Aight, so check it: Heard somethin' 'bout gunshots near the White House last night. Lafayette Park way, across the street. Man, you can't even be safe there? That's wild, but honestly, ain't nothin' new under the sun.

Secret Service all up in they feelings, searchin' the park and all that. Say they ain't find nobody, ain't nobody hurt. But still, it's messed up. Real messed up. What's the world comin' to when you can't even chill near the President's crib without worryin' 'bout gettin' caught in the crossfire?

Trump was in the White House, probably sleepin' sound. He prolly ain't even hear it. Rich folks always sleepin' while the rest of us stressin'.

White House doin' bidness as usual, but security up. Yeah, right. Like that's gonna stop anything. That fence ain't protectin' nobody but the squirrels. Secret Service workin' with DC police and the Park Police. All them cops, still can't find the shooter. Tell you somethin' right there.

This ain't 'bout no security, this 'bout what folks do when they hurtin'. People feelin' hopeless, strapped for cash, ain't got no hope for the future. That's when they start poppin' off. It's a cry for help, even if it ain't the right way to do it.

They talk 'bout gun control, but that ain't gonna fix nothin'. Guns been around forever. It's 'bout addressin' the real problems: poverty, racism, police brutality. That's the stuff that's drivin' folks to the edge.

Lafayette Park been fenced off for weeks, they say renovations. More like keepin' the people out. Tryna make it look all nice and shiny, but the problems still underneath the surface, ya dig?

This ain't just 'bout some gunshots near the White House. It's 'bout the whole damn system. It's 'bout the haves and the have-nots. It's 'bout the folks in power lookin' down on the folks in the streets.

So next time you hear 'bout somethin' like this, don't just shake your head and say, 'Oh, that's terrible.' Ask yourself why it's happenin'. Ask yourself what you can do to make a change. Real talk.

Sources:

* The Sentencing Project (sentencingproject.org) * NAACP (naacp.org) * The Pew Research Center (pewresearch.org)