Respect your elders they say

You have to earn our respect we tell them

They did earn it . . .

They earned it back in Nam and Korea

They earned it by working, not voting for free college

They earned it when women took care of their husbands

They earned it when men respected their wives

They earned it when there was no safe space to cry

They earned it before we could be a d**k on the internet

We disrespect the very freedom they fought for

They marched and boycotted, peacefully protested

We scream and cry and disregard those who disagree

They earned it out on the frontlines, showing nothing but bravery

We let the people they fought back into our country

And kneel in protest before the freedom they fought to protect

When we can learn respect for the silent generation

We will be more than a generation filled with hate

They saved the world

It’s our turn to bat up to the challenge