Spectrum
If you were a color, you would fall fuzzy on the fringes
of their visible spectrum; they'd hardly see you at all.
And your voice too in irritant pitches
would scratch and fray at their senses till they restore the noise to silence.
Most people can't think what they don't already believe.
Confirm bias, reject the opposition, but that's it.
That's their range and spectrum. Inattentional blindness
is intentional blindness, is a foregone and myopic rejection.
"I'm a person too" is literally too much to process
once you've dared to do such a thing as disagree, and for most
it's enough to justify the legalization of violence against you
if you choose to live in some way contrary to what they'd choose to do.
"There ought to be a law" they'd say. How it's enforced and what that means
for you- that's outside their spectrum to consider or see.
Othered out. Dithered out of your humanity.
For some, we're one people with many ways.
For others there is one way, and those without it aren't people.
"I'm a person too" you'd say, and you'd try to be seen or heard,
but you're outside their spectrum. Already invisible.