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

R2P: Responsibility To Protect
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
02 Feb 2022
šŸ–Øļø Print Article
Source: hedearnell.medium.com
Source: hedearnell.medium.com

Unhoused sisters and brothers, Civilian 

Casualty-Collateral Damage,  

Ol’ Schmo’s sounding Sam and Dave-ish— 

ā€œHold on, I’m comin’… 

Hold on, I’m cominā€™ā€¦ā€ 

from high alert into harm’s way of your sidewalk  

sleeper cells—your encampments, tarps and tents 

sprung up like multi-colored mini-mushroom clouds 

Unhoused sisters and brothers, Civilian 

Casualty-Collateral Damage,  

Ol’ Schmo’s sounding Sam and Dave-ish— 

ā€œHold on, I’m comin’… 

Hold on, I’m cominā€™ā€¦ā€ from high alert to coordinates  

of borders between Berkeley and Oakland where you’re  

Amassed. 

He’s comin' boots on the ground—Special Forces—brave  

fighting men and women platoon/battalion, heavily-armed— Amish-style—ready to raise roofs and grow food… 

Capitalism’s putative leader knows the Golden State’s home to half his nation’s unhoused. And he’s hopping mad—R2P: Responsibility To Protect—humanitarian intervention—MAD! ā€œWhat lousy dictator would do this to his own people?!ā€ ā€œOwn people!ā€ he mumbles ā€œWill gas be next?!ā€ ā€œGas?!ā€ he babbles… 

Unhoused sisters and brothers, Civilian 

Casualty-Collateral Damage, 

Ol’ Schmo’s sounding Sam and Dave-ish— 

ā€œHold on, I’m comin’… 

Hold on, I’m cominā€™ā€¦ā€ from high alert, deploying good guys with nail-guns, hammers, saws, 2x4s, rebar, bricks and concrete— Weapons of Mass Construction—Build Back Better ain’t bosh! He’s comin’ ā€˜cause housing’s a human right; 

Comin’ to get bogged down in Structural Adjustments; 

Comin’ Slick Willy-ish: ā€œI feel your pain—it’s the economy stupid!ā€ Comin’ Drone Ranger-ish: with spare ā€œChange you can believe inā€¦ā€ If your eyes well up when handed your keys it’s OK; OK if you burst  into tears during your first shower in two years; OK to wake up in your  warm laundry-fresh bed babbling: ā€œSupport the troops!ā€ ā€œSupport the troops!ā€

It’s OK to let good guys with Weapons of Mass Construction board planes before babysitters, teachers, midwifes, nurses, doctors and dentists as you chant, ā€œThank you for your serviceā€ over and over… 

Unhoused sisters and brothers, Civilian 

Casualty-Collateral Damage—  

Spoiler alert: 

Ol’ Schmo’s changing his tune. He’s saying he 

Tolt you from da git—from da jump: ā€œNothing 

would fundamentally change…He’s saying he 

has a right to sing the Blues— a right to try to 

sound more and more like Lady Day each day: 

ā€œHush now, don’t explain… 

money waits in Ukraineā€¦ā€ 

 

Ā© 2022. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.

 

War and Empire

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


More Stories


  • ā€˜Zone of Peace’ Campaign Launched In 3 Countries to Build ā€˜People(s)-Centered Movement’ in the Americas
    Julie Varughese
    ā€˜Zone of Peace’ Campaign Launched In 3 Countries to Build ā€˜People(s)-Centered Movement’ in the Americas
    12 Apr 2023
    The Zone of Peace campaign is a "people(s) centered" grassroots effort to end imperialist domination throughout the Americas.
  • 87% of Service Workers in the US South Were Injured on the Job Last Year
    Peoples Dispatch
    87% of Service Workers in the US South Were Injured on the Job Last Year
    12 Apr 2023
    Southern service workers allege that South Carolina’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration discriminates against Black workers.
  • Sub-Imperialism and Multipolarity: Brazil’s Dilemma
    Justin Podur
    Sub-Imperialism and Multipolarity: Brazil’s Dilemma
    12 Apr 2023
    Brazil is an example of a nation that plays a role in accelerating multipolarity while simultaneously taking part in sub-imperialist acts of aggression.
  • The U.S. Pushes Kiev Into a Suicidal Military Counter Offensive As the Country Scrambles to Launch Its Vital Grain Growing Season
    Dmitriy Kovalevich
    The U.S. Pushes Kiev Into a Suicidal Military Counter Offensive As the Country Scrambles to Launch Its Vital Grain Growing Season
    12 Apr 2023
    U.S. imperialism demands a fight until the last Ukrainian. The proxy war continues to devastate the people of Ukraine.
  • Black Agenda Radio April 7, 2023
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio April 7, 2023
    07 Apr 2023
    In this segment, we have special coverage of the recent launch of the Black Alliance for Peace Zone of Peace campaign.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us