Trayvon, Michael, Eric, Sandra, and Tamir,
I am not a racist.
From Charleston to Charlottesville, with confederate flags and statues of Robert E. Lee,
I am not a racist.
From taking a knee to washing with Dove,
I am not a racist.

I don’t have a confederate flag on the back of my pickup truck,
but I don’t see what the big deal is about,
it’s part of our history.

I don’t tell racist jokes, at least if there is anyone I might offend around,
and I try not to laugh too hard when someone else does.

I am not a racist,
but I don’t get why those people
are blocking traffic
or kneeling during the National Anthem.

I argue with my friends
whether Dove or the ad-agency is more to blame
ignoring my complicity
in over four centuries of systemic racism.

Can’t we just make America great again,
like when everyone knew their place
and we didn’t have to think about
racism and injustice?