<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Protest<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.4em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(26, 26, 26); orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">To sin by silence, when we should protest,<br class="">Makes cowards out of men. The human race<br class="">Has climbed on protest. Had no voice been raised<br class="">Against injustice, ignorance, and lust,<br class="">The inquisition yet would serve the law,<br class="">And guillotines decide our least disputes.<br class="">The few who dare, must speak and speak again<br class="">To right the wrongs of many. Speech, thank God,<br class="">No vested power in this great day and land<br class="">Can gag or throttle. Press and voice may cry<br class="">Loud disapproval of existing ills;<br class="">May criticize oppression and condemn<br class="">The lawlessness of wealth-protecting laws<br class="">That let the children and childbearers toil<br class="">To purchase ease for idle millionaires.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.4em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6em; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(26, 26, 26); orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">Therefore I do protest against the boast<br class="">Of independence in this mighty land.<br class="">Call no chain strong, which holds one rusted link.<br class="">Call no land free, that holds one fettered slave.<br class="">Until the manacled slim wrists of babes<br class="">Are loosed to toss in childish sport and glee,<br class="">Until the mother bears no burden, save<br class="">The precious one beneath her heart, until<br class="">God’s soil is rescued from the clutch of greed<br class="">And given back to labor, let no man<br class="">Call this the land of freedom.</p><div class=""><br class=""></div></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>- Ella Wheeler Wilcox</div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>(1850-1919)</div></body></html>