No More
by Danielle Mund
Just because your voice is louder does not mean you can silence me
Though I am but one voice and my throat grows hoarse
I will continue to shout out in opposition to racism, sexism, poverty shaming, and overall ignorance
There is too much at stake for me to quiet down now
You may tell me that I am too poor to be educated
Or too feminine to be strong
You may criticize me
Sneer and mock my liberal values
Still, your booming voice cannot drown me out
No matter how loud your voice grows, I will not be intimidated nor coerced
Intelligence is not counted in decibels
And rhetoric only proves a weak argument
I am done with the screaming and the intolerance and the ignorance
I will stand no further for the disrespect so blatantly displayed
Neither the hands of my peers nor the hands of superiors can oppress me
I call to arms my fellow rabble-rousers to throw down the shackles that bind us
To speak out against the oppressors and haters
To turn away from the harsh words that attempt to slap us down
Stand tall against the voices that boom and cause the weaker to tremble
Those that oppose us fight with forked tongues and angry minds
Together, we can prove that soft words can outweigh heavy hands and can cool even the most scathing remarks
Danielle Mund, most recently from Oregon, is a junior in the social work program at Champlain College. She is passionate about addressing the multi-dimensional issue of poverty and hopes to become a social justice advocate upon graduating.