Fear

Fear

Hadass Novick, Student Contributor

I am ashamed.
I am ashamed to live in a country with so much racism, homophobia, and
discrimination.
I am ashamed to live in a country where it is easier to buy a firearm than to feed a
family.
I am ashamed to live in a country that picks and chooses which humans deserve
rights.
I am ashamed to live in a country where propaganda is part of the education
system.
I am ashamed to live in a country where money is priceless, and people are
expendable.
I am ashamed to live in a democracy where leaders no longer serve the people.
I am ashamed to live in a country dedicated to destruction.
I am ashamed to live in a country where history is erased to alter the story.

I am afraid.
I am afraid to live in a world where generations create problems knowing they
won't be the ones to suffer the consequences.
I am afraid to live in a world where the biggest danger to us is each other.
I am afraid of living on a dying planet.

I am afraid to live in a country where the unborn are more protected than I.
I am afraid to live in a country where I can get shot only for attending school.
I am afraid to live in a country where alleyways are safer than schools.
I am afraid to live in a country where weapons have more rights than women.

I am afraid to live in a country where I can be assaulted, and be blamed for it.
I am afraid to live in a country where basic rights are viewed as privilege.
I am afraid to live in a country where the rich are selfish, forgetting that they were
once poor too.
I am afraid to live in a country where I am not guaranteed the right to livable
conditions.

I am afraid to live in a country where old men I have never met control my body.
I am afraid to live in a world where I will be punished for a crime I didn't commit.
I am afraid to live in a country where leaders refuse to acknowledge the people
they are hurting.
I am afraid to live in a country on fire, where leaders refuse to protect their
people.
I am afraid to live in a country where the police are not there to protect us.

I am afraid to live in the Land of The Free, where freedom is just an illusion.
I am afraid to live in America, a place generations to come will view with shame.
I am afraid to live in The United States, where we are so divided on basic morals.

I am afraid to live in this country.
I am afraid to live in this world.
I am afraid to live.