Pedestals

We went through the movements.

movement of voices,

saying Me2

We stand with you

Anyone can be a victim

Mother, brothers, sons and daughters.

Your neighbor, your friend

even people we sit upon pedestals

can be victims of evil

I learned early on

no one should sit upon golden thrones

labeled untouchable

We should hold them to higher standards the taller they sit

You can't sit atop mount Everest and ignore the bodies that litter it's face.

We shouldn't erase those who betrayed our faith

if we erase them we leave a space for someone else to claim

we don't need to keep learning this lesson

some of us already aced the exam

There is no excuse for someone to sit so high

and go unpunished

Seconds, minutes, hours

Days, weeks, months, years.

No amount of time can erase the pain

of being betrayed

no amount of time should cover up

the devestation they left behind

it's never too late

there is no such thing

You can't put an expiration date on pain

We teach kids the atrocities of history

we teach them so no one is blind enough to repeat them

"at the time..."

"back then..."

"It was just a woman..."

"boys will be boys..."

1. At no time is it ok

2. Weren't you raised to keep your hands to yourself?

3. It can be done by anyone

and

4. fuck that noise

It's that way of thinking that lets

false idols run rampant

and victims to stay silent

People turn a blind eye to idols

Then feel blindsided when the spotlight shines on the rot beneath them

They speed run the stages of grief

Stop at Denial and never leave

Any idol can be false

People sat upon pedestals should not be exempt

They wanted the spotlight

so shine the light on everything they do.

We cant let them over shadows their victims.

We went through the movements,

prices were paid

We learned from their mistakes

We spoke with voices so loud the earth shook in our wake

We should stop placing people on pedestals

they think we won't look close enough

You give validity to the perpetrators,

innocent until proven guilty,

yes,

but when has that proven true

We have predators allowed to roam free on streets,

compare apples to oranges

but if he was alive

dragged in front of peers

they'd find him guilty

he isn't the right shade

Saying "it's too late"

"he can't defend himself"

Please tell me

If you were ever on our side

They couldn't speak up then because who would believe them

They can't speak up now because you think it's not right

We spend so much of our time putting people on pedestals

Fathers with flocks

grooming lambs till they're ripe for slaughter

They prey on the angels

and call it divine

The spotlight they got

had their bosses playing musical chairs

Community leaders who fought for the voiceless

only to steal the voices of those they fought for.

They hide behind smiles,

fangs so polished

they just mirror your kindness

Words so honeyed,

diluted and false

you can't hear the whispers telling you to run

It's not fair to victims

who battle your doubt

It was hard enough to say it to themselves

to say it to you only to be shutdown

We shouldn't stay voiceless

Just to please your beliefs

but you don't want to hear our voices

you'd rather fight to keep false idols

upon their plated pedestals

than accept they're human,

rotten inside and out.

Mistakes are mistakes

except when they hurt other people