A New Pledge

By Kelton "KC" Castillo

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the

Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty

and justice for all.

For who?

For you?

Cause not for me!

Not for the child whose skin bears a legacy of stolen lands, unpaid labor,

and history which they try to erase.

Not for the mother who cries.

Because the red and blue she knows took her son’s life.

The red and blue she knows works for a system built to cage, to silence, to

keep us in chains. They’re more subtle about it now, but nothing has

changed.

Justice for all?

Not for the father breaking his back to harvest dreams he’ll never taste.

Deported at dawn, erased without trace, a border drawn not in sand but in

pain.

They shouting, “Build the wall”.

But deport the builders. Make it make sense!

They hate our culture, until it benefits them.

They preach equality, but where is it at?

When does my voice, my sweat, my blood become worthy of the freedom

you claim is mine?

You won’t catch me pledging allegiance to no flag that stands for profit,

greed, and oppression.

To no nation whose priority isn’t the people that built it, but building a wall

not just of stone, but of laws, of lies, of systems that divide.

But don’t worry.

Yet, here we stand. Battered, but not broken.

Silenced, but not unspoken. Because our stories will be heard.

So....

I pledge allegiance to my people, and to the hopes and dreams for which

we stand, kings and queens under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice

for us.

By Kelton "KC" Castillo