Which Side Are You On Poem by shimon weinroth

Which Side Are You On

Why do we think one victim
suffers more than the other
one deserves more sympathy
than the other

What guides us to identify more
with one and not the other
rhetoric that plays on emotions
twangs heart strings in one country

Falls on deaf ears else where
the same terrorist is judged
as patriot and martyr

A criminal act becomes moral
why do we equate a suicide terrorist
with terminaing the controllers
in fact why do we equate one act

Of violence with another
aren't they all honorable deeds
for honorable humane causes
strange the case of preferences

Strum the chords of sympathy
strut the stage in limelight
blind the viewer and voyuer
from weighing the causes and reasons

Devoid the emotions
free from hate and revenge
quit the game of equating one cruel deed with another
saying one violent murder
is more horrendous than the other