20160709 (others)

Our daily illegal killing overseas does not get virally videoed. Few pastors call their congregations individually to discuss immorality, hatred, evil. Bodies, like they're painted on the backdrops of our American life

Killing upsets us if it’s done

In small enough numbers and

When we can see the red blood

Burbling out of Alton Sterling’s

Or Philando Castile’s chest as

If it were their lives escaping

Their bodies: we watch Alton

Gesturing with his arms, Philando

Breathing his last. I’m not writing

About the insane injustice of their

Deaths. Many more will be far

More eloquent in addressing the

Senseless loss of lives, the racism

That underlies this wretched 

Scenario, re-enacted almost daily

Across our country. That will be

The task of community leaders,

Pastors, governors, police chiefs,

Spouses, children, parents, friends

For whom the loss is so more real

Than for us separated by race, class,

Culture—this time even space, 

Although Tamir Rice was shot

To death perhaps three miles from

My desk two years ago. So many

Are compelled to write and talk

Of these continuing tragedies. I 

Do not fault them. It is a human

Response to such irrational events.

I can only remind the souls who

Weep over these deaths—yes, even

The deaths of police officers in 

Dallas, which we will attribute to

An individual madman’s mind in

Our effort to reduce its horror.

I’m saying as tragic as these events

Are, we as a country are doing

Far worse, devastating more

Lives daily with weapons which

Work more pain on many more

People but because we do not see

Their bodies shredded by our bombs,

Because they cry in a different

Language, because they are gored

By the pincers of realpolitick,

Crushed by our desire to rule

And have oil, and because they

Are far enough away and foreign,

We take no note of their suffering

Under our collective killing. The

Taxpayer dollars for bombs and

Strategies come from black and

From white Americans alike.

The news media are corrupt and

Will tell us only what we wish

To know. No one wants to know

About our, “you and me, black

And white,” corporate killing.

The president has been minimally

Transparent about innocents dead

From our drones—maybe a hundred

Over seven years. That’s a lie we

Can all ignore. The planes fly,

The bombs explode, cartoonishly

Few die. The hypocrisy of weeping,

Tsk, tsk, tsking over deaths here.

The Big Lie has accomplished its

Intent. We piously salve our 

Consciences while we supply

The funeral pyres of ancient lands

With fresh carcasses daily.

c. J.S.Manista, 2016