Unhumans
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(“Multiculturalism Merit Badge”, 2010, original
Oil)
Unhumans
When I was young I was taught to respect all humans
And I was taught to identify humans
By their appearance, whether they looked like me,
Regardless of sex or race, age, size or style.
But I think I was taught wrong.
I think there are in fact a lot of unhumans amongst us
Really not even pretending to be human.
Human means something more
Than our physical form.
It means something elevated
From the bulk of other animals.
Perhaps it even means something you have to grow into
Instead of just being born into.
Today anyone who seeks to enslave others,
Or wantonly abuse and harm them,
Or can’t respond with human concern
To the injustices we see around us everyday,
Is just an animal,
And animals like this don’t deserve human rights.
We make the assumption that if you look like a human
You must be a human,
But what this does isn’t lift the unhumans up,
It just drags the humans down.
(9/9/25)
Copyright © James Moore | Year Posted 2025
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