, or die trying.
At least that way, people might notice.
It's why we exist.
We conquered the earth, and moved to the seas.
We conquered the seas, and moved to the skies.
We conquered the skies, first with both our bodies and minds.
And then we moved to the unknown.
Historically speaking, when we have been told "you can't,"
We have responded with an equally indignant silence,
Proving ourselves through our actions as opposed to our words.
Proving that we can.
And then we moved to the unknown.
First, came the architects of the mind.
Then, the architects of the land.
Ad nauseam.
Growth is something we, as a race, have always excelled at.
So why have we stopped?
Look at us.
"But we haven't stopped!"
Pay attention to the world around you.
We are bombarded by a barrage of bullets, blood, and banality.
On a daily basis.
Constant updates of what's wrong with the world.
Masked as calls to action.
In truth a cry for help.
Fear mongering is a commonly used term, nowadays.
Let's not even break down what's wrong with that sentence,
As you can do that yourself,
But instead direct our attention to the fact that it is, in fact, wrong
And it's destroying not only our country, but our world.
And no, I am not full of so much pride in this country that I believe we are the world.
I am full of so much fear that we can destroy it.
And we can, quite easily, at that. It's not a question, at this point.
America is the most militaristic nation in the world.
Ironically enough, this is in fact one of the things we pride ourselves in.
But we spend all of this money protecting ourselves from the wrong thing;
America is a nation at war with itself.
What do we see, on a daily basis?
Pull out your phone.
I'm serious.
Open any kind of news.
Search for the following words in the headlines:
Accident
Mistake
Pain
Loss
Blood
Tragedy
Violence
Racism
Brutality
Shooting
Death.
It's not a question of whether or not you saw them. It's a question of how many you saw.
These are the kinds of topic that sell the best, with media. Research supports that this is in fact what people pay the most attention to.
No ****. I would pay attention, too.
Except that I don't. Because the news doesn't just report the story any more. They add a little pizzazz. Something extra, to make it more attention grabbing.
Nine times out of ten, this extra something is fear.
It's one thing to see an unfortunate tale of a car accident amidst the rest of your daily news.
It's another to see EIGHT PEOPLE SHOT in big, bold, all caps letters
Then to have the "professional" news people drop buzz words like
"Racism, stereotyping, Gun control," and, my favorite, "political agenda."
When all we are shown is fear, all we will learn is fear.
A country united in arms, divided against itself.
Brother against brother.
Father against son.
Politicians against the ideas they're supposed to represent,
And the Law working against it's people.
People act as if police brutality is the norm.
People believe our leaders are out to get us.
Other races aren't to be trusted.
Other religions aren't to be believed.
Other peoples aren't to be offended.
Radical ideas aren't to be conceived.
Change is an outdated word. We have stagnated, and will perpetually decline unless something is done about it.
And, well, when the nation is too scared to do anything about it?
We must grow, or die trying.
At least that way, people might notice.
I know it's been a while. I've been writing, just not poetry. Still love everyone here, and please, as always, keep writing.
-S.C.
-S.C.
