Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

I’ve been told for years

We are born with unalienable rights

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

But is this true?

Sometimes I feel

That these rights are unequal

Sometimes I think

That people have to fight for their rights

When they should come at no cost

Life?

A black man in minneapolis

Murdered for suspected counterfeit

Pressing his knee to the man's neck

Oppressing the community

Unequal life

Liberty?

Racial gerrymandering

Diminishing minority voices

Limiting democratic participation

Reducing representation

Unequal liberty

Pursuit of happiness?

LGBTQ+ discrimination

In the past

Members of the community

Denied their right to marry

Denied their right to pursue happiness

Unequal pursuit of happiness

So I wonder

Are these unalienable rights

Truly absolute?

The question remains but for now

People will continue to fight

Fight against discrimination

Fight against mass incarceration

Fight against all inequalities

Fight against separated America

To uphold the ideals

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness