Enough is Enough

There is nothing more
Constricting
Threatening
Or dangerous
To the world
Than a closed mind.

"Go back to where you came from!"
Would no longer even be a statement
Because we'd think twice
And realize...
We all "came from" somewhere else.

"Terrorist"
"Towel-head"
"Bin Laden's son"
Would no longer be used as slurs
Because we'd know they were ridiculous.

Our media-bombarbed
Misconstrued
Propogated
Oh-so-dangerous
Perceptions
Of the so-called "Other"
Are the greatest threat
To one another
Not the bombs or drones
We hear about over and over
But the false images
The illusions
We are taught to have
Painted in our minds
By a grand design
To perpretate
And hate.

Divide and conquer
Is a war game not yet over
We see it everyday
On the street
In school
At home
As we tear at one another
Out of nothing but sheer fear
Of the unfamiliar and unknown.

This cycle of hate
Is real and ravaging
Out of control

Hate crimes are vicious
And always on the news
We hear more about them
Than the ongoing wars and gangs
And that's because there's a greater war brewing
In the midst of us, under our noses as we speak

And that is of hatred
And that is what needs to change the most
In this world
It's up to us to wake up
Break up
With the illusions and misinformation
And make up to our
Brothers and sisters
Who are not "the other"
But who are our fellow human beings
That share the same struggles.

So let us rise above
What we are told about each other
And offer a handshake
Or open the door
As a conversation starter
The next time we see someone who may be unfamiliar
All it takes is a shared laugh
A glint in the eyes
A smile
To see that we are not the villains
We are broadcasted to be
But are simple fellow beings
With goals and dreams
Like yours.