Streaming Now：介乎Rap與詩之間，他是劍橋大學畢業的年輕詩人George The Poet
這陣子不同國家接二連三的恐襲、政治選舉，還有同性戀者婚姻等議題，讓世界上許多人都因為異見而對立起來，甚至引伸出「仇恨犯罪」個案上升的問題。依英國為例，倫敦與曼徹斯恐襲後，平均每天便發生54宗「仇恨犯罪」個案，而估計未被發現的事件大約有170,000宗。在警察也束手無策下的情況下，有位男生決定要以詩為世界帶來改變。
你第一個反應大概是，太離地了吧？然而George The Poet卻貼地得很，詩詞歌賦除了風花雪月、悲天憫人抒情之外，還可以是傳播訊息的媒介。「在這個時刻，我們更需要重視人類的基本素質：公平與尊重。」這位詩人如是說。因此，他與人權組織Equality Human Rights Commission合作，創作了一段關於「仇恨犯罪」的詩詞短片。希望將現在「我們、他們」的對立文化得以改善。讓我們先從他的作品，認識George The Poet。
George the Poet on hate crime
The defining characteristic of a hate crime is not actually hate.
It’s prejudice.
We use the word ‘hate’ to define it because the prejudice is born of a hateful climate.
It’s the judgement prior to the punishment.
It’s the inaction of others despite their astonishment.
It’s the misinformation that instigates disintegration.
See, the violence occurs in the silence at first.
Then after a while you can find it in words.
The standard abuse in the language that’s used to leave our sense of humanness bandaged and bruised.
Calls for justice become anguish infused when some politicians start brandishing views that human beings of their right to be human.
Not their human rights
Their right to be human
The defining characteristic of a hate crime is not actually hate.
It’s prejudice.
We use the word ‘hate’ to define it because the prejudice is born of a hateful climate.
But a climate is a collective mood
It’s not an individual selective move
And in the face of political ineptitude
We only have one option.
Let’s improve.
‘Hate’ is such a strong word for such a weak emotion.
A wound cant heal if hatred keeps it open.
And not all wounds can be physically revealed
But they do all deserve the ability to heal.
So let’s stand for the belief in living free.
Let me find the courage within me.
Giving meaning to the first seven letters of the word ‘responsibility’
With an ‘e’
What’s your response?
For the future generations,
We’ve got to start providing some guidance
‘cause this will be a time that define us.
Because you can’t fight violence with silence.
在詩人的視覺，他告訴大家：The defining characteristic of a hate crime is not actually hate. It’s prejudice／Because you can’t fight violence with silence。「仇恨犯罪」的起因其實不是因為仇恨本身，而是源於偏見與大眾對這種行為的冷漠。解決偏見的唯一方法，就是溝通。他率直地指出偏見是社會上的大氣候「prejudice is born of a hateful climate／But a climate is a collective mood／It’s not an individual selective move」，而消弭仇恨是需要大家一起努力的事情。詩詞簡單直接，不用透過遣詞造句築意境，有節奏且簡單地讀出詩作，卻讓人無盡的反思空間。
George The Poet畢業於劍橋大學，修讀過社會學與經濟學，愈是聽得多、學得多，他就發現社會上的問題其實是有解決方案，而他立志用詩教育及影響大眾，成為務實疏理問題的一群。詩對於Geroge來說，不是孤芳自賞，反是藏於每人內心深處的本能。他深信每個人都能夠貢獻社會，更確切認為人們得益不一定要由另一部分人的犧牲而運作。詩，變成了他抗議的途經。他，不只是一個詩人和音樂人，更是一個社會評論家。
關於女性
Pink Matter
關於機會
There are no choices without chances.
關於移民、語言、身份
Mother Tongue
「仇恨犯罪」是指由針對某一特定社會群組的歧視性犯罪行為。這些社會群組包括種族、宗教、性傾向、身心障礙、族群、國籍、年齡、性別、性別認同及政黨等等。
Cover photo via georgethepoet.com
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