"WE INSIST!! IT COULD HAVE BEEN MY SON"

5 Mar

Written By Lauren McLaughlin

WE INSIST!!

WE INSIST ON A WORLD WHERE DREAMS

ARE ALLOWED TO BECOME REAL FOR ALL

WE INSIST ON LEADERS WHO SPEAK THE TRUTH, AND INSPIRE ITS CITIZENS

WE INSIST ON FOOD THAT IS NOT HARMFUL

WE INSIST ON CLEAN WATER FOR ALL

WE INSIST ON ALLOWING WOMEN TO MAKE CHOICES ABOUT THEIR OWN BODIES

WE INSIST ON A MORATORIUM ON BEEF PRODUCTION, AS WE NOW KNOW IT,

POLLUTING THE ENVIRONMENT

PRODUCING LIVESTOCK FOR FOOD CONSUMPTION

THAT IS TOXIC TO HUMANITY

WE INSIST ON AN EQUAL TAXATION SYSTEM

DIVIDED BY ALL MEMBERS OF THE UNION

WE INSIST THE TRUTH BE TOLD

ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY

AND OTHER SOCIAL ACTIVIST MOVEMENTS FROM THE 1960’S

POLITICAL PRISONERS STILL LOCKED UP AFTER 30 OR MORE YEARS

IN PRISON BECAUSE OF THEIR POLITICAL BELIEFS

IN THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE SLAVE

WE INSIST ON THE DISMANTLING

OF THE PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

THIS INSIDIOUS MODERN-DAY FORM OF SLAVERY

WE INSIST ON HEALTH CARE, CLEAN WATER, SHELTER

AND ACCESS TO FRESH FOOD BE AVAILABLE TO ALL OUR CITIZENS

REGARDLESS OF RACE, RELIGION, GENDER, OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION

WE INSIST ON PEACE

WE INSIST ON TOLERANCE

WE INSIST ON LOVE

WE INSIST ON THE ARTS AS THE CORE OF OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

WE INSIST

WE PRAY

WE PROTEST

WE INSIST!!

It could have been my SON!

It could have been my HUSBAND!

It could have been my BROTHER!

It could have been my FATHER!

It could have been my COUSINS!

It could have been my UNCLES!

It could have been my GRANDFATHERS!

It could have been my FRIEND!

It could have been my NEIGHBOR!

It could have been my POSTMAN!

It could have been my CLASSMATE!

It could have been my DAUGHTER’S BOYFRIEND!

It could have been my FRIEND’S SON!

It could have been my MECHANIC!

It could have been my NEPHEWS!

It could have been my BROTHER-N-LAWS!

It could have been my FATHER-N-LAW!

It could have been THE YOUNGMAN WHO HELPED ME WITH MY GROCERIES YESTERDAY!

In 2016 my exhibition work included the creation of a 9’ foot wall installation of a manifesto entitled WE INSIST!! Inspired by Max Roach‘s political jazz album, along with Oscar Brown Jr, and the amazing vocalist, Abbey Lincoln. This poetic Manifesto has now evolved into collaborative piece with my colleague, Monica Kelsie, a black artist from Chicago. Her poem, “It Could Have Been My Son” & “WE INSIST” were recorded together in my studio for an exhibition, INTERRUPTIONS for a collective we belong to, MOTHER ART: REVISITED. The video piece was created in May 2020 as I watched in HORROR as a wall was put up around the People’s House, The White House. The images in the short video are our precious citizens speaking truth to power.