What would freedom be like?

 

“Freedom is never voluntarily given from the oppressor

It must be demanded by the oppressed” – MLK

 

Freedom is connection

Our natural genius would shine

Because it hasn’t been stunted, suppressed, or squelched

It would not be illegal to be homeless

But to allow homelessness to exist

Families can heal and children grow up without shadows

Freedom over our time

Our goal to know what is real

Instead of to produce illusions

My freedom wouldn’t come at the expense of yours

Or yours at my expense

Freedom is trusting our leaders and our neighbors

Because our neighbors are our leaders and we are theirs

As much food as we need (and not more)

As much housing as we need (and not more)

Science and technology are the people’s tools

To solve, to heal, to sustain

Not to perpetuate injustice and inflict harm

Freedom would be curing cancer

Instead of making it an industry

Guaranteed

Health in abundance

No need to escape your town, your hood, your past, your demons

Freedom is the right to beauty

Freedom is when loving is easy and hating is a struggle

The right to water

Determination and faith

Instead of coercion and fear

A mass awakening instead of a mass extinction

Children won’t have the opportunity to learn racism

Or that their mothers aren’t as important as their fathers

Or that they are not as important as adults

Freedom is the right to create, instead of working third shift, rushing all the time

Worth is measured by how much something helps

Freedom is breathing full breaths, unencumbered by asthma, fear of bombs and drones, pollution

True work is serving others

Green is everywhere, not money, but leaves

Humans don’t put humans in cages

Instead of berating ourselves for not thinking like the rich

We could shift our focus on the how to see each other, know each other, trust each other

It would be when assembling, speaking and voting are avenues to real results

Instead of a sorry comfort for our poverty

It would replace halftime shows with cheering for our children

It could never be built on the chains of others, the sweat of others, the soil of others

Freedom is balance

Freedom is the ability to assert our will

To make life on earth not a vicious competition for individual survival,

But a collective endeavor to ensure the survival of our species and our planet