#ITSTOOMUCH

Tags

#itstoomuch, black lives matter, dear america, die nigger die nigger die nigger die, expletive the police, i too am america, insert name here, it's too many to name, police brutality

Athletes sit down and there’s a public outcry.
Politicians not standing up for justice should be the public outcry.

Unarmed men and women fall victim to those sworn to uphold the law…
civil servants & critics sit on the sidelines.
Athletes take a knee in solidarity to draw attention to the public executions that we all saw…
they’re criticized for sitting on the sidelines.

It’s amazing how the same people that were defending the confederate flag are now concerned with patriotism.
It’s amazing how the same league that didn’t bring athletes out for the national anthem is now concerned with patriotism.

I’m not surprised when justice is not found…
the scales of justice don’t hold no weight, if your skin is black or brown.

This is the same country that planned picnics to go see my people die…
So no; I’m not surprised when I hear echoes of DIE NIGGER! DIE NIGGER! DIE NIGGER! DIE!

They want me to believe that I too am America… but I don’t see why.
No! I don’t see how… I don’t see how they expect me to believe the world’s a better place.
We have Black and Brown people incarcerated at epidemic rates.
We have Black men and women being killed by the police at epidemic rates.

White men that molest children get less time than Black and Brown men that sell drugs in the United States.
White men that rape women get less time than Black and Brown men that fight dogs in the United States.

White men can commit a murder on videotape and never do a day in jail in the United States.
A Black man can get killed with his hands up on videotape…
and before his body is laid to rest, the media will put his character on trial in the United States.

I don’t see how they want me to believe that the times have changed in the United States.
It’s 2016 but it feels like 1958 in America.
I don’t see how we have a bigot as a potential presidential candidate in America.

They’ve been cutting school budgets and privatizing prisons…
but the media won’t relay that to the citizens of America.
The governer is trying take over the schools…
but they’re more concerned with teacher bae in America.

Athletes sit down to stand up for justice and there’s public outcry in America.
Police are killing Black men and women like it’s open season…
yet your eyes are dry America.
We hashtag BLACK LIVES MATTER and they say all lives matter…
aint that America.

Dear America, we hear you…
sweet land of liberty – right?
Equal rights and justice for all…
all but the Blacks and Browns – right?

It’s all about the green…
green eyes and greenbacks – right?
I hope you remember your statue of liberty is brown…
oxidation made it green – right?

Dear America,
the police killings are becoming much too much.
Dear America,
the disparities of justice are much too much.
IT’S TOO MUCH!
IT’S TOO MUCH!
IT’S TOO MUCH!

–@StevieStreets #insertnamehere, #itstoomanytoname #poem | #ITSTOOMUCH

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Interpolations of The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

Tags

black lives matter, expletive the police, good cop - bad cop, good cops don't cop out, hands off of our people, police brutality, the revolution will not be televised

Well, I don’t know if the riots is wrong
But whitey’s been kickin’ my ass for too long.

-Gil Scott-Heron #blacklivesmatter | Small Talk at 125th & Lenox

#codeofthestreets:
“The revolution will not be televised.
There will be no pictures of pigs shooting down brothers in instant replay.”

Brother Gil tried to sound the alarm;
it’s been decades,
since he dropped words for the wise.
I wonder…
Why does his words resonate so well today?

Lady Justice!
OPEN YOUR EYES!
I wonder…
Why do we have to combat the social injustices of the 50s and the 60s in present day?
Dear #goodcop, #badcop… It’s 2016!
Why are the freedom cries of my grandparents and great-grandparents still relevant, today?

Sometimes,
I wonder…
Why the police don’t police the police?!
I wonder…
What’s it gonna take for the good cops to stop copping out?

I wonder…
How do they consider themselves good cops,
when they’re afraid to stand up
and call the bad cops out?

Truth be told…
We won’t see the so called “good cops” speaking out;
until the police brutality hits home,
they will continue to cop out.

Truth be told…
There will be no slow motion or still life of your sons and daughters getting executed by the few bad police;
when your fellow officers kill your loved ones,
it will be live – it will be live – it will be live.
When the blind eyes you keep turning
finally see that your Black Life Doesn’t Matter either,
it will be live – it will be live – it will be live.
When the revolution gets rolling,
you will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out.

–@StevieStreets #handsoffofourpeople | Interpolations of The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: a no more copping out poem

Shooting Records: America’s Best Shooters, Chef Curry & The Police

Tags

epidemic, police brutality, police officers, shoot hoops not people, stephen curry

Wake Up and Wise Up…
records are being broken:
#howmanyshots… will it take to be considered an #epidemic?

#codeofthestreets:

Dear Police:
#shoothoopsnotpeople;
be like Steph Curry,
take it to the court…
Literally, let justice by decided in the court.
Do not hold court in the streets!

Mister Police Brutality;
your foot was on the scales of justice,
those shots don’t count…
You have to take a step back
and really look at the Justice System.

HANDS UP! DONT SHOOT!
I’m not taking shots,
I’m taking shots;
no pun intended…
And NO, I won’t apologize;
I don’t care if you’re offended.
If you’re a good Officer
and you stand by silently watching,
you’re a no good Officer.

Respectfully,

Stevie Streets

–@StevieStreets | Shooting Records: America’s Best Shooters, Chef Curry & The Police

Basquiat

Tags

art is activism, basquiat, hands up don't shoot, police brutality, public stir

Way before social media echoed “HANDS UP! DON’T SHOOT!,”
Basquiat illustrated “HANDS UP! DON’T SHOOT!”

Way before the Black Lives Matter Movement drew attention to police brutality,
Basquiat painted pictures of police brutality.

That was New York… 1980’s;
I just wanted to take a moment to say #ArtIsActivism…
yet they try to blur the lines
by telling you there’s a fine line between creative and crazy.

Maybe Basquiat was ahead of his time…
Maybe that black father didn’t lose a daughter…
Maybe that black mother didn’t lose a son…
Maybe those black children didn’t lose a friend…
Maybe Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar helped them see Black Lives Really Matter…
Maybe they’ll stop white washing the news…
Maybe my vivid imagination has tainted my views…
Maybe Marvin didn’t literally mean brother, when he sang: brother, brother, brother; there’s far too many of you dying…
Maybe; when I see footage of police brutality, my eyes are lying…
Maybe the black community painted the elephants in the room…
Maybe I let my creativity get the best of me…
Maybe I should stop painting with words…
Maybe I’m just dabbing on my Jean-Michel…
Maybe I’ve just arrived at crazy.

–@StevieStreets #homage | from THE BLACK LIVES MATTER COLLECTION: Basquiat