#katfrancois

Does my anger scare you? 

Does the darkness of my skin

Make you uncomfortable

because of the safety of the whiteness that you sit in?

Does the world comfort or protect, 

embrace or reject

are you seen as an asset 

or as a threat?

Do the police stop you

Or you

Or you

just for the hell of it?

Do they

ask you where you're going,

or ask you to empty your pockets?

Do they treat you with respect

or do they treat you with disdain?

Handle you with dignity

or do they revel in your absolute uncomfortability?

Would you call them if you were in trouble,

or not bother 'cause they're just not worth the trouble?

Does my anger scare you?

Does my truth annoy and irritate you?

That there are black guys with knees in their backs,

and handcuffs round their wrists,

windpipes restricted and breath cut off

lips turning blue

eyes bulging with fear and pain

does it make you shift in your seat

those thoughts of crushing feet

of fingers gnarled and desperate 

trying frantically to get free?

Or does it make you want to say,

"She's so aggressive."

"Her demanour's so harsh."

"If I had to face that, I could, respect how the police behaved,

If I had to deal with that..."

But if the coroner always says

"Accidental Asphxiation"

But If only a little common-sense were shown,

If only a little compassion was shown

If only someone said stop - 

And I could constantly reel off the names of those who failed to make it:

Joy Gardner, July 1993, 

Killed in front of her 6-year-old son, they wrapped her mouth in 13 feet of tape, 

and placed her in a body-belt 

complete with straps and chains.

And where's the family of Olaseni Lewis

a student, killed September 2010,

taken to a mental hospital,

had an altercation of police, a court and a grim reaper fateful?

I met so many more

so many more

so many more

Yes, I'm meant to make you feel uncomfortable

I'm meant to make you squirm I'm meant to make your stomach churn I'm meant to make your conscience turn 

I'm meant to make you cry.

I'm meant to make you ask why,

because, there are so many people that should be here that are missing.

Mothers without husbands

and children without fathers 

and siblings without sisters without brothers

and women without lovers

How many more,

how many many more

how many more

how many, many more?

So yes, I am meant to make you feel uncomfortable

I am meant to make you squirm

I'm meant to make you cry

I'm meant to make you hurt

I'm meant to make you ask why,

I'm meant to take you to task

I'm meant to ask

I'm meant to make you feel ashamed

I'm meant to make your stomach churn

I'm meant to make your conscience turn

Because

How many more,

how many many more

how many more

how many, many more

how many more

how many

how many