What’s a life worth –
Where an untaxed cigarette
And a choke hold
Want to define who we are?
We sing about the land of the free
And the home of the brave
But who is free
And who is brave
When cowardice swamps the land?
Where is the bravery in a
Body slam in response to
An impoverished street peddler
Who uses his wits to survive?
Where is the freedom in a secret
Grand jury deliberation that
Protects the collusion between
Law enforcement and prosecutors?
Where is the trust when the
Dawn's early light reveals so many empty souls?
Oh there is still a perilous fight
Yet to be waged
Where the rockets’ red glare
And the bombs will cleanse the air
Of cowardly choke holds
And superficial take downs
That little minds and little men
Believe are their protection against
A sleeping giant who
Dares once again to be free.
Admiral Yamamoto couldn't have said it better, Edward, or for a more important reason. Will this crime be the catalyst for the drugged and drowsy to finally shake off their lethargy? Well done!
Edward, you poem of moral courage hopes for the best...in improving the fairness
in street-level policing and braves your disapproval of the "wrongs" in contemporary society...a cop chocked a black human being to death...in a dispute over a cigarette...Your poem questions the sense of civic justice...wondering...what to tell kids...when a free speech leads to a fist in the nose...and an aggressive policing singles out a young-black-man for an extra "hassle"...before knowing...whether or not he's doing anything wrong...Are we powerless telling them:
"Right is right, even if everyone is against it,
and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it"...
Given the current political trend...your poem's wondering...what it takes to re-invent citizen confidence?...
"Justice will not be served until those
who are unaffected are
as outraged as those who are"...
Thank you for sharing your inspiring writing.
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Michael D.
in street-level policing and braves your disapproval of the "wrongs" in contemporary society...a cop chocked a black human being to death...in a dispute over a cigarette...Your poem questions the sense of civic justice...wondering...what to tell kids...when a free speech leads to a fist in the nose...and an aggressive policing singles out a young-black-man for an extra "hassle"...before knowing...whether or not he's doing anything wrong...Are we powerless telling them:
"Right is right, even if everyone is against it,
and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it"...
Given the current political trend...your poem's wondering...what it takes to re-invent citizen confidence?...
"Justice will not be served until those
who are unaffected are
as outraged as those who are"...
Thank you for sharing your inspiring writing.
Kathy J Parenteau