The Name Game

American youth have become public enemy no. 1 on

which to pin society’s woes, while taxpayers and

government leaders avoid the real issues of shifting

economic and cultural realities.

-Henry A.Giroux
The truth is they are here:
Hip hopper

avante guard loving

heavy-metal guitar smashing,

Goth frightening

reggae and reaggeton rapping

folk and country, grunger

flash back ‘70’s disco dresser

an active refusal to socialize to dominant values.

Anarchist. Marxist-socialist

Pan-africanist

orthodox, unorthodox

flag-waver

gun-toting, hero-worshipping

Catholic and Protestant

sun worshipping

Wiccan. environmentalist

Che t-shirt wearer

all in your face.

Refugee, immigrant

homeless, documented, undocumented

Buddhist, Taoist,

Hindi, Moslem

atheist, agnostic

mute, blind

autistic, dyslexic

EMH, ADH

pro-war, anti-war

ex-leftist child guerrilla

majority minorities

a condition of our democracy.

Boy-George impersonator

Cher wanna be

transgendered, bisexual

homosexual alternative lifestyle

bar hopper

tattooed body modifier

independent news blogger

they will not disappear.

Alcoholic, recovering addict

bipolar, depressed

just released from the psych ward

patient

artist, con-artist, drug-dealer

thief, gambler

foster child, runaway

left-handed, right handed

bastard and prostitute

neutrality is annihilation.

Chess freaks

sci-fi delusionals

parentless single parents

police brutalized

elote sellers

tax evading taxpayers

future voters of America

grass rooted and homegrown

oppositional, anti-procedural

gifted and illiterate

this public school homeroom is a

national convention convened-

free thinking is a serious possibility.

Yolanda Nieves