From the Dec. 25 edition of Street Roots
It isn’t often that I get the opportunity to write about positive things anymore. But here’s the thing. I have recently witnessed my community stand as one and say we’re not gonna tolerate this anymore.
What can I say, watching as people come together to do anything is moving. There have been several attacks in the last couple weeks on homeless women and on sex workers. No, we didn’t go to the police. Why would we? They don’t stand for us.
What we did do was pass out whistles and educate the community about the situation. There are now foot patrols going on, and people are bonding and providing safe places for the single women in this community.
I did write about this, in answer to the women’s response, in the form of an open letter to the perp. Make no mistake: This is not a call to violence. It is a celebration of unity, and it is what we have to say to anyone seeking to victimize people. If it sounds violent, I would remind you that rape and assault are far more violent then this — and the long-lasting effects on the victims are far more painful to live through.
open letter to the perp
pssssssssssssssssssssst
we know who you are
we carry the sight of you
out of the corners of
eyes that no longer
stay still or sleep
we carry the putrid scent of you
between the thighs
you desecrated
in memories
we pulled it from the hearts of
our mothers
who used their own bodies
to shield our souls
from the
sight of your wreckage
we carry the knowledge
of your attempt
to sacrifice the sacred
and to profane the mother
herself
make no mistake
we still own the skin
we live in
you didn’t win
we still stand
but we dont
stand alone
our own
stand with us
because
we have dropped this information
like a bomb
deep
into the hearts and souls
of our fathers
of our brothers
and we slammed it home
between the hips of
our lovers
(what did you think we were,
bereft of options?)
pssssssssssssssssst
now THEY know
who YOU are
and wait
hungrily for your return
deep into the heart of the concrete jungle
they will sing our songs
they will celebrate us home
they will reclaim what you desecrated
and they will
bring you
what you
brought us
and then
we will
celebrate
our own
warriors
home
Commentary and poem by Julie McCurdy
For those who can't afford free speech 