Do you remember when you tried to "save me" from myself? Do you remember the high class summer job at MBNA so I can see the "better life" that awaited me if I tried just a little harder? Do you remember telling me what to say so that the people would believe that I would be a great addition to their job? How about when you told me what I should wear or how my hair should look, because I mean after all, we don't want these people to think I come from those poor neighborhoods?
Do you remember those LIES?
Well, what did happen? Let's see. I was let go for my ways. I was just a little too outspoken for them. I stepped out of line and they couldn't hack it. I suppose my little manifesto made them a little upset.
So, what did you do next?
Join the Military! You have no future. You can't afford college. You'll just be another little poor ghetto child with children by different fathers. You'll be another statistic. But, but, if you join the military, well, then you'll have the future! Just sign here on the dotted line and we'll ignore your little heart problem. No one will know.
More Lies, eh?
What happen there? Hmm. 2001 Honorable Discharge. I guess that little heart problem kind of surfaced. I guess it's back to "No Future" for me.
Hm. So instead of trying actually help me, you tried to make me pretend that I wasn't who I was. You were willing to help me, so long as I looked and acted like you. I had to have my hair chemically straighted, I had to speak as you wanted me to, I had to dress in the clothes that you allowed, and I had forget who I was, so I could become the person that you wouldn't be ashamed of.
YOU LOST!
Everything that I faced growing up, every dilemma, every obstacle thrown in my path, every tear shed will always remain in me. You cannot take that away, nor will I allow it. You can not mold me in your image, because I am not you. You can not make me walk away and forget my past. You think if I act like you, I won't embarrass you. You think if I speak like you, you'll be able to allow your children walk past me. You think that if I look like you, that I am now worthy of your time.
HAHA!
What are you really doing? Are you giving these kids a real chance, or are you deciding for them what they are allowed to be? We're not stupid. We know that you want us gone, the "trash" as you call us. The poor whites, blacks, asian, hispanic, native americans, all of us. The ones you can't stand to see in "your" stores, on "your" streets, in "your" schools. The ones that you drag your children away from, lest they be exposed to the realities of the world.
You pit us against each other. You lock us in cages. You've placed that carrot of opportunity just above us, giving us false hopes and dreams that you have no intention of honoring.
Well guess what America. My cage has been destroyed.

You couldn't stop me then. You sure can't stop me now. You won't be able to stop us all.