Reid KenKnight

Sempass Wk. 7

Word Count(not quoted): 288

“This is an element in a wider shift in strategies and policies in many societies toward preemption of unwanted incident, including criminal offences.  In criminal justice systems, especially in the English-speaking world, this has focused particularly on certain types of offending behavior involving violence, impulsivity, repeat offences, danger, sexual predation, and the like.  We term the diagram of control taking place ‘screen and intervene.’”

 

Do you ever wonder what it means to be labeled?

The terms used against us like swords bathed in our blood

Used by our loved ones and those we trust

But, should we because every word that would define us draws us further away from our true self

 

But what of the blood of those innocents that are spilled in the cold

Dripping through the cracks of societies weakness

Are we not obligated to protect our families and friends?

 

At what cost?

Would you have me give up my arms?

How about my legs? You may as well take them too

You speak to take from me my freedom

My freedom to change to find happiness free from societies labels which there are so many of already

And set them on a child one so young and youthful full of potential and the will of the wild

These labels last a lifetime they do not fade till they are cast away like so many unwanted worlds

These chains will not break unless I break them, so I say again

Do not put your wordy collar ‘round my neck, but let me be free to live and learn and change

This is my wish for all of humanity

 

Still the blood of the innocent will flow, but the cost of the label will be greater still.  These consequences will be devilish indeed far reaching into unseen hollows and hide away valleys.  There will be no escape except through liberation.  To the dead I offer this libation:  Though you die today from some murderous madman, chosen in the infamous lottery of fate, we could not save you for to forestall your death we would have to take away your life.