The future

The future is twelve year old, Tamir Rice
“Male down, black male, maybe 20”
Shot and killed two seconds after arrival of police for carrying a toy gun.
The future is John Crawford
22 years old, black male, picked up an unwrapped BB gun in Wal-Mart
Shot and killed at the scene one second after arrival of officer.
Ruling: No indictments.
The future is Eric Garner
“I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe.”
Put in illegal chokehold by NYPD officers for allegedly selling single cigarettes.
Not given CPR, died an hour later in a hospital.
Ruling: No indictments.
The future is Mike Brown.
Age 18, black male, unarmed, jaywalking.
Supposed struggling with officer, shot to death 6 times while his hands were up.
Eyewitnesses all have matching stories, police reports all vary.
Ruling: Conflicting evidence, no indictments.
The future is revolting, protesting, speaking out
And constantly being shut down.
We are being accused of crimes we did not commit, being killed because people are afraid of us.
We are trying to free ourselves of the chains and barricades set by the generations before us.
Ruling: Young people are irrational and not understanding, no justice.
The future is dying because the present refuses to let us live.

This poem is about: 
My community
My country
Poetry Terms Demonstrated: 

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