To Whom It May Concern

The letter

To whom it may concern,

I don't know why they did it. I thought adults were supposed to protect us. Instead of protecting, they decide to take away the choices we're allowed to make to our own bodies, lock us in cages at borders if our parents try to give us better lives, try to silence our voices, no matter how loud we try to speak.
They make us suffer as we watch our classmates drown in pools of their own blood, as we hide under desks and end up staring into the cold, unforgiving metal of a gun barrel, wishing and praying that we could say one final goodbye to the people we love...
Instead of taking away the guns, they set up metal detectors at every doorway, give us clear backpacks, and Hey! Let's arm the teachers, because that's a lot safer than taking the weapons away, and it's our RIGHT to have them.

I may be sixteen, but I'm still a kid. I'm supposed to be scared of spiders, or the dark, or nervous because I'm going on my first date with someone I really like and I don't want to mess this up...
I shouldn't be scared to walk home alone, because instead of monsters with six arms, or blue fur waiting in the dark to scare me, it's men who are lurking and waiting for someone smaller and weaker than them to come along who I truly need to fear.
Monsters mean nothing when I get kidnapped and murdered because of my gender and culture.
Monsters mean nothing when I have to hide from the people who were meant to protect me every night.
Monsters mean nothing when I'm already battling with the demons inside; the ones who tell me the things nobody should have to hear. They won't stop until I can feel my pulse under a blade, or I'm swallowing too many pills and my heart is racing but I feel so tired and I think, maybe... just maybe... this will finally end.
Monsters mean nothing when I tell boys I trust them to hold my drink when I'm out with friends, because the fact that I trust them enough to not drug and take advantage of me has become a compliment.
Monsters mean nothing when I'm worried about getting shot in the back by police because I was "resisting" an arrest they had no reason to make.

Do I look like a threat with my hands in the air?
Do I look like a threat when you can't even see my face?
How about when you can see that my tears are staining my cheeks? Am I a threat then?

You might be thinking, "Why are you being so negative? You have your whole life ahead of you, you should look on the bright side!"

Believe me. I've thought about it.
I've thought about the future I will most likely never have. The world is dying, and people aren't listening. It's heating up at a rate that we won't be able to fix anymore. The adults in our lives we're supposed to give us the world, not destroy it for us. I wanted a long and happy life on this planet, but, I won't get either. Generation after generation passed their problems onto us, shoving them into our hands and saying "fix this". And we tried to fix it. But when we do, they tell us to "sit down, you're to young to be worried about these types of things."
You raised me to fight for what I believe in. So, I'm going to fight, and I'm not going to stop until something is different. If you're not with me, you're just in my way. You do get that, right?

"Oh, stop complaining, life isn't fair. It was about time you learn that. I learned at your age, so grow up and deal with it."
Did you think that? Or something like that? Am I acting too childish for you? Good.
I know life isn't fair. But it's also not filled with unicorns, magic and small animals who like to dance and sing. Doesn't it make me grown up to fight for what I believe in? To look at the problems in the world and try to solve them? Or does growing up mean that I have to turn a blind eye and hope that the problem just magically disappears?
Should I live in the made up world most people live in? One of ignorance, naivety, and cowardice?
Should I live in the world where people aren't being assaulted and killed for the colour of their skin? A world where women have the right to do what they want with their own bodies and not treated like objects or property. A world where people can love who the love and not have to worry about getting their rights taken away. A world where people can be themselves without having to be worried about how those who were supposed to love them unconditionally will react to news about their gender or sexuality. A world where everyone loves everyone, no matter if they look different, or believe in different things, or love different people. A world where everyone is kind.
I would love to live in that world. But if I convinced myself I was already there, I'd be lying.

I know, I didn't have to be so negative. A simple, "How are you?" would have done just fine. What can I say, I have a flair for dramatics. Besides, I got to my point way faster by skipping pleasantries that would have made everything so much more boring.

Life isn't fair. I get that, I really do.
As much as I can wish, I know that it will never be fair, until we get rid of everything fundamentally wrong with the world.
And of course, not all adults are bad, there are actually quite a few that will stick up for us, and fight on our side. There are just too many people opposed.
Again... dramatics. (I'm sighing right now, just as a helpful visual.)
The negativity though? Absolutely necessary. Shit may look better when you sugarcoat it, but that doesn't mean it's good. And we don't get taken seriously if we're too positive.

Please. Think about what I've said. What we have been saying.
Am I lying? Or are you lying to yourself?

Sincerely, Me.