FreeQuency - The 7 Deadly American Sins

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FreeQuency, performing at TGS 2014 in Bryan, TX.
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Button Poetry is committed to developing a coherent and effective system of production, distribution, promotion and fundraising for spoken word and performance poetry.
We seek to showcase the power and diversity of voices in our community. By encouraging and broadcasting the best and brightest performance poets of today, we hope to broaden poetry's audience, to expand its reach and develop a greater level of cultural appreciation for the art form.

[@PrinceRowen]

"Free at last, free at last. Dear God almighty, this is not the freedom for which we have asked." Damn. That is the hardest statement I have ever had to hear.

[@MJsPepsihair]

I'm so glad she included the internment camps, nobody ever talks about that shit.

[@ellaphx]

Check out Allegiance: The Musical on Facebook. They're trying to get a show off the ground to get a conversation happening. George Takei has a pretty big stake in it.

[@Susano19]

interment camps and suicide squads, fuck yeah america

[@Sing4ever9]

ellaphx No surprise there-- George Takei was in one of those camps as a child.

[@MJsPepsihair]

VermilionMage don't assume things about me. I am very aware of the German camps. However only 1200 Germans were involved in that while 120,000 Japanese were. I was not taught about either of those things in school

[@MJsPepsihair]

VermilionMage​​​ still why just speak of the Germans, what about the hundreds of Italians who were also sent to camps? Or do you not know about them?

[@wizardwarrior713]

"He murdered a child while we were more concerned with whether or not a boy had smoke in his lungs than the fact that he would never again use them."

[@j..6092]

Uhm, that kid was bashing Zimmerman's head on the sidewalk. Grow the fuck up.

[@yaarah8051]

@@j..6092 proof?

[@yaarah8051]

@@j..6092 I asked for proof Trayvon Martin was bashing Zimmerman's head on the sidewalk, all you've vaguely stated is he had some cuts.

[@yaarah8051]

@@j..6092so, you're not going to give me any sort of analysis proving he was bashing his head into to the sidewalk and that if it did happen it wasn't justified... I mean we can talk about Michael Brown too but I doubt you'll say anything tangible

[@j..6092]

@@yaarah8051 You can't be that dense. Crime scene investigation is not proof? What anaylsis do you want? The proof is in the crime scene investigation, forensics is a science but you don't want to hear facts. Just typical, you wouldn't accept the truth if it came up and bit you on the ass because then you can't keep your narrative of victimology. Anyway, no sense talking to anyone who can't accept the facts presented by trained professionals in the forensic labs, or the witnesses or...oh, sorry more facts. Good luck in your every person of color is a victim life.

[@WhoaThereMama]

she walked off like a boss because she is one :)

[@Leksuttaja149]

theevilqueen nah she is a racist prick.

[@ailiab373]

@@Leksuttaja149 No she isn't she is spitting facts, if it offends you obviously you must be guilty of something smh

[@MaggieWarren]

tbh, if you're white and offended by this, you're part of the problem. You need to open your eyes, change your perspective, and realize that it isn't about you. It's about the people who are racist and who don't stand up for injustices. This poem gave me goosebumps. So powerful, so raw, and so true. I hope someday we can live in a post-racial society.

[@jennellovis3714]

unless you're LGBT and offended by this..."1-6" are race related...that makes LGBT not having legal rights 1 out of 7...I wasn't offended and I understand this is her perspective, but it's still a narrow one.

[@jennellovis3714]

now this poem is something. makes me cry every time I hear it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qpTHgIGJpNZqe7M

[@MaggieWarren]

Jennel Lovis What do you mean? I didn't think there was any mention of anything relating to LGBT+ in this poem. If there was, I must have missed it, but would you mind clarifying?

[@jennellovis3714]

that was my point, a member of LGBT could find it offensive saying that of the seven deadly sins in america, being black is 1-6....it's basically saying that black people are more persecuted than the LGBT community or anyone else. That's not really true, watch the poem I posted and you'll understand, it's about oppression olympics (one group saying they "have it the worst").

[@MaggieWarren]

Jennel Lovis Ohhh! That makes complete sense. Thank you for explaining! I'm bisexual myself, so I can definitely get that. It really bothers me too when people try to figure out what minority has it the worst, but I guess I didn't think about it that way the first time I listened. I'll check out the poem you linked. :) I don't think it was her intention at all to say that LGBT+ individuals don't experience as much injustice; I think it just wasn't her focus. She's more focused on these specific injustices for this piece of art rather than every injustice in our world, if that makes sense.

[@malake124]

the "taste like a rainbow" line in reference to Trayvon's skittles (& arizona) is just 😭

[@quirkyblackenby]

Leah Blake I didn't even think about that

[@YourFace676]

Stunning, both in diction and in delivery. Love that she incorporated King's speech

[@YourFace676]

Chill

[@meemeeps]

She spoke nothing but the truth here. everything was brilliantly said.

[@1tonydaking]

Take color away from the trayvon Martin case...And you have a boy being followed and stalked by a power hungry man, who killed said boy for little to no reason at all now tell me he deserved it.

[@mihirmartin7679]

Risktaker tony SAY IT FUCKING LOUDER

[@Bri-vy7zx]

"We don't need God to fear when we have capitalism to worship."

[@chj2]

DAYUM!!!! Especially love the Skittles reference, the reference to the jury, and the reference to how the media had the audacity to focus on zimmerman "having to live looking over his shoulder", while not even giving a damn about the life taken away from Trayvon.

[@catherinejohnson5727]

I have watched this several times and it still gets me choked up. I hope to commit these words to memory, this poem is beautiful and tragic at once. God bless her for expressing my thoughts and feelings so eloquently. Thank you Button Poetry for exposing me to so many wonderful artists.

[@NebulaHannah]

This is one of those poems that just hits you so hard you have to sit down dear god

[@lipglass]

So chilling! I love all the eye-opening race-related poems coming out, all the voices calling out and standing up for themselves. So powerful, so moving, and so, so, so fucking important.

[@romancandleofthewild]

***** I agree with king alba. And honestly, people may be wrong about that one case. Maybe there was a lot of misinformation that was spread about it. That happens and it's terrible when the truth is hidden. I agree with your comment on that front. One thing I would suggest YOU do is to do research about systematic racism in this country and how it allows black people to be killed in the streets. I would also suggest you research police brutality, too. Try to look at the "blacks'" point of view and really think about what you see.

[@oanochie]

A real social warrior! May God prosper that woman in all her undertakings!

[@bolysakho1292]

"This is not the freedom of which we asked"

[@isis5888]

Jesus, that was powerful.

[@kingcourt08]

I'm "white". That being said, Americans who are anything but "white", I feel bad for. Growing up in the Midwest, we are taught that anything "Black Culture" is low class and unsophisticated. We treat their looks, their words and their work ethic as a joke. Our President has even been turned into a joke. Our country is suffering from racism to a degree that we are killing and imprisioning racial minorities at a critical rate. If that's not a modern day Holocaust, then tell me...what is? This woman's voice is an eye opener for those who choose to live blindly.

[@3squidwart]

Please explain how it's a racial matter

[@3squidwart]

The treyvon case by the way

[@kingcourt08]

3squidwart How is that case racial? Did you watch the video? She explains it quite well. Research and then I'll think about discussing. Google has many articles that could help you out too. Good luck.

[@xoMickeyMouse01]

I am an African American who grew up in the midwest. I agree with you 100%.

[@morganwoods18]

White people can sit there and let you talk and maybe listen, but they're never going to understand. To understand, is to walk in ones shoes. To understand is to experience. You will never truly be able to grasp the full effect of something like this if you haven't experienced it first hand. I'm going to post this comment and watch for the person who tries to turn this into me slandering innocent white people who have black friends and don't say the n word. : /

[@willowholmes3483]

My english class has been looking into racial issues in America, definitely showing this to my teacher

[@Caroarray1]

My friend was supposed to read at this, but he took his own life a few days prior. I miss you Christian, you were such a beautiful soul.

[@isabelle843]

Especially when she got to the "let freedom ring" part, all I could picture was MLK nodding and clapping at her from the sky.

[@gingerwest2138]

this is deep i love her poems

[@priscillaalabi6605]

umm, why did I get waves of goose bumps...

[@kylovesart]

The end is what truly ties it together though.

[@karisw.4658]

If you have only watched this once, play it again and this time LISTEN.

[@YesImStephanie]

this hit me hard. thumbs up 1000 times 👍👍

[@dramallama46]

All I had to do was read the title to know that this would be an amazing piece.

[@NeluMbingu]

Wow!!!! Brought tears to my eyes.

[@yolandajerome9561]

Chills all over...

[@PoetrywithKaye]

how did i not see this before oml so powerful i dont know what to say I’m literally on the verge of tears cause her deepness passion for justice n delivery shook me to my very core

[@ThatGirl1115]

I got chills

[@silverstarz4]

she's amazing

[@yazminrubio7645]

this almost brought me to tears. so powerful and beautifully spoken

[@marcusaguilar1328]

That diction tho.

[@Niahsworld]

Brilliant delivery! She's awesome!!

[@emhunt5323]

Everyone needs to hear this.

[@leynalouise5329]

it is still fucking applicable 3 years later. it sickens me how far we've traveled back. I'm so sorry

[@macleatakirkwood8864]

I love her voice

[@kaylasnyder3973]

pure POWER. wow, that was incredible.

[@Kali07ish]

That was so amazing! May we one day be treated as people.

[@zoeblake8897]

I got shivers.

[@tessa1212]

This is one of the most powerful things I've heard👏🏾

[@edwinamarie]

DEEP. Hitting home, bless this woman.

[@EverydayNiya]

Goose bumps

[@sissi3025]

So much emotion while she was reciting the poem, I loved this, it really hit me. It's a shame that you can only like videos once, I'd give this one 100000 likes if I could

[@GrannyGamer1]

Forget Dr. Maya's capitulated Oprah Hallmark greeting card create your own reality praise jeesus. THIS WOMAN should be the Poet Laureate at every inauguration of ever US President as long as she can push air out of those lungs.

[@kinky2002]

she is stupendous

[@easterbunny777]

It literally doesn't get any better than this..

[@fardowsabasey9029]

goosebumps.

[@truebeauty120]

OH MY GOODNESS SHE ABSOLUTELY KILLED IT

[@TheKlali100]

Goosebumps everywhere. That was beautiful.

[@Ambertaylor247]

Praise this video forever

[@librarybratt]

Can't praise this poem enough.

[@digitalmimi]

Breath-taking.

[@angiedorismond2055]

I got the chills....

[@TheKerahaan]

Gave me Chills

[@sierramacias7512]

Chills.

[@fontaineingram2978]

All these white people on here saying that trayvon got what was coming to him, poc make everything about them, poc are always victimizing themselves, she's using emotion over logic, and poc do nothing but whine. I just want to say that your wrong lol. I'm not going to bother defending why your wrong, because in one way or another you'll just find another reason to blame poc for all of your doings. I also just want to tell you that if most of you said half of the things you say in the comments in public, you would probably ruin your reputation. Js

[@shelbybrissey5651]

I got chills. Wow.

[@keilanilovee]

YES! I cannot stress this poem enough! This is just an overall great performance

[@baquerka]

AMAZING, loved it!

[@kristianjapantoflii1429]

This is still fricking relevant. I don’t believe it, but it is. It SO is.

[@Dbanks22]

Yes! She murdered the stage! I love it

[@TheCasou]

She speaks the truth

[@ILoveFlowers45]

I couldn't have said it better

[@Regory10]

Thank you!

[@kaewalters7634]

Love this....too beautiful not to share

[@sabrina988]

so powerful. the ending wow chills

[@livlaugh613]

This is absolutely outstanding. Wow.

[@cherrybomb3478]

Sad how accurate this is. I got goosebumps.

[@IMETGODSHEBLACK]

This was incredible ! One of the best poems ever heard

[@Julius4396]

Best "poem" I have heard in a while.

[@inew313]

the realest slam

[@mimilloyd8690]

Liked it before it started and Im happy I did.

[@aminajordan6453]

my sister! love her.

[@jaylenbasket5678]

Chills

[@hassanabdulazim]

A stunning poem and performance!

[@martha-4637]

that was completely incredible

[@marcykiger4764]

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING

[@myanmonroe8065]

10 years later and still no changes

[@valery5900]

Thank you for this. That hit home!

[@imanefaiza2686]

I absolutely love this

[@melina2rl]

Truly amazing.

[@thedoorlessvoid]

IM ASTONISHED

[@zhariyadavis8391]

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@Aquamarine472]

this is beautiful

[@NisahPooh]

That was deep!

[@NealonNews]

Holy mother of kittens.

[@Freshie2Fresh]

You mean Holy Cat

[@catherinejohnson5727]

Freshie2Fresh You & Morwen Murphy are the cat's meow. Thanks for the giggle!

[@dorianwilde]

I had goosebumps... damn!

[@ashleyemanuela]

This hits hard.

[@Go_Ranei]

Wow that was breathtaking

[@rosa.00_]

incredibly powerful

[@sol-bq1sk]

that was great I love this poem

[@dillpickle4784]

amazing. absolutely amazing

[@monetwalker3388]

omg i love her

[@janelleallen1081]

Let the church say amen. 😇

[@ellaphx]

Whoa.

[@lisaamani4441]

❤️❤️

[@paulinazelikowicz9122]

wow.

[@Taschamcfly]

I'm 100% an ally and yes I will join the fight in any way I can.