POEM I POLITICS
Freedom of Speech and Civic Responsibility
Love to Disagree
Political violence has no place
in a civil society.
But far too often, we hear words
of war accompanied by the lack
of impulse control and easy access
to weaponry that dispenses death.
And what’s next?
The day after, we haven’t discovered
until the dust settles and the blame shifts
from a gaslighter who struck the match
to the victim and the trigger
for a damaged mind to pull.
Freedom of speech is a cornerstone
of our society, a fundamental right
that empowers us to express our opinions
and ideas without fear
of censorship or retaliation.
All civil societies should uphold this right,
as it empowers us to shape our discourse
and guide our actions.
Use vulgar words if the need crawls
into your lips to push across
your teeth in policy debates.
With freedom comes responsibility.
We all have the power to guide
our speech to its rightful place.
We must be mindful of our words,
as they can come back to haunt us.
It’s a reminder of our speech’s impact
and the need for us to use it wisely.
Trump made a political career
with crass claims, racism, sexism, and ableism.
He told people to knock the crap out
of people at high rallies,
and he would pay for any legal bills.
He spoke about shooting protestors,
migrants, and political opponents.
During one rally, he suggested that
if Hillary won, the audience might need
to use the Second Amendment.
This shocking statement underscores
the power of the listener in shaping
the impact of political rhetoric.
Now, more than ever, there’s a pressing
need to dial down the rhetoric.
The shooter’s friends identified
a staunch conservative as the one
who carried out the recent shooting.
This tragic event serves
as a stark reminder of the potential
consequences of inflammatory language.
Law enforcement killed him wearing
a gun enthusiast shirt from a YouTube channel.
We must not blame free speech for this shooting.
The responsibility lies with the shooter
and the shooter alone.
However, this doesn’t absolve politicians
who incite violence from their actions.
It’s up to us, the audience,
to hold them accountable.
We have the power to vote out those
who can’t compromise and instead spread hatred.
We must use our voices strategically
and refuse to let violence take root in our society.
(© 2024 AC)
(Amazon Kindle, Spillwords, The Writers Club)
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