I Am Not

I am not a warrior -

- because I am a woman.

Because being a warrior -

- has nothing to do with whether I was born with a uterus or a prostate.

I am not a champion -

- because I am a person of color.

Because being a champion -

- has nothing to do with whether my skin produces more melanin or less.

I am not a hero -

- because I am a victim.

Because being a hero -

- has nothing to do with whether acts of violence are exacted upon me or not.

I am not -

- because words that divide us -

- because lines that separate us -

- because sides that uplift some of us more equally than others -

- because beliefs that make believe -

- have everything to do with war -

- and -

I am a warrior of war -

- and -

I am a champion of war -

- and -

I am a hero of war -

- because fighting for vivo et liber of all for all -

- because fighting for mutuus et aequum of all for all -

- have everything to do with being a warrior -

- have everything to do with being a champion -

- have everything to do with being a hero -

- and -

I am not.

Postface

I am a fighter who fights for -

- not words that divide us.

- not lines that separate us.

- not sides that uplift some of us more equally than others.

- not beliefs that make believe.

- not.

M

Note

One example of the sheer stupidity of labels that define us is the following:

I am labelled a 'person of color' among those whose skins produce less melanin - and am therefore deserving of less hospitality and kindness by 'persons not of color'. Meanwhile, I am labelled a 'person not of color' among those whose skins produce more melanin - and am therefore deserving of equally less hospitality and kindness by 'persons of color'.

In other words, whether our own skin produces less melanin or more, far too many of us are equal opportunity ists on the basis of the most absurd stupidities, including whether others' melanin are abundant enough to 'belong' or lacking enough to 'belong' to labels that define us by that which is no more than skin deep.

M