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"Great" Country by Crossed-Unversed

Do not tell me we live in a great country
where the poor are taxed dry
and the rich comfortably sleep in their mansions.
Where there are people going hungry
and children kill each other just for a pair of shoes.
Where police beat the innocent
and true criminals freely walk the streets.
Do not tell me we live in a great country
when billions are spent on war
and teens of all ages live in fear of violence.
When the vigilante is labeled a villain
and the villain wears a badge and a gun.
When the Anarchist is called a terrorist
and terrorists get away with murder day by day.
Do not tell me we live in a great country
if I cannot walk outside without persecution
and my religion, race, style and gender are taboo.
If I can't freely marry the one I love
and millions of others are denied basic rights.
If I can't be who I was born as
and there are still too many who feel the same.
Do not tell me we live in a great country
just because you have privileges
while thinking we all get the same treatment.
Just because you face no threats of death
while the rest of us struggle to get by.
Just because money lines your pockets
while we live in a collapsing system.

They say Anarchists are evil.
We just want to be free.
Your great country is a falsehood
if you can't let me be me.

~August 21, 2012~
~ShatteredScribe~

"Great" Country

Crossed-Unversed

Back when this was written, I had a Government teacher who held the opinion that America is the greatest country in the world. I didn't say it aloud, but this was my response. Our first homework assignment was to write something reflecting on our first lesson, and this poem was my response. I can't remember the grade I got for it, but he wasn't exactly pleased.

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Literary / Poetry / Lyrics

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    Heh, I can imagine. Good on you for having the guts to turn it in. ^^

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      Thank you! My teacher was pretty upset with me that entire semester after I turned that poem in.