A year ago the Charlottesville protest violence woke my poetic voice and disdain for the direction our leaders are taking our country.

It’s why I started this blog.

Today there are reunion protests scheduled in DC. The battle is stronger than ever for the colors of our nation. Their spark started this raging inferno, fueled by hateful rhetoric that seeps into normal life almost daily. It’s abnormally normalized. Another season has begun and the leader of our nation is fanning these flames of hate across the country… again.

Football is back.

The tweets are twittering.

Since kneeling is “banned” in NFL, at the behest of a hateful man, it appears fists up are the new way to send the message that they won’t stand for it anymore.

Personally I love it. Personally I think that any conscientious person in any venue can show support for equal rights and disdain for the destruction of our democracy during an anthem with fists up, we can’t kneel in the stands anyway. It’s a respectful way to protest, a powerful image and it’s our right. For now.

I will show my love for country NOT with a forced hand on my chest but a free willed fist held high. I would LOVE to see a stadium full of fists in the air.

The beer garden is full of fists of beer, but there are no tweets about those that can’t even set their drink down in respect of our national anthem. The man remains silent as most of the stadium stands lazily, looking the part of a patriot without conviction. Of course, event videos show the man who cares so much about this song, doesn’t even know the words himself.

It’s not about the song. It’s not about patriotism or American values, it’s about keeping the voice of a disenfranchised group quiet… you’re here to entertain, that’s all, shut up.

This “sacred” song has been our anthem for less than half our countries history; albeit longer than equality rights for women, blacks and children.

Let’s make sure this is a shameful time in our countries history; and not the beginning of a new “white America” era. These old boys have had their run and made a mess of it. It’s time for real change; positive change for diverse citizens, both born and immigrated, to live the dream we once believed could be real. That once WAS real.

Team Spirit

No longer about the ball and who can score the most, it’s now a venue for protesting against the leader of the posts.

When the anthem plays, hold your fist high and proud, let them know you won’t cower under their white shroud.

We believe in equality, we believe in diversity, we believe the “right” is wrong. Standing tall or kneeling low, it is not about the song.

Human kindness is at risk by a few empowered groups, pitting civilians against eachother and our valued troops.

We’re rejecting unchecked power and defective policy, if justice is truth, then the truth is discriminating inequality.

Tweeters tweet, haters hate, they attack us from “all sides”. Democracy demands we participate, decency is our guide.

If not like them, you’re to blame; that’s the way it is again. Now’s the time to end this game and stop the malignant din.

Today they admonish those of color, tomorrow who knows who it’ll be. With or against is how they role, they may come for you and me.

So raise your fist in peaceful protest, be sure to do it often. It’s better to stand for others than lie in a racists coffin.