I've had just about enough of both the attackers and supporters of IMUS. I've seen and heard enough racism to last me a life time. What the hell is wrong with us?The Rutgers team handled themselves like decent human beings, sad I cannot say that for the talking heads and for many of those commenting on either side of the aisle around the web.
Within this story of `yet another racist white man so easily slipping the slur’ lies a bigotry so prevalent that even those who dare not think themselves xenophobic are perpetuating the lie behind the stained mirror.
It is not that freedom of speech could be damaged because of the outrage or what have you, the ladies of Rutgers, the women of this world, and many of you are speaking out, so freedom of speech is safe (for the moment), it is the idea that the slur should somehow be legitimized or watered down for any reason, that it is somehow someone else’s fault, or to be written off as no big deal.
The fact is, if we looked at this in its totality, we might just see that the underlying bigotry in this very controversy is one of the primary reasons for the many troubles in the world today. Color. Race. Creed. Religion. Sex.
(The fury in this country or the blind support for her is not just about oil or terrorism. The color of it, maybe.)
I only ask that you think beyond the yammering jaws and race baited rhetoric. Stir from behind the mirror. Stand facing it.
Our bland broadcast warbles the edge.
A bomb ignites upon the air.
Water drips between their silence
Riveting the sounds of our famine.
Then, out of the rain, a raw voice
Slurs again and sweeps through
Landing hard by. “Look over here”
And the hordes cut out their eyes.
The pungent yammer and pain
Soothes them; race, color, creed.
Forget about the offense. We’ve our own.
Suffering is subjective. “Look over here”
Think of it. We’ve the power. We.
Without eyes we fumble for nothing.
Laugh. Laugh. Laughing amusement.
It is best for covering our fetid truth.
Insults are systemic and bigotry reigns.
The ship’s bumped ashore our hapless face,
But, emptied of eyes, we flop on the deck
And “Look over here” we stagger.
“Ever worsening” “Twenty-three dead”
“Friendly fire” “Many wounded”
“Torture” “Somalians” without peace...
“Look over here” “Look over here”
The morning beams bring out our terror
And blind shepherds howl their horrors,
“Look over here” their refrain,
Planting eyes so we may reap the crumbs.
Blind depravity, self-mutilation, yammering
Toothless prayers to toothless gods,
“Look over here” A bomb ignites upon the air.
Words might mean something after all.
© 2007 mrp/thepoetryman
With my apologies to M.C. Escher
