What Would You Do?

Mar 19, 2001

What would you do?

If I raped your wife

Killed your children

Brought havoc into your life?

Would you kill me, forgive me, give me a

clue.

Truthfully, Mr. Politician, what would you

do?

What would you do?

If I starved your family

Stole your wealth

Injected you with diseases that destroy

your health

Covered up the truth and constantly lied,

Wiped you out through genocide.

If I brought this kind of hardship to you,

Honestly, Mr. Politician, what would you

do?

What would you do?

If I constantly destroyed your family,

putting them in institutions,

If I denied you reparations and refused to

pay restitution,

If I discriminated against you because of

your skin,

Told you you had no rights that you could

defend

If I refused to accept you as a man

Knocked you down whenever you attempt

to stand

If I made your life miserable and blue

Give it to me straight, Mr. Politician,

what would you do?

What would you do?

If I made laws that would only benefit me

Constantly destroyed your community

Flooded your neighborhood with drugs

Turned your children into hoodlums and

thugs

Created a constitution that completely

excluded you,

Seriously, Mr. Politician, what would you

do?

What would you do?

If I systematically made you bow down to

me,

Then made you second class in society,

If I gave you an inferior education

Then dared you to show any frustration

If I segregated and dehumanized you too

I would love to know, Mr. Politician,

what would you do?

What would you do?

If I built a military to protect and keep me

on top

Kept madness going and wouldn’t allow it

to stop

Became so caught up in my madness that

I just wanted to destroy the earth,

Not caring about life and what it’s worth,

Take your time and think this through.

Then tell me, Mr. Politician, exactly what

would you do?

We received this poem from a prisoner.