All That You Can Be
BY RACHNA VOHRA
What if we got rid of all the armies
every single country
no need to train for combat
we refuse to fight you
we throw down our armour
and lift up our white flag
instead of erecting borders
we will break down these barriers
and welcome you
for this land is neither your land
nor my land
and when we say give me your tired,
your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free we will mean it
instead of building walls
we will build relationships
what if we got rid of all the militaries
every single nation
no more purple hearts for bravery
here is a red heart for the preservation of life
mothers, no more toy pistols in the house
violence is not a game
fathers, no more making men of your sons
No more being proud of soldiers
violence is not an accomplishment
no more shooting ranges with target circles at the head and heart
violence is not a pastime
no more movies and video games with murderous plots
no more glorification of death
violence is not a form of entertainment
instead of handing them off to it
we will take back our children from its throes
what if we stopped all the wars
on every single land
instead of pointing the finger in blame
we will point out our own faults
instead of attacking others’ countries
we will invade our own conscience
instead of stabilizing the troops
we will stabilize our reactions
instead of capturing the land of the invisible enemy
we will seize control of our own emotions
instead of searching for weapons of mass destruction
we will seek out and destroy the weaponry of our own actions
we will demolish the artillery of our own words
and create peace in our own middle east
before we think of causing unrest in yours
what if we got rid of all the guns
and for protection, we carried around a thicker skin
no more training to kill the enemy
we will kill the enemy within us
instead of profiling the face of hatred
we will look in the mirror
and wash the hatred from our own eyes
instead of fighting the war on terror
I dare you
confront the terrorist within you
annihilate the enemy that swims in your hatred
be a soldier of your self
go to combat with your belief systems
declare war on your preconceived notions
take your ego as a POW and sentence it to death
instead of joining the army to be all that you can be
just be all that you can be