What I Know

-Db, Alameda

I know firsthand the evil that lives within individuals and I’ve chosen never to let myself be caught unprepared. In the streets, where you can encounter someone who lives for the sole purpose of ruining other people’s lives, that means totin’ a gun and being alert. In the working world, it means not being complacent, keeping yourself marketable, and having the same, if not higher, level of alertness. It’s unfortunate that we have to live this way, but people who thrive on inflicting pain exist in every sector of our society.

That such people exist in this world makes me mad. But I’m also mad because of all the privileged people who shut their eyes while others are victimized because it doesn’t benefit them to get involved. I’m mad that everybody is a tough guy until a tough situation is present; then they crumble, blaming the world and everything in it. And I hate that young brothas, Latinos, and poor White folks get body slammed for everyone to see on national TV shows like “Cops” while the real high-stakes criminals become CEOs or get elected to public office.

I’m mad that we live in one of the most racist countries in the world, yet racism can’t be confronted because it’s not patriotic. And it drives me crazy how the wealthy get away with everything, including murder, while those of us who can’t afford a team of high-priced lawyers have our lives scarred for smoking weed.

This is supposed to be the country where people have the most freedoms, but you’re not free to do nothin’ unless you pay for it. You might disagree with what’s wrong, but you can’t point out the obvious and be angry about our problems without being labeled a lunatic.

In the end, we blame individuals instead of systems, the corrupted instead of the institutions that corrupt, while our anger smolders until it erupts into flames and we start shootin’ everybody in sight.

Then, all of a sudden, people claim to care, but it’s only because they’re scared. Until the ratings drop, this insanity won’t stop.