Leaders

We are the leaders, we permit individuals to make laws and enact rules.
Without us, they are not leaders.
We are the driving force.
We change the world.
We go on strike.
We revolt against tyranny.

Unless we close our eyes and ears, we see what is going on in the world,
and WE allow things to happen.

we are responsible, the collective US.
Sometimes we are too tired, to act,
sometimes we are too busy to act
sometimes we are too frightened to act
sometimes we are too lazy to act
sometimes we are too hungry to act
and then,
we look around and see the ugliness which has evolved
we blame everyone else not ourselves.

One hundred years ago in New York City, was what has been called the Triangle Factory Fire. Workers, mostly women, mostly young women crowded on one factory floor with three hundred sewing machines, fabric, thread and paper patterns. One door open as an exit and two freight elevators with one lighted cigarette thrown or dropped, igniting history with the single most dramatic destruction of life in the history of New York City. Through negligence, indifference, greed, stupidity, laziness, and exploitation, women jumped to their death from windows to escape the flames.

The collective we let that happen.

Mass graves around the world attest to the numbness of the masses, the collective we who care little that individuals are denied life. The collective we are numb to the stories reported of abuse.

And then the collective we, come to our senses. We reach the saturation point and we stand fast against injustice. Like the smouldering embers ignite to flames engulfing everything in its path, we sweep away the unconsciousness and stand alert to the horrors humanity has endured.

And we revolt.
We refuse to participate
We refuse to be a part of, or party to
that which we do not want done to ourselves and
finally
that which is being done to others that we find abhorent.

Only the collective we can affect the changes
only the collective we can make things better

Until the next time complacency reigns
Until habit again takes the place of thoughtfulness
Until we again subject ourselves to the inhumanity of man.