Why am I silent?
Why do I see all the hurt that surrounds me and do nothing? How can I be that way?
I say that I am against all these cruel things that happen in the world. All the bullying, the racism, the hate. But when push comes to shove I do nothing when I am confronted with it.
I do nothing to stop the girl that has the seizures from being teased and I say nothing to comfort the girl crying in the bathrooms.
I do nothing to stop the boys catcalling to the unfortunate soul that happens to have a larger body.
I don't stop the fight in the hallway.
I say I hate the trash talk, but I don't speak out to put a stop it. And when the new teacher had a hard time controlling the class, I didn't tell my peers to cut it out or be respectful. I just sat there, in my embarrassed solitude as the flustered man blushed.
When the new boy with the dark skin was shoved 'accidentally on purpose' I didn't confront the pair of laughing teenagers as they passed me by the lockers. I only summed up the courage to help pick up his books. I looked into his dark brown eyes and saw a glimmer there, in the depths of someone's eyes I hadn't seen before except outside the office door. And when he smiled at me and gave his thanks I realized something.
I didn't like the people who were silent about this.
I didn't feel any sympathy for them.
So I say this and ask,
Why am I silent?