I Want To Be Heard

By Lukas Bell

Dear Adults,

The fact that you belittle my opinions or choices just because I’m not eighteen is astonishing. You raise us to treat others with respect and let them voice their opinions but never listen to mine. Ironic, right? Yeah, I hear you guys talking about your opinions on the community and politics. You talk about the police and the messed up system. I hear you guys, and I listen, I watch. I’m here to voice what I think, but before I can you shut me down. “You’re not old enough to talk about this.” is what you might say, but what if these things are affecting my life, don’t you want to hear? No, of course not. I get it, I’m younger. I know less than you, but I understand what it’s like to be treated poorly for how you look, how you act and more. I have my own voice, and you denying it only makes me want to hide it. Why should I even try to talk when I’ll just be shut up.

Now how would the world be if we allowed the younger people to say their thoughts? Would we go crazy, or would we understand that not all of us are the same, and never will be. You might not agree with me and what I say, but don’t make me seem like less because of what I believe. We’re all people, we all have voices. So let us speak up. It’s our future that YOU’RE trying to shape. Let us decide what we want to do in the future. We are the ones you say are supposed to bring change and make it better, but we need the chance to do it. Let us speak up, hear our voices. We have struggles that the people of your generation could never imagine. Were you ever made fun of by people on the internet just because of how you looked? No. Have you ever had mental breakdowns because you couldn’t go outside because you were afraid you’d kill your family members with just a breath? No. Stop acting like you dealt with the same things I did. You didn’t and you need to accept that. I struggle everyday fighting with bad thoughts and feeling like an outcast because of the internet. And is the estimated age of death for your generation 35? No! You guys had different problems, you had similar experiences but not the same ones. I look up to you people, while you look down to me. I don’t count as a person until I’m eighteen. I deserve to be allowed to speak my mind to whomever I please. If I’m mad about something. Let. Me. Say. It. don’t tell me it’s just because I’m a teenager. Tell me that my anger and frustration is valid and important.

I want to be heard, so I think that you guys should start listening, Just hear us out. Don’t shut us down, don’t shut us up. Let us speak our minds and let our actions and opinions better our future.