Be clear,
be very clear,
that respecting
the needs and rights of
ever human is
not up for negotiation.
Anything less than respect
is not acceptable,
not moral,
not rational,
not to be condoned
if we are to have
a fair and just society
where the individual
matters and where seeking
the good is a priority.
Be clear,
be very clear,
that I will fight
for that respect,
and I will not tolerate
the gradual watering
down of respect
through clever talk,
ignorance, neglect
and subtle shifts of policy.
We all know respect
as a warm friend
and we all see when
this friend is stolen away
and with it the dignity
of people whose lives
are assigned less value
in the cold space of otherness.
Be clear,
be very clear,
that this is a cause, prima ordinis,
one that must be at the
forefront of our collective conscience
as a country,
as a society,
as a community,
as families,
if we are to truly and fully
call ourselves human beings.
10/1/2019