Make them hear you; fight for your rights

BY PAUL BAILEY

On this journey called life, we ALL have a voice, a story, filled with hopes, aspirations, dreams, tragedy, triumphs and rest.

For some of us though, the stories are different, unique and personalized, but for a lot of us, these same stories, of hopes, aspirations, dreams, tragedy, triumphs, are all too familiar and are often placed together in a melting pot. From the child on the slide at the park with daddy, to the woman once full strength, vigor and perseverance, who gave blood, sweat and tears for justice, now lays on a bed at the Palliative Care Centre, awaiting the inevitable of crossing over to a place often dreamt about. Together they wait, mother and daughter, filled with stories, hopes, aspirations, dreams, tragedy, triumphs, fear, uneasiness, pain, sorrow and fight.

Giving up is not an option, not even when the outcome is predictable. There are stories still to be told, to be echoed far and wide, stories of how Justice was and still is our battle, despite victory being denied, there are stories to be told, in other words, MAKE THEM HEAR YOU. Wherever you are, whatever your circumstances, fight with the spirits of our ancestor edging us on.  You know full well there will be those who disapprove of the way we chose to fight, but understand this; sometimes there are battles, which are more than black and white. Not putting down your sword is your right when justice is your fight. MAKE THEM HEAR YOU.

You, yes you, young brave man from Jane and Finch, labelled as a burden to society, a threat to mankind, yeah you young man, and make no mistake young lady, from the trenches of Lawrence Heights, you too are in this whether you like it not. There are many who fought for you, sacrificed for you, gave their life for you, just so that you can experience what they dreamt of.

You can drive on the roads that they paved and sing in the auditoriums that they opened for you. They were the voices before you who didn’t always get that chance to be heard, even though they were seen. It’s on you now, young man and woman, to carry the torch, to echo their voices and yours together. Now is not the time to become complacent and put down your sword. No. You still have to fight.

Remember that there are battles going on around you and above you that are often more than black and white. Justice is the victory. Justice is YOUR right. Carry your sword into your fight. Heaven or hell awaits us, but God will guide us best, but until then, no one should say you didn’t fight, you didn’t stand up, and you didn’t sacrifice. Just like the lady on the bed in the Palliative Centre, she fought, she sacrificed, now she is tired but she is at peace, knowing that she gave her best.

The world is changing around you, get on the train of science and technology, of green and development, get on the train, but don’t forget to fight. You have a voice, MAKE THEM HEAR YOU. Be the creators, narrators, distributors and publishers of YOURS and OUR stories. No more should it be common and accepted practice to see and hear someone of a different race, creed, culture, creating, narrating, distributing and publishing YOUR stories and OURS.

It’s wrong and it’s an injustice, perpetrated by many but worst, endured by a few, some of who look like you and I. We can never do what they do, because they will cry foul and fight because honestly, we can’t truly tell their stories and neither can they tell ours.

That’s why we must stand up and cry foul, stand up and fight because this is no different. It’s bigger than black and white. MAKE THEM HEAR YOU. Fight for justice, fight for your right.