Why is it that I must respect your Allah, your Buddha, your spirit animal,

                But you attack my God and my right to worship Him?

Why must I mind my speech, my words, my phrases

                When you can call me ‘cracker’ and ‘racist’?

Why is it that I am respectful of all races, ethnicities, and walks of life,

                But I am not allowed to be proud of mine?

Why do we allow the past to dictate a future

                That would be more prosperous if we just moved forward?

Why must I suffer for my success

                When it is that success that carries the unsuccessful?

Why is it my success that carries them

                And not their own?

Why is it okay for you to hate your country,

                When this country protects your right to hate it?

Why must we mistreat, underpay, and limit our troops,

                When they fight for our freedom to do so?

Why can you speak your thoughts, your mind, your heart,

 Yet I am forced to bite my tongue?

Why are you more accepted than I am

                When I am an American too?

Are we both not spiritual,

                Or is my God banned because He is not your god?

Are we both not people,

                Or does skin color still divide us?

Are we not the new generation,

                Or are we still byproducts of the past?

Are we not all earners,

                Or are we only takers?

Are we not both proud of our troops,

                Or do we only take what they provide?

Are we both not Americans,

                Or do we only live in America?

Are we both not sentient,

                Or can only one of us have a voice?