Knowing what to say
and when to something,
or if you should even
say anything at all,
can be "tricky" -
because sometimes what people believe
can directly contradict
the beliefs of those closest to them...
keeping your your thoughts to yourself -
especially those that you know
will not be popular or be shared
with those around you
and those who you like and interact with -
can be frustrating,
because everybody should be able
to say what they think and feel about something,
especially when you want to talk
and discuss what matters to you
with those whose opinion
you have value and trust.

Trying to keep the peace
by staying quiet,
because you worry that
if the way that you see
some aspects of the world and people
were to become known
you might become isolated
from a particular group,
can cause people to choose
to express their views
in ways that to some
might seem unconventional
and perhaps incomprehensible;
however, when you know that you
have a valid reason to disagree
with what someone says or thinks
then each of us should have the right
to be speak and be heard.

People are always going
to have differences of opinion
about certain things,
because each of us is always
arriving from a different time
and from a different starting position...
the gift and the opportunity
to be able to truly debate a subject -
so that opposing sides can put across
their own individual version
of what they believe, why, and how -
are few and far between these days,
because the fear of opening your mouth
and accidentally insulting someone
seems to constantly linger in the air.

When you give someone a live microphone
to a large proportion of people,
some people will use the means
and the moments at their disposal
to say things that they know will
be hurtful to a large group of people,
and may only say anything
for the sake of saying something,
and do not really care who
their words effect -
which is why fake and faceless
monsters need to be exposed
and brought out of the shadows
with the brightest of lights
and stopped in their tracks
before they can cause any further harm.

It would be nice if we could
all talk to one another
without judgement and without prejudice,
as well as without there being
this constant feeling of tension
underlying every layer
of almost every conversation -
and while some people will never
be able to help themselves
from saying what is on their mind,
whenever they want,
without a care in the world -
most people have to try and bite their tongue,
for as long as they can,
until they know the time is right,
because sometimes words are like weapons
and that can do more harm than good.