protests turn violent

we get taken away
by the soundbites,
the misinformation,
the biased opinions.
and we do it because
we yearn for
an absolute truth.
we want the world to be
identifiable
in a way
that makes us feel
as if we fit in.
we want
black and white -
right or wrong -
truth or lie.
but the honesty of the matter
is that
nothing fits neatly
into a box
made of our base bias.
so when we see protests
we automatically jump
to conclusions
and form opinions
based on our own experiences.
and that's how we're wrong.
we lack empathy,
and cannot understand
how someone else
may have a different experience
than our own.
we see gun violence
and believe that all guns
have the potential for killing
without realizing
that there are guns
that will never kill
another living being.
we see black men engaged
in violent acts
and assume
that all black men are potentially
violent. when, in fact, there are
the majority of black men
who will never commit a crime.
we see white men on the media
that are professionals and believe
that all white men are potentially
professional. but that is not the case.
there are plenty of white men
who fail, who fall below social expectations.
most of what we encounter
and base our theories on
are media driven
to secure ratings,
commercials,
and potential profits.
the media will do
whatever it can
to make sure
you tune in every evening,
even if they have to resort to lies,
and bending the truth to fit
into the most shocking story possible.
it takes a lot of work
to see
between the lies, the truths,
the bending lines
that we are force fed
every time
we interact with information.
but it is our responsibility
to be objective,
and to find the least
absolute answers
to the questions
that confront us.
it is our duty
to refrain
from ignorance.

abide the times and protest when you're told

there are good people
and there are bad people.
some have criminal intent
while others do not.
not all criminals are poor.
not all wealthy people
are law abiding.
there are some people
who commit crimes
and do not believe
the crimes
they are committing
are criminal
to the degree
of prosecution.
some people
who have not committed crimes
are prosecuted even though
they are innocent.
sometimes there are clouds
in the sky,
but they don't always make
rain.
you can set a fire
without burning down
the city.
you can take a drink
of water
without drowning.
there are good law enforcement officers
and there are bad law enforcement officers.
some have criminal intent
while others do not.
not all law enforcement officers are bad.
not all law enforcement officers
are law abiding.
there are some law enforcement officers
who commit crimes
and do not believe
the crimes
they are committing
are criminal
to the degree
of prosecution.
some law enforcement officers
who have not committed crimes
are prosecuted even though
they are innocent.
when there are clouds in the sky,
it doesn't always mean
rain.
a spark does not always
constitute a fire.
a body of water
doesn't necessarily mean
there is a body in the water.