No, You Cannot | Teen Ink

No, You Cannot MAG

November 6, 2008
By Anonymous

It is a new nation,
a nation that proudly proclaims:
“Yes we can.”
But what power holds “yes we can,”
when America has told many of our
brothers and sisters
“no, you cannot”?
You cannot follow your heart.
You cannot move forward.
You cannot take a hand.
You cannot break the mold.
“Marriage is a holy bond
for a man and a woman
it is not yours to taint,” they say.
Where is the future?
Relentlessly we must
keep striving for a better day.
We must stop this hatred
and bring about change in the
wake of defeat.


The author's comments:
This piece was written after Prop 8 was passed in California, a national tragedy at the state level.

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This article has 396 comments.


on Dec. 8 2009 at 7:16 pm
babybunny94 PLATINUM, Santa Clara, California
48 articles 2 photos 12 comments
its a sad sad day when its our government saying that we can't marry just because of who we love... marriage is one of the things that should be free for all... i personally am not bi or gay but i have friends and family that are and i can't imgine being told i cant marry because the person i love is the same sex that i am... thats like saying you cant marrry the man you love cause someone disagrees with you...

on Dec. 8 2009 at 6:01 pm
Heaven forbid someone says something deeper than a kiddie pool. Look back and try to listen to what their actually SAYING.

on Dec. 8 2009 at 4:55 pm
Emily555 BRONZE, Virginia, Minnesota
1 article 0 photos 19 comments

Favorite Quote:
Winners practice until they get it right. Champions practice until they can't get it wrong.

Wow, to think the controversy this poem has caused if you read all the posts. It is an important matter to think about.

It is not my place to say what is right or wrong, so I won't. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and belief, but it is good to be open minded about different issues.

I for one think that this is a great piece of writing, so keep up the good work!

on Dec. 8 2009 at 4:21 pm
TheUnknownIsBliss GOLD, East Patchogue, New York
12 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
I would like to stay out of the box we call "normal".

I'm truly sorry about what I am about to say, but you are wrong. Every man and woman has a right to be homosexual. I am not, but we all have choices in this world. Suppose all the males/females in the world died. Who would you have to love or hold. My point lies here. Thank you.

on Dec. 8 2009 at 12:22 pm
DestroyedTaylor. GOLD, Campbell, California
16 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
"i'd fly to the moon and stars for you, just please don't stop loving me..."

wassup? my name is Taylor

on Dec. 8 2009 at 11:02 am
write4life GOLD, Macon, Georgia
12 articles 0 photos 45 comments
Although I do agree that there are some big changes that need to be made in out country, I completely disagree on the homosexual part. Regardless of how you think we got here (whether it be by a massive explosion, evolution from monkeys, an omniscient Creator, or whatever other reason you could come up with), if human beings were intended to be bisexual or homosexual, we all would have been born hermaphrodites. There is a distinct difference between males and females for a reason. There is a reason it takes a man and a woman to create a child. That's the way it was intended to be.

Emmalee SILVER said...
on Dec. 8 2009 at 10:59 am
Emmalee SILVER, Rayville, Louisiana
9 articles 14 photos 65 comments

Favorite Quote:
Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. - John Lennon

Wonderful. :)

jrunner BRONZE said...
on Dec. 8 2009 at 7:56 am
jrunner BRONZE, Williamsburg, Virginia
1 article 0 photos 1 comment
Twilight chic and alex are both right.... if people were meant to be gay , then God would have made another man out of Adam. And you wouldnt be here...at all. Just sit on that for a while. Love the rest of the poem though!

on Dec. 8 2009 at 6:58 am
ConstanceScott BRONZE, Marion, South Carolina
4 articles 0 photos 17 comments
So when people used the fact that there was slaverly was in nthe bible and it was allowed and used scripture to support it, that made it in no way racist, discriminate, and/or hateful?

on Dec. 8 2009 at 6:50 am
ConstanceScott BRONZE, Marion, South Carolina
4 articles 0 photos 17 comments
I agree with you on that. It is not about whether you agree with gay marriage or not. The law is purely based upon RELIGION and nothing BUT. I believe in the seperation of church and state and think that it is a national tradgedy when people used their religious belief to dictate the way others should live their lives.

on Dec. 8 2009 at 1:17 am
Only,I PLATINUM, Taylorville, Illinois
45 articles 17 photos 123 comments

Favorite Quote:
This too shall pass.

Amazing, This is what I believe as well, I couldn't have put it better.

Good job.

on Dec. 8 2009 at 1:16 am
I like this poem. I really do. Wish it were of a different subject, however, since I totally disagree. We are not trying to discriminate against you; look at Scandinavia if you want to see what we're trying to protect America from. However, I wish we could compromise somehow, you know?

on Nov. 17 2009 at 9:26 am
Twilight_chic BRONZE, Jacksonville, Florida
3 articles 0 photos 8 comments
Well jmc im not saying you have to believe that im just saying i do and im expressing my opinion on the matter. and i so kno wat u mean alex even some of my friends have started to just...idk they just start cussing and im trying to be a better influence on them but its just not working!! but atleast i kno some teens out there still trust God and such!!!

RLJoy DIAMOND said...
on Nov. 16 2009 at 10:52 pm
RLJoy DIAMOND, Glen Rock, New Jersey
56 articles 0 photos 86 comments
This poem is so true and so beatifully written! Ur such an amazing writer

on Nov. 16 2009 at 8:03 pm
Ren-P. PLATINUM, Tulsa, Oklahoma
21 articles 18 photos 45 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You must give up a life you’d planned in order to have the life that’s waiting for you." ~ Joseph Campbell

Sahar_SaiD: So are you saying homosexuals shouldn't be able to marry? If so, just say it, don't use an unclear metaphor.

I think that anyone should have the right to marry. It's wrong to say we all have equal rights and not give them to some.

on Nov. 16 2009 at 6:37 pm
Poet_in_Motion PLATINUM, Sharon, Massachusetts
24 articles 0 photos 40 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Love one another." –George Harrison (his last words)

"and down they forgot as up they grew" –e.e. cummings

"The sea is just a wetter version of the sky..." –Regina Spektor

This is a great poem! I totally agree with you; I was so angry after Prop 8 got passed. How prejudiced is it to not let people get married because they are different from the majority of the population? This poem illustrates the outrage of Prop 8 passing beautifully. Keep up the fabulous work!

jay001 BRONZE said...
on Nov. 16 2009 at 6:28 pm
jay001 BRONZE, Sayre, Pennsylvania
1 article 0 photos 4 comments
its true, yes the bible states u cannot have same sex marriage but not all follow a bible there is a reason for america being different right, you follow any religion or belief, your allowed to date who you want and get any job not baised on gender or color, not like thats true though

on Nov. 16 2009 at 5:11 pm
literaryaddict PLATINUM, Albuquerque, New Mexico
23 articles 3 photos 157 comments

Favorite Quote:
"We're almost there and no where near it. All that matters is that we're going." Lorelai Gilmore, Gilmore Girls
"The whole theory of modern education is radically unsound." Lady Bracknell, The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde

i agree 100% w/ twilight_chic. thank goodness someone agrees with the bible. it's sad how you find less and less people who do

on Nov. 16 2009 at 5:10 pm
literaryaddict PLATINUM, Albuquerque, New Mexico
23 articles 3 photos 157 comments

Favorite Quote:
"We're almost there and no where near it. All that matters is that we're going." Lorelai Gilmore, Gilmore Girls
"The whole theory of modern education is radically unsound." Lady Bracknell, The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde

i must say i disagree. i am not degrading your opinions, but i have to say that my opinions are polar opposites from yours

on Nov. 16 2009 at 3:27 pm
CaseyLeigh PLATINUM, Moraga, California
31 articles 6 photos 137 comments

Favorite Quote:
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to.

I love this poem, and I truly expect that one day equality will previal and marriage will be a privledge of all.