You Ask Me Why —

How can I be less political
When the political is personal
When people I know are crying
When people I care for will die
How can I be less political
When my heart is splitting
When people are being spit on
Are told they just don’t matter
How can I be less political
When I have daughters, our future
Who deserve to reach for the stars
And pull them from the sky
How can I be less political
When people of color also have
Bright young sons and daughters
Deserving to reach for the stars
The same young daughters and sons
With a right to live, to thrive
Who deserve their country’s love
Along with their fathers and mothers
And with several international daughters
How can I be less political
How can I let them come here and think
This represents the best of America
How can I let them come here and think
Their families wouldn’t be welcome
How can I be less political
If our love is impermanent, finite
How can I be less political
When my gay friends, gay relatives
Want only to hold their partner’s hand
If I would just take a stand for them
I can’t be less political
With so many loved ones hurting
But this isn’t really about me
Why doesn’t it matter to you?
The comment I hear too much of late, is how tired so many people are of everything “political.” How they’re sick of seeing it everywhere, reading about it, hearing about it, feeling all the hate in the air. Can we really imagine that any of us want to talk ad nauseum about “health” plans that kill, police who murder, a president that refuses to see us as humans? This isn’t about “politics” anymore, or taking sides: it’s about my family, my friends, the people I love. I’m happy that others don’t know anyone suffering, but — I don’t see how that’s possible without wearing blinders.

