When Hate Kills

In loving tribute to Rashawn Brazell and other victims of heinous crimes

Too young
to be gone so soon
The promise of life
and all of its joys and pains
taken away from you
By someone with no regard, no respect,
No appreciation
For the preciousness and value of life
We don’t need a police report or investigation
to prove this was a hate crime

Your death is an immense loss
felt by your family, friends
And by a community that often falls
off the radar when we are the victims of heinous
crimes like these
But when hate kills, everyone’s
radar should be made aware
Those so quick to shake it off
as insignificant or justified
Or those that think events as such have
absolutely nothing to do with them
have another thing coming

When hate kills
it’s not a black/white issue
When hate kills
it’s not a gay/straight issue
When hate kills
it’s not an us vs. them issue
When hate kills
it’s not a Christian vs. Muslim vs. Jewish issue
The effects impact all of us
Hate serves to disrupt and divide our communities
By trying to eliminate the ties that bind
us together
But our interconnectedness should
not let hate win
In times like these it should help in
uniting us in love, understanding,
acceptance, and respect
Because the remedy is love
The remedy is understanding
The remedy is acceptance
The remedy is respect
The remedy lies within us
For the remedy is us
We will be the ones who
determine whether hate prevails
or whether it falters
For when hate no longer kills
We all will be in a much happier,
better, safer place

Hate may have taken you physically away
But your spirit continues to go on freely
Inspiring, uplifting
And living within each and every one of us
We honor you and your existence
By standing here now
By coming together now
To raise awareness
And to combat the forces
that try to pit us against each other
Hate must not win
Humanity must not be disregarded
Love must reign
And life cannot be taken lightly
anymore

© 2005 BuddahDesmond