I recently came into a Dilemma we were tasked with writing a story with flashbacks I choose to do mine based on the riots that happened during 2021-24. initially I thought yeaa fun I am bringing awareness and a cool story. Now after recent events in my life, I’m thinking it’s to radicalized for certain audiences and I feel as if I have turn down the “wokeness” in my writing. I never had to “code switch” (change my personality to make other comfortable) during writing I never code switched for anyone really, I feel as if I people should accept my personality for what it is. I feel bad for those so used to doing it they become forever changed stuck watching from the shell place outside of their mortal body hopefully when their spirits are released, they do in turn find comfort.
here’s a paragraph from said short story:
Those eyes. The cops had the same ones. I snapped back to reality, visibly shook. The girls scream started so get louder the cops screamed at her to stop resisting. I stepped up to the awful scene. I turned my back towards the cops and spoke to the crowd “everyone! Everyone! Let them do their job, stop yelling, and throwing stuff give them space!” I yelled. one protester screamed loudly “why are you defending them?” I turned I stood there then I approached him a screamed for everyone one to hear “I want to make sure your daughter got a daddy who comes back home!” The crowd grew silent. I turned towards the cops, my breath heavy, my fist clenched my throat felt like eve had bitten into it. I thought to myself “who am I fighting for? I then looked at the girl and then the officer and gather my courage to speak “Can y’all please just calm down, we don’t want trouble here. That’s a little girl man.” I said, attempting to calm them down. “Don’t you have kids?” I let it slip from my mouth not knowing how’d they react, the officers looked at me convection in their eyes “alright I need everyone to back up! I will not hesitate to arrest people! This girl is going to be freed if anyone vandalizes or assaults the police again tear gas will be used to control the crowd.” one officer said taking the incitive the other officer looked at him with disgust. They released the girl from the handcuffs, and she fell into my arms I collapsed to the ground my head and underarms full of sweat my heart tired and my voice sore.
what do you think about this situation?
should themes be limited to make other people feel comfortable?
why are only some radical topics/speech accepted while other aren’t?
do you find yourself code switching a lot?
I am really excited to see this project in full! I really love when you write around dangerous situations because you characterize these things very well. I don’t think you should tone down the message, but seeing the rest of the piece will help with this conclusion