I Wanna Be the Minority

Minority, by Green Day

I wanna be the minority

I don’t need your authority

Down with the moral majority

’Cause I wanna be the minority

I pledge allegiance to the underworld

One nation under dog there of which I stand alone

A face in the crowd, unsung, against the mold

Without a doubt, singled out

The only way I know ‘cause

I wanna be the minority

I don’t need your authority

Down with the moral majority

’Cause I wanna be the minority

Stepped out of the line

Like a sheep runs from the herd

Marching out of time

To my own beat now

The only way I know

One light, one mind, flashing in the dark

Blinded by the silence of a thousand broken hearts

“For crying out loud” she screamed onto me

A free-for-all, fuck ’em all

You are at your own sight ‘cause

I wanna be the minority

I don’t need your authority

Down with the moral majority

’Cause I wanna be the minority

There was a time when I didn’t want to stand out. I wanted to be part of the crowd. It would have been nice to blend in from about junior high to high school age.

I think that most people can relate to wanting to fit in. To be accepted. To not stand out in a different, noticeable way. This is probably true of many younger to older teenagers. I don’t blame myself for being insecure and shying away from the spotlight.

My, how times have changed.

My teen years were gladly pushed back in my memories. Having a pastor father wasn’t an easy thing to deal with. More than a few of my classmates noticed and commented about it.

The teasing and the growing feeling that the type of religion my dad preached was judgmental, bigoted, and far-fetched sounding led me away from trying to fit in with the church crowd. And that was fine with me. I quit attending church around the age of 21. This made me a minority among most of the people I knew within our church community.

It was quite a departure and change from my teen years. I was starting to grow into my bigger ears and nose. I had taken up weight training and working out, no longer was I a six-foot, 155 lb. skinny kid with a Nintendo-belly and the muscle mass of Jell-O. I was coming into my own.

As I worked for the first five or six years of my adult life, I enjoyed being popular at my jobs. I worked hard to be noticed by my bosses. I easily became friends with almost everyone I worked with. People thought I was a funny guy. I enjoyed the confidence I gained by fitting in.

As my jobs eventually turned into a career in real estate, I still enjoyed working hard, achieving goals, and being noticed by my broker as well as the other agents. I had pretty big success those first five years in real estate.

Then it all came crashing down.

Real estate became difficult. By 2008, it was a declining market. I did horribly from 2009–2011 and started running my own small carpet cleaning company. I now had to work physically harder just to get by.

After 10 years of carpet cleaning, I’d done about 2000 jobs personally. Once again, I worked myself to the bone, marketed like crazy, and my lower back was paying the price. Something had to change. Trying to fit in and chase dollars like a good little American wasn’t fulfilling, anymore. The Majority Life was starting to suck.

Enter the Writer.

Becoming a writer at age 47 was never the plan. But damn, what a first year it’s been. And not only because of reaching a place that many writers don’t get to during their first year, but because I found my voice.

I don’t give a damn what anyone thinks of my writing. It’s mine. Not yours.

Let me clarify that statement. I don’t give a damn about fitting in as a writer. I don’t need anyone’s approval. I want it, but I don’t need it. I refuse to change my views, style, and method of writing because someone doesn’t care for it. The ones who are supportive are truly awesome.

Those people are the ones I appreciate the most. The ones I write for, besides myself. It’s would be easier to listen to the negative people and to try to change my writing style to appeal to a larger viewership. I could easily do that.

But fuck that, not happening.

I love everyone in this world who are good human beings. I adore the people who stand up for what’s right in a turbulent world. I write to support the marginalized people who others attempt to persecute, hate, and hurt because of their twisted religious and political views.

I don’t want to fit in with people like you. I won’t do it. I’ll stick to my values and morals, even if that means I’m in the minority.

I’m proud to be the minority. I’ll be the minority until good human beings are the majority. I feel as though we’re getting closer to that, but it often feels like a slippery, uphill battle. One step forward, then two steps back. It can be frustrating as hell.

You will never silence me. My writing will be truthful, brave, raw, and edgy at times. I will cater to those who appreciate this, who don’t mind my use of curse words, or when I’m overly angry or emotional. I’m coming real with it, every time.

And I don’t care if it makes you uncomfortable. Deal with it or block me. I’m moving forward with or without your approval.

Being authentic and real with your writing will build you a following. You will stand out instead of blending in with the masses. If you have the desire to inspire change, be a rebel in a world of “normal” people.

I want to be the minority. &:^)