I wrote this after talking to fellow Muslims who felt this way
"Terrorist"
I am not a terrorist
I am brown skinned and American
I am a male with a frail soul from all the injustice I see
I am not a terrorist
I am an activist
For Muslim Americans who get stopped by the TSA
For Latino Americans who worry about their next night
For Black Americans who fought for voter rights
For Asian Americans who came to the USA
I am not a terrorist
Ignorant to the constant rebuking people of color face
Unaware that we get handicapped in the race of life
Facing strife due to the color of your skin
None of you would know
I am not a terrorist
For my hijab wearing sisters who can’t embrace their culture
For my dashiki wearing brothers who want to show their colors
For the oriental garb that doesn’t get shown
For the little boys and girls who live a virtuous life only to get gunned down
I frown because I am not a terrorist
I am an activist for the gay Arabs in my circle
For the humble people who choose to hide their individuality
But the reality is that people like us feel like we’re constantly performing
Resisting conforming for we want to have a voice
A voice that can be heard in a homogenous room
A voice so quiet you can’t hear it in the ensemble of dissent
A voice that’s stifled because we’re different
Answer me, America
Am I a terrorist?
How many times do we have to remind?
That we climb only to get the rungs kicked out from beneath us
Working harder than our counterparts only to get countered with farce
It’s harsh when you want the best for your country but they don’t want the same
They’d rather see your name on a mural and move on with their day
This type of activism is passive
One needs to realize the movement needed is massive
One where we bond in empathy, harmony, and beauty
For all of us are not terrorists
We are American
Hailing from overseas
From lands of palm trees or refugees
Please, stand with us.