White Shame

First of all, are you really serious about White Supremacy and Systemic Racism?

If I assume that you are…and, you sound like you are…

Don’t you think you need to do more than write words?

Don’t you think you need to do more than write apologies?

Don’t you think you need to do more than shame yourself, and others?

What must you do to rid yourself of the crushing guilt?

The disease of shame fires through the veins of your heart

and pumps through your blood and being.

You are shame.

You paint shame.

You paint your children with shame.

You have been unable to cope

with your own heart,

and so,

You paint your children’s heart with shame.

You paint your children’s heart with shame

because you are unable to embrace

and love

your own heart.

You paint your children’s heart with shame.

You ignite their blood

and electrify their heart,

you have perfected your own machine,

and this is your most profound gift,

to them.

Never.
Never.
Never listen to someone
who wants you to feel shame.

Never.
Never.
Never accept that shame today
will solve the problems of tomorrow.

It is the opposite. Exactly.

There are some people with White skin
who have the most money
who have enjoyed the most privilege
who have lived in bubbled safety
more than most who refuse
to recognize their own love
who treat their own love
like a beaten dog
who treat their own hearts
like a beaten dog

Because of their position
they have power
they have a microphone
and they are teaching.

They are teaching their shame.
They are showing us their shame.
They are forcing us to shame.

You can not be forced to shame.
You can die standing up for what you believe
But you can not be forced to shame.

If you shame. It’s your shame.

If you allow your children to be shamed.
It is your shame.
Your gift.
Your legacy.

Who’s the first of these White folks
who feel so passionately
that they must have the world feel like them,
who’s the first to stop paying taxes.

Who’s the first to stop paying taxes?
Who’s the first to sell their belongings
and the spoils of their imperial souls.

Who’s the first to do more than speak words of shame
to infect the children,
and stop paying tribute to the structure
they speak so emotionally about
in their words.

Systemic = Government,
Where are the white folks who will stop paying taxes.
Where are the white folks who will stop paying for the structure?

I know where they are.
I see them…

Behind their words
behind their worlds…

I see you.