Get Off Me

[CRNDLSM]

15 years ago I became a Catholic
Not by coercion or brainwashing
Just reading the Bible and meditating 
On the life of Jesus

At the same time, I became a vocal, outspoken, pro-trans anarchist
Because I believe in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
And no matter what government is in charge
I still have god
This year, my personal political beliefs
Tied directly to my faith
Have been labeled TERRORISM

Last year, ICE contacted my mom
About me and someone 10 years ago I'd never even met
ICE who has proven reckless in their discrimination and negligence
ICE who has warrantless access to our data 
ICE who has been given electric shock gloves
You think they couldn't, wouldn't, hurt me or my family?

I've been homeless, starving, jailed, stranded
And almost murdered by a loved one
But I've always had hope for the future
I've always strived to be good
And do better

I've never been more scared in my life
Do you believe I should be in prison?
Little old dog grooming guitar playing me?
The law thinks so

[Bunx]

What's going on in the US is soul sucking. I like the poem and the blunt reality that the government is basically deeming free thinking and expression a threat to old rich billionaires control / whatever. I've never been so sick like going to work and paying taxes to what feels like our own demise and the death of other people / cultures while fighting for basic access to things you need to work.

The thing I love about the poem is it's points out that believing in the Gospels and supporting social causes can have synomiomous convictions.

I also feel like more poems like this are needed. For awhile it was hard to write because I'm like why are my thoughts even relevant with the realties of politics / war / genocide / ICE's racist politics and torture mechanisms.

I hope you're taking care valuing your friends and family. Appreciate the thoughts and poem

[matsunosuperfan]

15 years ago I became a Catholic
Not by coercion or brainwashing
Just reading the Bible and meditating 
On the life of Jesus
At the same time, I became a vocal, outspoken, pro-trans anarchist
Because I believe in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
And no matter what government is in charge
I still have god
This year, my personal political beliefs
Tied directly to my faith
Has been labeled as TERRORISM

Last year, ICE contacted my mom
About me and someone 10 years ago id never even met
ICE who has proven reckless in their discrimination and negligence
ICE who has warrantless access to our data 
ICE who has been given electric shock gloves
You think they couldn't, wouldn't, hurt me or my family?

I've been homeless, starving, jailed, stranded
And almost murdered by a loved one
But I've always had hope for the future
I've always strived to be good
And do better

I've never been more scared in my life
Do you believe I should be in prison?
Little old dog grooming guitar playing me?
The law thinks so

This hits hard. The last two lines are perfect. More comments soon, just heading home from morning teaching. I appreciate this poem.

[busker]

15 years ago I became a Catholic
Not by coercion or brainwashing
Just reading the Bible and meditating 
On the life of Jesus
At the same time, I became a vocal, outspoken, pro-trans anarchist
Because I believe in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
And no matter what government is in charge
I still have god
This year, my personal political beliefs
Tied directly to my faith
Has been labeled as TERRORISM

Last year, ICE contacted my mom
About me and someone 10 years ago id never even met
ICE who has proven reckless in their discrimination and negligence
ICE who has warrantless access to our data 
ICE who has been given electric shock gloves
You think they couldn't, wouldn't, hurt me or my family?

I've been homeless, starving, jailed, stranded
And almost murdered by a loved one
But I've always had hope for the future
I've always strived to be good
And do better

I've never been more scared in my life
Do you believe I should be in prison?
Little old dog grooming guitar playing me?
The law thinks so

Sorry to hear that. I hope things get better.

[dukealien]

Taking this as a true autobiography rather than a dramatization - and it would be a good dramatization, too - a few comments which are not, I hope, taken as insensitive.

The likely nexus here is anarchism (not pro-trans beliefs) and your unmet contact (email correspondent?) of ten years ago.  ICE, with other elements of Homeland Security, is rolling up Antifa networks and that involves checking out known associates.  They don't do this only to suspected enemies - back when I held certain clearances, people from Agencies would periodically check and re-check my background by talking to friends and acquaintances.  Of course email didn't yet exist at that time.

The State is paranoid, but there are also people after it.

Speaking for myself, I'm a libertarian-fringe conservative (or conservative-fringe libertarian) as distinct from an anarchist-fringe libertarian.  I find the US Constitution a pretty good form of government, libertarian aspects of which have been compromised.  I disagree with basic anarchism in that I believe some government is necessary,  and with nihilist anarchism in believing that some aspects of government are moral.

Don't panic.

[matsunosuperfan]

15 years ago I became a Catholic
Not by coercion or brainwashing
Just reading the Bible and meditating 
On the life of Jesus     I keep thinking there could be a stanza break here 
At the same time, I became a vocal, outspoken, pro-trans anarchist
Because I believe in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness    love the incidental rhyme and parallel rhythm here, very nice
And no matter what government is in charge
I still have god  government / God, I see you. charge/God more excellent rhyme
This year, my personal political beliefs
Tied directly to my faith
Has been labeled as TERRORISM  "have" been? and do we need "as" >Have been labeled TERRORISM 

Last year, ICE contacted my mom
About me and someone 10 years ago id never even met  "I'd"
ICE who has proven reckless in their discrimination and negligence
ICE who has warrantless access to our data 
ICE who has been given electric shock gloves you can really feel this run, and the way it ends with the shock gloves, so chilling. emphasizing violence as the inevitable consequence of authoritarian excess. 
You think they couldn't, wouldn't, hurt me or my family?  damn right! a deserved accusatory remark. 

I've been homeless, starving, jailed, stranded
And almost murdered by a loved one love this turn to the personal/confessional
But I've always had hope for the future   <3
I've always strived to be good
And do better    <3 <3 this really got me in my feelings. such straight-ahead, earnest humility and hopefulness in the face of so much restriction, aggression, death 

I've never been more scared in my life oof. final turn/return to theme hits hard. 
Do you believe I should be in prison?  nope! 
Little old dog grooming guitar playing me?   the best line, easily 
The law thinks so  tell em!!!

[CRNDLSM]

Thanks matsuno for the edits, and everyone for the comments

@dukealien: if you were born in North Korea, or medieval europe, or ancient rome, would you still be a fringe conservative libertarian? Part of my anarchist identity is that I couldn't tell someone else how to live their life, and nobody can tell me how to live mine, whatever the law says, I still be me, couldn't possibly know enough about it to claim anything else, I appreciate the 'dont panic', stress is a killer