To Speak Out of Turn

Every time I have spoken to power, it has been out of turn. It seems, that there is no place for my words on the roster of voices, while you have unlimited access to loud and clear speech. Apparently the most shameful thing that we can do these days is disrupt order, even if that order takes food from hungry children, endangers the lives of women, sacrifices our freedom to [not] worship however we choose, sells our work to enrich others, and dismantles our civil rights. The response to outburst is indignity on the part of those who hold the reigns. 

There is a protocol, a form to be filled out, a turn to be eagerly waited for, a time slot to be grateful for, and an answer of silence. We can wait our turn to speak, if such a glorious opportunity is granted, but just because we speak does not mean that you will listen. You have days and weeks and months of unlimited communication in which to make decisions that impact lives profoundly and we have 30 seconds or 3 minutes to plead to closed ears as you wait for the clock to run out in order to get back to business. 

The 'proper' channels of communication are uni-directional. They are meant for the exit of decrees not the intake of ideas. By the time I sign up for a spot to speak, it is already too late to have a say. If you determine the format, we do not meet on equal footing. And our polite speech is co-opted:

"Thank you for your input, we listened to the concerns of the people and it is purely a coincidence that this time we have decided to do exactly as we had already announced we would."

Speak out of turn and the substance of my argument is not addressed, simply the form in which I chose to present it. You choose the platform from which to look down upon me and should I be so ungrateful as to profane it, I will be sacrificed without a hearing. 

"Why must you be so rude?"

Because you have made me so. You have left me with no other opportunity than to shout you down and assault you with the words that you wished to have only in your arsenal. You do violence to me by enslaving my communication and then pretending it is for my own good. I would rather not stand up during the meeting and yell; I would rather not shout from the balcony as you talk; I would rather not picket and protest and rally. But you will not listen to those you know you have already subdued.

Speech is a right, and language is the location for battle as it requires no permission and is the only weapon left to the people in the face of a ruling body that operates in service of vested interests. I am armed with words, my ammunition is endless and I am skilled. Do not ask me to lay them aside and wait until you are done firing at me with your clumsy lies and shabby logic. Do not ask me to work within an etiquette designed to shut me out and shut me up. 

Whether you want to or not, you will hear the sound of my voice.