A controversial, thought-provoking political poem about Trump and racism.
Many people are surprised at seeing
the Republicans choose Trump to be their
candidate for President, his being
an outspoken racist beyond compare.
But this action comes after five decades
of their party’s pushing subtle racism.
Recall back when the Southern White male trades
parties from the Civil Rights laws-caused schism.
The Republican Party became the
last bastion for die-hard racist White men.
Jailing blacks, limiting voting were key
to Whites’ political power since then.
Some may claim the White race doesn’t act this way.
Past U.S. history gives evidence:
Whites performed genocide to the dismay
of the Native Peoples; with arrogance
Whites made and broke treaty after treaty,
killed the bison, denied their legal rights,
stole Native lands, ignored each entreaty
to make peace, forced Indians into fights.
Calling them savage and inferior
justified to Whites the right to slaughter
whole tribes to achieve their ulterior
motive of free land to the White squatter.
All the while these Whites went to church and prayed
so piously and unashamed. They were
blinded to the truth by racism. Hearts made
hard, the Natives’ tears and pain did not stir.
Likewise, land taken from Mexico was
sanctioned since Whites were deemed superior
and fulfilling our destiny because
Whites didn’t respect a race inferior.
White men in the South grew wealthy and fat
through the work of Black slaves for centuries.
Slaves could be raped, beaten, murdered, and spat
on. Whites caused untold pain and injuries.
The legal basis for slavery rested
on the belief that Blacks were less human
than the White race. This idea infested
the thinking of Whites lacking acumen.
Such a belief let Whites still consider
themselves devout Christians and unsullied
by a heinous action they deliver
while quoting scripture to those they bullied.
The Civil War was fought for slavery.
After Black slaves were “freed,” Southern White men
kept Blacks “in their place” with unsavory
“Jim Crow Laws”; the KKK started back then.
Until the mid-1960s the Blacks
faced discrimination in their housing,
education, health care, travel, jobs … facts
easy to confirm through on-line browsing.
Democratic passage of Civil Rights
laws made Republicans of many Whites.
Racism went underground, yet still invites
racial hatred to soar to olden heights.
In the U.S. today many Whites think
they are superior to other races,
yet call themselves Christ-like without a blink.
Such strange, faulty logic racism embraces.
Whites’ racism is ingrained in the fabric
of U.S. life. It awaits a trigger
to elicit it with results tragic.
Trump clearly sounded its call with vigor.
There is only one race, called homo sapiens with some vanity. Racism can exist only where and when systems of government and society are in place to enforce it. For example, Blacks may be prejudiced, but they cannot be racist because they have no means or method for enforcing their 'superior' status. Racism requires all four legs of a societal pyramid - wealth and/or status, authority/law, education/history, religion/mythology. Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asians and other minorities have none of these and so even when the 'law' says they are equal, the weight of culture overwhelms that 'right' ... In the Americas and Europe, Australia, White skinned folk are racists by definition ...
Harry there is all kinds of racism in all countries. My Native American ancestors and my Irish ones were treated as badly as any people in this country have ever been treated and you don't see any of their descendents asking for reparation for the things that were done to us or perpetuating racial hate and division. All races can be assimilated into America without losing their individuality. What we all need to lose are the suppositions, attitudes and the us and them mentality. If we don't all learn to accept and respect each other this country is doomed. It would behoove us all to make healing statements that draw all our people together, not the kind of discriminatory "Poetry" you post here that pits races against each other. Yes there are White racists in America, there are also Black ones, we should have come further by now and you should have come further in respect for all races.
No facts, all emoting Harry, bone up on your American history before setting off on a diatribe laced with innuendo and factually challenged statements. It is your right to do so and I will fight to ensure you continue to have it, even if almost nothing you stated is based on fact.
Why do we have "white hats" as good guys and "black hats," as bad guys. Consider black magic bad and anything bad be the "dark," side. We are ingrained in our psyche to find darkness bad. This innate feeling stigmatized those of darker skin. Throughout the history you delineated so well in your poem, those of lighter skin, even among those with "one drop of Negro blood," had a better chance at life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness than others of their own race.
Those following Trump with his simple solutions to complex problems are acting on their instincts and not knowledge or critical thinking. They need a king or dictator to relieve them of their fear of the unknown. The reason they are so fervently Christian is because they need to have something to resolve their internal conflict and the promise of forgiveness and eternal life is too good not to pass up. That's why they're not passing up all the tidbits that Trump is throwing them like the hungry lot they are.
I don't agree with Ed. It doesn't take courage to stand up to bigotry. It just takes doing what Jesus would do. Most so-called, Christians, don't understand that.
Still Living on my Feet is the follow up to Tichaona Chinyelu’s first book, In the Whirlwind, which was rooted in a sense of hard-hitting revolutionary black love. However, in this sophomore effort, Tichaona brings the revolutionary essence from deep
No FACTUAL BACKBONE here.
Ignorance is simply that.
Stupid IS as STUPID DOES!
Amen my friend....
Michael D.
Those following Trump with his simple solutions to complex problems are acting on their instincts and not knowledge or critical thinking. They need a king or dictator to relieve them of their fear of the unknown. The reason they are so fervently Christian is because they need to have something to resolve their internal conflict and the promise of forgiveness and eternal life is too good not to pass up. That's why they're not passing up all the tidbits that Trump is throwing them like the hungry lot they are.
I don't agree with Ed. It doesn't take courage to stand up to bigotry. It just takes doing what Jesus would do. Most so-called, Christians, don't understand that.
Ron
Two or more make an army. Brilliant write!