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

Oscars?
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
02 Nov 2016
🖨️ Print Article

by BAR poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner

From cops good and bad to drone rangers, from wicked witches to lecherous buffoons, candidates and messages in this year's presidential race are scarcely distinguishable from some bad old movies.

Oscars?

by BAR poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner

“…It’s a Barnum and Bailey world,

Just as phony as it can be…”

—E.Y. ‘Yip’ Harburg

Best Picture?

“Olympics of Lying”

“Mike & Ike; Good Cop, Bad Cop”

“$campaigns and $elections”

“PSYOP 24 Months”

“Drone Ranger Rides 8 Years Past The Hague”

“All The Above…”

…And the winner is: “All The Above!”

Best Supporting Actor?

Best Bogeyman since McCain?

Hooray for Hollywood—

For The Rich Tourettes Hood:

Lewd Buffoon!

Perfect foil for

Best Actor:

Wicked Witch of War

Warmongering lead—

Paired perfectly with

Lewd Buffoon!

Best Director?

Wall Street

The 1%

The Capitalist Class

The Bourgeoisie

The Bosses

The Corporatocracy

The Police State

The Warfare State

All The Above

…And the winner is: All The Above!

Raymond Nat Turner © 2016 All Rights Reserved

Besides being BAR's poet in residence, Raymond Nat Turner is an acclaimed poet, educator and performance artist. You can find more of his work at http://upsurgejazz.com

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
    An Electoral Victory Is Not the Defeat of Fascism: A Black Radical Perspective on the Democratic Party's Midterm Victories
    04 Nov 2026
    Democratic victories are a setback for Trump and the Republican Party, but not a defeat of the forces driving fascism.
  • Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    ESSAY: Black Organizations and White Money, Glen Ford, 1975
    04 Nov 2026
    “It is clear that the availability of white money caused Black organizations to restructure themselves into fund-raising agencies.”
  • Ann Garrison, BAR Contributing Editor , Daniel Teklai
    Ethiopia–Eritrea Tensions: Is the Media Telling the Full Story?
    04 Nov 2026
    BAR Contributing Editor Ann Garrison joins Daniel Teklai to examine the reporting, competing narratives, and U.S. foreign policy interests surrounding the Ethiopia–Eritrea confrontation.
  • Anthony Karefa Rogers-Wright
    AIPAC Going Dark Sheds New Light on the Derelictions of the Democrat Party
    04 Nov 2026
    AIPAC's decision to stop directly endorsing and funding candidates is merely a shift to dark money. Democratic Party leaders are completely in sync with AIPAC's goals and will not cut them out of…
  • Netfa Freeman
    The Inescapability of the Struggle for the African United Front In the U.S.
    04 Nov 2026
    African people in the U.S. must consolidate their myriad organizations into a united front. A U.S. revolution is impossible without first building local alliances among Black radical organizations…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us