My Privilege and Place

I have no right as a first world white male.

I shouldn't be upset or offended by a rape case being turned around.

By the use of previous history of sexual behaviour by a victim to prove a perpetrator’s innocence.

There is no real reason why I should care

And I have no right to have an opinion on whether it's right or true.

To be offended that the victim had been named.

Or that the accused should have a right to anonymity.

I shouldn't demand that he should be named.

I have no reason to care about the millionth person killed by a bomb

Dropped on a town in the middle of a country thousands of miles away from where I live.

My privilege and place mean I shouldn't give a toss.

And I don't need to care that another black man was shot

In a small part of the states just because of his race

And I shouldn't care if a man makes a derogatory comment about a Woman

If only other men hear it

Or a person says something racist

If everyone around is white

And I may not deal with these situations perfectly

Every time that I experience them

And my anger and fear as I hear these things

Shouldn't be so extreme

But I am and I do and I will and I should

And I can't stop it

But I can fight it

And my privilege and place

Gives me the power to face

Up to the situation

Gives me the tools to fight it

And if I look and see

To use my empathy

Beyond the comfy town

In a comfy county

In a comfy country

In a lucky place

Born with a lucky face

So all I can do is as much as I can

By talking and sharing

And confronting (if I'm brave enough)

And By teaching my children.

To pass on to them the revolutionary spirit

To not give up the fight

To change the injustice

Because one day

It may be them

Who will have so much power that they

Might have chance to change the world

Or stop a war

Or simply treat strangers with love and respect

Treat everyone as equals

Or simply my boys may be in a situation where they could take advantage

Of a drunk girl

But they choose not to

And to be honest

That would be enough

By Simon Zec

From: United Kingdom

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