Heroes

In elementary school, I was taught that the police are heroes

That the greatness they do echoes

throughout a nation

that their great service is a donation

They said the police keeps me safe

when they're around there is no need to be afraid

Not all heroes wear capes but some wear blue

When you're in need they come to the rescue

But they didn't tell me about Rodney King

They didn't tell me against black people they have this thing

For some reason, they want us extinct

We are supposed to love each other but hate is linked

To the fact that we are roaming the land my ancestors slaved on

So they kill my brothers and sisters who haven't hit 21

Like Trayvon Martin who was shot and killed while carrying an Arizona and some Skittles

He was innocent but George Zimmerman shot him because Trayvon scared him a little

Eric Garner was choked to death for carrying some cigarettes

They didn't just choke a person they choked justice with its last breath

However, justice can be revived

If you stop taking our lives, make it easier to survive, and be the heroes I thought you were when I was 9

Too many of us are getting murdered one by one

By these so-called heroes who have been given too much power and a gun

Every day I fear for my brothers' lives

Any of them could get shot for not even committing a crime

Just for walking upon the land of the free

Even though we built this land or is that something you can't see

It doesn't matter how many of us earn a degree

All we'll be to you is just some negroes on the street

For some reason, you're afraid and don't want us to rise

or maybe you're just the KKK in disguise

that we are supposed to trust

but it's like MJ said, they don't really care about us

Now that I'm older

These heroes aren't what I thought they were

Maybe my teachers didn't want me to know these things

or maybe I was too young to have a date with reality.