Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire

DEI in the sky
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
05 Feb 2025
🖨️ Print Article
Donald Trump

“Fascism, by its very nature, must be
anti-rationale and anti-humane.”

                              â€”I.F. Stone

Not even semiautomatic “thoughts and prayers”
Fired, as black boxes, and burned bodies of
Beloveds are fished from icy waters of the
Potomac … And notification of next of kin trudges on  â€¦

Strong embraces … for bloodshot eyes?
Compassionate hugs leaning into shattered hearts? 
Comforting words … soothing souls in shock?
Humble head bowed in prayer with parents?

None of this. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zero. Bupkis.
From the reigning Champions of Cruelty. Nothing.
Nada. Zilch. Zero. Bupkis from moneyed men with
Empty, mustard seed-sized hatred-filled hearts …

Nothing, except an absurd salad of words served 
Piping hot on high fructose corn syrup talking points;
And fermented elephant excrement. Nothing, except
Leftovers from tattered menus mimicking ancient agendas …

Evidence? Commonsense!
Had to be DEI—in the sky …
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion—
Oh, my!
Darkies  flying Blackhawks in
Civilian sky!

Must’ve been the Blackhawk Helicopter—
Or, was it an Apache? Dumb-assed Indians!
Wasn’t colorblind—merit-based—
Best and brightest—most and whitest!

Must’ve been monkey-ass Soul Plane Snoop Dogg
Pilots flying civilian aircraft into military airspace?
Wasn’t colorblind—merit-based—
Best and brightest—most and whitest!

Must’ve been woke, chicken wing Tuskegee
Airmen?    Never could fly like white pilots!
Wasn’t colorblind—merit-based—
Best and brightest—most and whitest!

Evidence? Commonsense!
Had to be DEI—in the sky …
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion—
Oh, my!
Darkies  flying Blackhawks in
Civilian sky!

Must’ve been Mexican and Haitian pilots—
Eating the dogs instead of flying the plane?
Wasn’t colorblind—merit-based—
Best and brightest—most and whitest!

Must’ve been transgender air traffic controllers—
Switching off radar for Gay-dar?
Wasn’t colorblind—merit-based—
Best and brightest—most and whitest!

Reagan knew! Wasn’t colorblind—merit-based—
Best and brightest—most and whitest!
Fired lazy-assed DEI air traffic controllers—
For the best and brightest—most and whitest!

Must’ve been Black flight attendants filing their nails,
Instead of calmly telling passengers, “We’re gonna die …”
Wasn’t colorblind—merit-based—
Best and brightest—most and whitest!

Evidence? Commonsense!
Had to be DEI—in the sky …
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion—
Oh, my!
Darkies  flying Blackhawks in
Civilian sky!

Negroes blew up two very fine Boeing Max jets! 
And blew the door off another over the Northwest—
Must’ve been a Black flight attendant opening the door 
In flight?

© 2025. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.
 

Raymond Nat Turner is a NYC poet; BAR's Poet-in-Residence; and founder/co-leader of the jazz-poetry ensemble UpSurge!NYC. You can Vote for his work at GoFundMe and PayPal.

Do you need and appreciate Black Agenda Report articles? Please click on the DONATE icon, and help us out, if you can.


More Stories


  • ​​​​​​​ Ajamu Baraka, BAR editor and columnist
    Extended Remarks from UNAC Webinar: Troops Out of Our Cities! ICE Out of Our Communities! September 7, 2025
    10 Sep 2025
    The Trump administration’s declaration of war on American cities is a logical escalation of the white supremacist project. This is not a policy shift but a clearer revelation of the settler state's…
  • Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    POEM: The King Alfred Plan, Gil Scott-Heron, 1972
    10 Sep 2025
    “...white paranoia is here to stay/The white boy's scheming night and day/What you think about the King Alfred Plan?”
  • Ann Garrison, BAR Contributing Editor
    Ethiopia: National Aspiration, Identity, and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
    10 Sep 2025
    “Ethiopia just changed the continent of Africa forever.” - African development economist and electricity activist 
  • Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
    Department of War: What’s new is so old
    10 Sep 2025
    "Department of War: What’s new is so old" is the latest from BAR's Poet-in-Residence.
  • Tamanisha John
    The Historical and Contemporary Role of Neocolonial Caribbean Governments in Supporting US Militarism and Imperialism in the Region
    10 Sep 2025
    Turning the Caribbean into a US bombing range requires local collaborators. Neocolonial governments have volunteered to play this role, betraying their people's right to peace and sovereignty.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us