and if it shows that i wasnt doing anything wrong

either i was selling cds or cigarettes

or i was stopped because my taillight was out

even though my taillight was not out.

and if in the video two cops are on top of me

and one of them yells

GUN!

(which is the new n-word)

and if they then shoot me and i die

and if they pull a gun out of my pocket

and if having a gun in your pocket is legal

and reasonable when you consider how dangerous it is for a black man to remain alive these days

and if the cops dont even have to stand trial for my untimely death,

do me this favor.

do not remember me.

do not have a riot in my name.

do not have protests, and debates, and insist that the chief of police or any of the police be forced to resign.

if the police, in no way, have to admit that they were wrong to kill me,

do me this favor,

and you have to because this is my wish

get me a simple headstone

and on it, inscribe these words

black lives dont matter.

and thats all.

because thats what they are telling us every day and every night

from minnesota to baton rouge.

from st. louis to baltimore

from new york to los angeles.

if our lives dont matter, neither do our names.

so leave mine out of it.