Is cruelty Governor Woke Smoke’s superpower?
Hey, amigo, this ain’t Gitmo… We won’t waterboard you.
We won’t force feed you—Hop on this shiny white bus to
a better life! Catch this sleek private plane to food, clothing
and shelter! Hey, señora, one plush seat’s left for you and yours!
We swear this ain’t Sunshine State slapstick! We swear
it ain’t Lone Star State Abbot and Costello—comedy of
Cruelty! …Why… we’d never score $election points with
Corporate paymasters…by using you as $campaign props…
Why, we’d never ever move men, women, children across
this confederate chessboard like bipartisan pawns—Swear we
Wouldn’t! We’re not the same bloodthirsty Europeans who gun-
smoked plains, prairies, and wetlands, creating crimson clouds.
Hey, amigo, this ain’t Gitmo… We won’t waterboard you.
We won’t force feed you—Hop on this shiny white bus to
a better life! Catch this sleek private plane to food, clothing
and shelter! Hey, señora, one plush seat’s left for you and yours!
We swear this ain’t Sunshine State slapstick! We swear
it ain’t Lone Star State Abbot and Costello—comedy of
Cruelty! We’re not the ones who blood-soaked this soil—
leaving Indigenous ones with stand stolen ground nightmares…
Why, we wouldn’t lie—just ask the Seminoles! We’ve changed.
We’re simply not the same predatory Europeans exploring Africa,
Promising, “Jobs! Jobs! Longterm Employment Opportunities!”
Trust us, “Voluntary Relocation” can live “Where woke goes to die.”
Trust us… We’ re… “like a good neighbor.” Like Allstate following
fires in California—or floods in Florida…We’d never use pandemic
Recovery Funds (earmarked for relief ) to ship you people to woke
‘Sanctuary Cities!’ Oh—no—Never!
Hey, amigo, this ain’t Gitmo… We won’t waterboard you.
We won’t force feed you. This is a melting pot! You and your family
just jump right in! Trust us… we aren’t the AI-driven, rightwing, robotic,
Brooks Brothers’ suited barbarians your growling gut’s saying we are…
© 2023. 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.
Assata Shakur wrote the introduction and this poem for the 1990 book Hauling Up the Morning: writings & art by political prisoners and prisoners of war in the U.S.
Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez Mina is strengthening diplomatic relations with African countries and their connections with Colombia's African descended communities.
They called Assata Shakur a fugitive; we claim her as a compass. Her work and her words will continue to chart the path toward our liberation.
The empire has a new plan for Haiti, a return to military occupation dressed up as humanitarianism. Like past occupations, it will only increase the suffering of Haiti's people.
While Gaza burns, a collaborationist class is being handed the keys to a prison and calling it a state, all in service to western imperialism.
