The Haiku Journal

White Silence

Observations From The History Of Racial Equality Movements — A Haiku

white hurricane of black lives matter movement a fart in the wind

Haiku, by design, is open to interpretation, and would not require an explanation in a normal situation. But this is not a normal situation. Cancel-culture is as real as racism, so I must provide clarification.

As a person of colour, I am well aware of the seriousness of racial inequality and its long-reaching impact on society, culture, and our very future as a species.

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement is not new.

Modern history is littered with the deaths of blacks at the hands of the police.

These protests may seem like a hurricane bringing the winds of change right now. But it would have seemed the same in the past.

Protests just result in more violence and posturing to show a change of legislation.

After a while, the protests go away. Life goes on.

Like a fart in the wind, there is no real, lasting, change.

I do not say this lightly, or without study:

I do not condone violence against unarmed citizens not afforded due process by those meant “to protect and to serve” based on the colour of their skin.

I am not trying to belittle the BLM movement.

In fact, I hope to raise awareness that, based on precedent, no matter how strong the motivation, how deep the hurt, or how real the pain, it tends to fade away.

Perhaps protesting is not the most effective way, but I do not yet have a solution.

I can hope that this time the change will be real and permanent.

But I will not hold my breath.

I believe a majority of us, though we might have learned history, have not learned from history, and are thus doomed to repeat it:

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