I AM NOT EXPECTING TO BE JUSTIFIED BY YOUR FLAWED LAWS,
BUT OVER FOUR HUNDRED YEARS AGO MY CHILDREN WERE VICTIMS
OF THEIR CLAWS.
THEY WERE BRUTALLY SNATCHED AWAY FROM ME,
TAKEN AWAY TO STRANGE LANDS ACROSS THE SEA.
THEY WERE PACKED AND TRANSPORTED IN HULLS OF SHIPS,
IN BLOOD AND TEARS, FEAR AND ANGUISH.
THEY WORKED FOR NOTHING AT THE SLAVE MASTER’S HAND,
THEY WERE BEATEN; SOME WERE MURDERED ON THE PLANTATIONS.
VANDALISM, TERRORISM AND DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY,
THE ARTIFACTS; THE BOOKS THEY TOOK, THAT’S BLATANT ROBBERY!
THOSE THAT DIED BY THE GALLOWS AND THE GUILLOTINES,
BY THE WHIPS, THE GUNS AND OTHER BRUTAL MEANS.
THINK ABOUT THE FAMILIES THAT WERE LEFT BEHIND WITH
SHATTERED DREAMS;
GRANDPARENTS THAT GRANDCHILDREN HAD NEVER SEEN.
YOUR HONOR, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE JURY, COURT,
FOR JUSTICE MY HEART AND SOUL IS BENT,
NOW THIS IS MY CLOSING ARGUMENT!
ALL MEN WERE CREATED EQUAL IN THE EYES OF THE ALMIGHTY,
GIVE JUSTICE TO THOSE THAT SUFFERED BY SENTENCING THE GUILTY!
LET YOUR CONSCIENCE BE YOUR GUIDE,
HAND DOWN THE RIGHT VERDICT AND WALK OUT OF THIS
COURTROOM WITH PRIDE.
YOUR HONOR, TODAY PLEASE HEAR MY PLEA,
PLEASE GRANT REPARATION AND TRANSPORTATION FOR MY
CHILDREN TO COME HOME TO ME.
I ASK THAT TO ALL, LET EQUAL RIGHTS AND JUSTICE BE GUARANTEED!
REGARDLESS OF RACE, COLOR, CLASS OR CREED.
PUTTING FORWARD THIS CASE TOUCH MY EVERY NERVE,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE LET JUSTICE BE SERVED!

                                                                                             Ras Negus Tafari