On February 19th, Art Academy of Cincinnati hosted a night of poetry reading full of dedicated, strong-willed, and politically activated poets. Below is the poem read by AAC student, D.J. Gathers.
“Dear White People”
Dear White People,
Stop getting offended at legitimately anything that challenges your position as a majority (even though us mixed breeds are about to weed you the fuck out). Dear White People don’t respond to Black Lives Matter with All Lives Matter because someone will most likely slap the shit out of you. Not in a shitty way, just in a “are you actually serious right now that’s really not the fucking point” kind of way. WE know that all lives matter, however not all lives are being scrutinized, getting their culture constantly appropriated for monetary gain and being disproportionally killed based on the color of their skin so you know, chill the fuck out. Dear White People stop saying Blue Lives Matter because what the fuck is a blue life? I didn’t know Smurfs were so marginalized. We get that you support police, but do it in a non-shitting on a legitimate civil rights movement kind of way.
Dear White People stop saying that black athletes are privileged bastards because they stand up for (or should I say kneel for) what they believe in. You didn’t give a shit how much money athletes made until one didn’t stand up for your precious piece of ugly red white and blue cloth during the national anthem. Dear White People stop telling other people to stay in their lane. Actors and actresses, athletes, and musicians are all humans and all able to have their own opinions. It’s the “land of the free” right? Dear White People you elected a fucking reality TV star as your goddamn president. Sit down please.
Dear White People stop asking me why you can’t say the word nigga. You can and will also get slapped and lectured upon use of the word. You overly used it centuries ago to bring us down but we took it and made it our own, so no you can’t have it back. You take everything else from us, why do you want to say nigga so badly? P.S. I’m watching the movement of your lips at every rap concert. Nigga. Dear White People Jesus was NOT white and if he was a living breathing person today, you’d say he looks like a terrorist.
Dear White People stop getting triggered by statements such as Dear White People because Dear White People is a call to action for Dear White People people who have a ridiculous amount of privilege and don’t always use it the way they should. BUT DJ YOU CAN’T JUST LUMP ME IN WITH ALL THE OTHER BAD WHITE PEOPLE I HAVEN’T DONE ANYTHING WRONG. Well, now you know how Muslims feel. *Sips tea and puts sun glasses on*. Also, stop fucking trying to get the TV show Dear White People canceled because Dear White People: YOU DON’T HAVE TO FUCKING WATCH IT. Don’t you have Starbucks cups to protest? You know, the REAL issues.
Dear White People, this is a BIG one, stop assuming that because my mother is white, and I was raised in a white family, that I’m not allowed to care about ANY of this shit. Dear White Family don’t get offended when I say you didn’t prepare me for any of this racism shit but…well….ya know. Dear White Family it is vital for you to remember I’m not just a family member I’m a minority family member. How you all treat me doesn’t translate to every other white person in the world. Can you even imagine?
Dear White People, don’t EVER refer to me as a “smart one” because I speak in proper English and while we’re at it Dear Black People stop saying that I talk “white”, that’s just an insult to other black people. Dear White People don’t assume black people are “trying to be white” by skateboarding and being into that culture, skateboarding saved my life fuck you very much.
Dear White People how come when people of color commit crimes they’re considered dangerous thugs and terrorists, but when nothing but white men terrorize Americans every year in school shootings they’re considered lone wolfs with mental problems? Get back to me when you can.
Dear White People, I’m honestly so curious about this, why do you care more about Harambe and Fiona then any of the hundreds of police brutality victims? Like foreal I’ve been racking my brain and I can’t understand why there was more outrage from you when Harambe got shot than when Eric Garner was choked to death by 4 police officers while saying “I can’t breathe” 11 times, all for selling loose cigarettes. Get back to me on that too.
Dear White People responsible for Donald Trump becoming our president were you all drunk at the same time on November 8th orrrrrrrrr what? Like really I’m legitimately fucking curious how you thought this piece of shit would be suitable to run a country. And piece of shit is putting it lightly. Dear Other White People why are you surprised that Donald Trump became our president? I called that from a mile away, and it only confirmed that this is the same ol’ America we’ve always known. You know that feeling you had when trump got elected?-where the bad guys beat the good guys? To black people the bad guys have been beating the good guys for 400 fucking years Jesus Christ.
I was always told not to wish harm or death on another soul but BOY it’s getting harder the dumber this motherfucker gets. I’ll simply say that if he were no longer existent, I wouldn’t be mad.
Dear White People I’m sorry. Nah fuck that.
Dear White People I’m sorry for you. Nah fuck that.
Dear White People I’m sorry for you to have to have the most privilege out of anyone in the entire world and have to listen to me whine about my life. Nah fuck that.
Dear White People I’m not sorry for SHIT.
Dear White People I will never actually apologize.
Dear White People I will never compromise who I am for your comfort.
Dear White People stop fucking killing us.
Dear White People stand up and use your voice.
Dear White People you’ll stop being lumped in with other dear white people when you realize that dear white people have caused these things to happen and dear white people ignoring a problem because it doesn’t effect dear white people is called privilege.
Dear White People I hope my mixed race children will see a better world than the one that exists today but I know that’s far fetched due to racist dear white people.
Dear White People,
I’ll let you respond to my grievances after four hundred years of letting us speak.
Photo by, Nikki Nesbit
