Speaking My Peace

Judah Israel Michael

It's time to yell "FIRE!"
in the crowded theatre of a Jihadist’s heart
'cause Islam-o-fascism is spreading
worse than Starbucks and Wal-Mart
It's time to fight pretentiousness and censorship
with offensiveness


So here's my protest
and it's no less
than the last defense
of free speech
from the Dead Sea's sand

to San Diego's beach
these words that I teach
are actions unleashed
entering closed minds
like a security breach
saying "censorship is violence
so I'm speaking my peace"
taking off white flag blind-folds
and putting cleats on my feet
So when I preach to a beat
it brings that Middle-East heat
'cause the "dogs of war" bark
but my words...they have teeth!


We support the "rights" of Nazis
to march in Jewish communities
shouting hate-speech in Skokie
allowed with impunity
No talk of "cultural sensitivity"
No discussion forums or scrutiny
But if you criticize Islam
"Oh, it's anti-Arab bigotry"


So now I've got whistles and hypocritical missiles
aimed at me
And I'm being taught non-violence
by blind-guides on a shooting spree
who offer mandatory classes on compassion
like Clockwork Orange-style therapy


And while textbooks that mention Auschwitz
become more rare than the giant panda
British Newspapers are awarding prizes to cartoon Nazi-propaganda
and in Iran the
President denies the Holocaust
calling 6 million murders "a myth"
while meeting with Hamas
who denies the Jews right to exist
and both insist
Israel be "wiped off the map"
but lets face facts,
nobody's pissed


Until 12 Danish cartoons
satirize a "prophet" in a comic
Now self-censorship's in vogue
lest we offend the Islamic
I'm not sure whether I want to laugh, cry, or vomit
'cause embassies are still burning
but embarrassment's the hot topic


So what?
Does freedom of speech
protects only racists
pedophiles, homophobes,
and of course, child-rapists
KKK killers, cross-burners and sadists
the greatest
and most heinous
on this freedom of hate-list?


We tolerate anti-Semitism
(we have centuries of practice)
we mock Jesus and Christians
we're pretty good at it
and we even criticize Hindus
but sadly the fact is
when the fascism's Islamic
we get all theocratic


And as much as I'd like to be diplomatic
in the face of grenades and semi-automatics
held by pro-censorship religious fanatics
I choose to pay respect
via protest
hoping others take notice
but like all chapters, this one closes
so please know this:


Hate's not my mission
I don't go for the throat
And I'm not campaigning for a cause
or courting your vote
I'm just supporting free-speech
for all the hypocrites who don't
so that future Jihadists
can burn this poem I wrote.