Torture Research

A Pew Research Center study revealed
the more often people attend church,
the more likely they are to support torture.
I don’t know how you can support torture
while claiming to be a Christian.
I don’t fit the study as
I’m opposed to torture
even though I sat through the torture
of the Catholic Mass for decades.
It was a small glimpse into the Spanish Inquisition.
A University of Maryland study found
people who regularly watch Fox News
are more likely to agree with torture.
That’s because they are masochists
who like being mentally abused by Fox News.

David Bromberg: “Someone Else’s Blues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5zOF44GaFI

Advertisements

The Last Straw?

I heard a local talk radio host supporting Trump. He said, he just hasn’t seen racism coming out of this White House. I could point out statements some of Trump’s appointees have said. I will instead focus just on Donald Trump.

In the 1980’s back when Trump

owned casinos in Atlantic City,

managers knew he didn’t like black employees.

That meant that when Donald and Ivana

came to the casino, the bosses would order

all the black people off the floor.

The New Jersey Casino Control Commission

fined the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino $200,000

because managers would remove African-American

card dealers at the request of a certain big-spending gambler.

Donald Trump and his KKK rally attending dad

were successfully sued twice for racial discrimination

by the Justice Department because they wouldn’t rent to blacks.

When Trump addressed the Republican Jewish Coalition

he tried to relate to the crowd by invoking the stereotype

of Jews as talented and cunning businesspeople.

Trump said, “I’ve got black accountants at

Trump Castle and at Trump Plaza.

Black guys counting my money! I hate it.

The only kind of people I want counting my money

are short guys that wear yarmulkes every day.”

Trump talked about a black employee being lazy.

He said it’s probably not his fault because laziness

is a trait in blacks and not anything they can control.

In 1989, Trump purchased ads calling

for the death penalty for the “Central Park Five,”

four black men and one Latino man

accused of rape who were later

exonerated thanks to DNA evidence.

Trump never apologized for accusing them.

He was still insisted they were guilty

during the 2016 presidential election.

He got press insisting America’s first black president

was  Kenyan and not really born in the United States.

He started off his campaign calling Mexicans rapists.

He stated that a judge couldn’t rule on him fairly

in a case because the judge had Mexican heritage.

He trashed a Gold Star family because they were Muslim.

He talked about Africa and said the residents all live in huts.

He claimed the residents of  Haiti all had AIDS.

At a meeting Trump expressed surprised to learn

that it is mostly white people who are on welfare.

At a meeting with members of the Congressional Black Caucus,

Trump asked the elected officials if they knew Ben Carson.

When the members said, no, Trump expressed surprise.

It was as if Trump thought all blacks knew one another.

Trump claimed, there were really good people

on the Nazi White Supremacist side in Charlottesville.

He said, Puerto Ricans were  losers who wanted handouts

after their island have been devastated by a hurricane.

He called, Senator Elizabeth Warren “Pocahontas”

when he suppose to be honoring  Navajo code talkers.

Most recently, Trump decided to disrespect

lots of foreign nations all in one fall swoop..

He referred to Haiti, El Salvador, and certain nations

in Africa as “shithole countries” during a meeting

with lawmakers in the Oval Office.

And he added that the United States should

admit more people from places like Norway.

Many people are calling this the final

straw that broke the camel’s back.

It wouldn’t have broken the camel’s back

had not the heavy weight of so many

other straws not already been there.

If this isn’t actually Trump’s final straw

how much more racism from him will it take?

Racism is the very last thing that

will ever make America great again.

 

“Glory” John Legend and Common

“Our true nationality is mankind.” – H.G. Wells

-“Men build too many walls and not enough bridges.”

-Joseph Fort Newton

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Braggart Bob

Happy New Year!! I wanted to start 2018 with something light.

Here is my first poem of the year.

 

My friend Bob went to the Grammy Awards.

Better yet, he went to the after party.

He met lots of musicians and was now,

going around name dropping to everyone.

He met: Akon, Bono, Belly, Nelly, Chamillionaire, Chingy,

Common, Daya, Desiigner, Diddy, Dido, Diplo, Drake,

Eminem, Fergie, Flea, Jibbs, Ludacris, Madonna, Meatloaf,

Moby, Mystika, Nas, Offset, Takeoff, Papoose, Piles, Pink,

Pitbull, Questlove, Redfoot, Ringo, Rule, Sade, Seal, Shakira,

Skyblue, Slash, Sting, Taboo, Tonedeaf, Twista, Wale, Xzhibit and Yelawolf,

He shook hands and chatted personally with:

A-Trak, B-Legit, B-Tight, Cardi B, D’Angelo, DMC, DMX,

G-Eazy, Jay-Z, K Camp, MC Hammer, MC Lyte, Ne-Yo,

Pusha-T, T-Pain, T-Swizzel,  V-Nasty, Will.i.am, Mike Will Made-It,

LL Cool J, Ice Cube, Ice-T, Vanilla Ice, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg and T-Wayne.

Bob claimed all the Lil’s were at the party:

Lil Wayne, Lil B, Lil Biddy, Lil Boosie, Lil ‘C, Lil’ Cease,

Lil Dickey, Lil Debbie, Lil Dirk, Lil Flex, Lil fate, Lil Flip,

Lil Herb, Lil Jon, Lil Keke, Lil Kim, Lil Lachty, Lil’ Louis,

Lil Mama, Lil Mo, Lil’ O, Lil Phat, Lil Ric, Lil Peep, Lil Poopy,

Lil Pump, Lil Reese, Lil Rob, Lil Romeo, Lil Ronnie, Lil Rue,

Lil Scrappy, Lil Troy, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil’ Wil, Lil Wyte and Lil Zane,

All generations were represented by these attendees at the after party:

Baby Bash, Baby Boy Da Prince, Soulja Boy, Kid Cudi, Kid Ink,

Young Buck, Yung Child Support, Young Joc, Young Thug, Yung Tone,

Childish Gambino, Blak Younggsta, School Boy Q, Paperboy,

Juvenille, Da Brat, Big Boi, Big K.R.I.T., Big Pun, Big Sean,

Method Man, Redman, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Uncle Murda and Chief Keef.

Bob claims these guys were the life of the party:

Bow Wow, Knockerz, Junglepussy, The Creator, The -Dream, The Game.

The Weekend, Dreddy Kruger, Ghostface Killah, Gun Play, Machine Gun Kelly,

Yoyo Honey, French Montana, Chingo Bling, Gudda Gudda, Bhad Bhabie,

Waka Flocka Flame, Fetty Wap, Flo Rida, Peanut Butter Wolf, Riff Raff,

Shaggy 2 Dope, Rich Homie Quan,Del Tha Funky Homosapien, SpongeBozz,

Dr, Dre, Dr. Luke, Lady Gaga, Iggy Pop, The Edge and Marilyn Manson.

Bob said that musicians not in attendance included:

Patti Smith, Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Sam Smith, Howard Jones, Mick Jones,

Rickie Lee Jones, Steve Miller, Jack Johnson and Joe Jackson.

“Name Dropper” Staxx Brothers

“Birthplace of a new year is in the heart of hope” ~ Munia Khan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deplorables Indeed

Alabama Democrat, Doug Jones, is running against

Roy Moore for an open U.S. Senate seat.

Jones is a prosecutor who convicted the scum that murdered four little girls.

Moore his Republican opponent has called Jones, “Soft on Crime.”

It is worth noting that Moore was the only vote in favor

of a day care worker who raped a 4-year-old,

claiming there was no ‘implied threat of serious physical injury’.

District attorney, Roy Moore is also being accused

of molesting a child and sexually assaulting a 14 year-old girl.

Republicans are always tougher on crime,

when those accused of the crime are minorities.

It became obvious that Trump was weak on crime

the minute he pardoned Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Many voters are willing to welcome pervert politicians like Moore

with open arms, as long as they destroy Obamacare and pass tax cuts.

I never thought I’d see the day when racism, misogyny and pedophilia

would be part of the attributes to look up to and support in a politician.

Is supporting pedophiles, White Supremacists, Nazis, the KKK and Putin

all part of the president’s master plan for “Making America Great Again?”

I’d say it is the moral decay we got when Trump was elected President.

America needs fewer smart phones and more smart citizens.

Citizens that need to pay attention because the GOP

is showing the world just exactly who they really are.

“George Washington is the only president who didn’t blame the previous administration for his troubles.” ~Author Unknown

 

Be Prepared

In Denver an 11 year-old Cub Scout

has been kicked out of his den

after he questioned a state lawmaker

about her position on gun control and

comments she had previously made about

African-Americans eating fried chicken.

I thought scouting was about learning

to be prepared for anything in life.

The lesson here for young Cub Scouts

is don’t question Republican politicians.

If you do, be prepared to be punished for it.

 

Montana Congressional Republican candidate Greg Gianforte,

attacked and injured a reporter who was asking him a question.

Why would a public figure think a reporter asking questions

at a public event press conference was “harassment”?

Perhaps, Gianforte considers questions a threat,

because if he actually answered them honestly,

it just might put his “political life” in jeopardy.

Gianforte, the pro-life, anti-evolution, anti-gay rights,

anti-retirement, anti-minimum wage, anti-climate change,

anti-Affordable Care Act, anti-immigrant candidate

went on to win despite his assault on the reporter.

The lesson here is don’t question Republicans politicians,

and if it is in your job description, prepare to be assaulted for it.

 

Karen Marshall, the vice president of programs

for the Montana Gallatin County Republican Women,

said in a radio interview that if the reporter for the Guardian

had questioned her like he did Gianforte, she would have shot him.

Gianforte had been found guilty of assault, fined and sentenced.

Marshall made her comment with full knowledge of that.

Her advocacy of murder against those who dare question politicians

came just a few days after an investigative journalist was killed in Malta.

These are members of the GOP that is after all, the party led by a president

who said he could shoot someone in the middle of 5th avenue and get away with it.

House Republicans voted for an NRA approved bill

to let mentally ill people be allowed to buy guns.

That bill allowed Karen Marshall to be first in line at the gun store.

She is now a gun hugger anxious to use her firearm.

The lesson here is don’t question Republican political women,

as the GOP and brutal dictators have always feared the truth,

so journalists are the enemy and real and news are four letter words.

Journalists be prepared for violence directed at you because

these political cretins believe their lies are worth killing for.

 

These conservative politicians label themselves,

“Traditional Family Values” Christians.

They don’t follow the peace and love Jesus of the New Testament.

They believe in Old Testament biblical-style flaying and stoning.

These are the kind of violent Christians who tell us

we need to fear Muslims because they are terrorists.

Republican politicians expect journalists to report

just exactly what they tell them to report.

You know, like their toadies over at FOX NEWS.

Conservatives like to zoom right past the 1^st Amendment,

on their way to worshipping the 2^nd Amendment.

The historic lesson conservatives need to learn is that

journalism is the only profession specifically mentioned

by our Founding Fathers as vital to the functioning of a free democracy.

Are voters going to keep electing people that feel

they can beat journalists or shoot someone

in the middle of 5th avenue and get away with it?

If so, be prepared to live in a very dangerous world.

 

Bill Bragg: “Waiting for the Great Leap Forward”

“Why We Build the Wall”

“Political history is largely an account of mass violence and of the expenditure of vast resources to cope with mythical fears and hopes.” ~ Murray Edelman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poetry on the Road

Mrs. E and I enjoyed a recent road trip. We went to a concert at Hershey Park, PA. We also spent a day in beautiful, Jim Thorpe, PA. I wrote these two poems while on the trip:

T-shirts in Candy Town

We are eating Continental Breakfast

at the 3 story La Quinta Hotel

in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

It is a t-shirt Sunday morning gathering.

One man’s t-shirt declares, “Dallas sucks.”

I am wondering about the bad timing of that message

in light on the category 4 hurricane that recently hit Texas.

A woman in her 60’s looks rather ruffled and is sleepwalking.

Her bright florescent yellow t-shirt proclaims, “Gym hair.”

She tells her male breakfast companion that she needs caffeine,

and to quickly get to the nearby famous, Hershey Chocolate World.

She says she is craving candy as she has been on a long candy hiatus.

I look up from my peach yogurt, grapefruit juice and bagel,

to see a man wearing a worn out t- shirt proclaiming,

“Mr. Woodcock I’m best known for my meat.”

Walking behind him is a smiling man with one word

in the middle of his t- shirt that largely states, “Lucky.”

A man my age wears a tee proclaiming, “Growing old disgracefully.”

Leaving the hotel with our luggage we pass, a tall young black man,

his gray tee-shirt declares, “Mr. Positive says, be positive.”

On the walk to our car I contemplate all these,

wearable apparel proclamations.

I pull out of the busy motel parking lot

and note that the house next door still has,

a Trump/Pence sign in their front yard.

I am thinking that my morning has just started

on a very negative note, setting a bad vibe for the day.

Driving down the road just a few miles

I see a billboard for a furniture store.

It proclaims, “Our prices are sofa king low.”

I chuckle and decide that I am going to

have a positive day and also grow old disgracefully.

Thanks 100% cotton philosophers!

Feeling Younger?

We are at Hershey Park to see Van Morrison.
At the concert I order an $8 draft beer.
That might seems expensive but it included,
a priceless compliment free of charge.
That was the fact that I was asked to show an ID.
I pulled out my AARP card to show the beer seller.
I then was given a purple wrist band,
so I wouldn’t have to show an ID again.
I may never, ever take it off!
I’ve got to remember to order
some more of that age spot cream.

“You don’t stop laughing when you grow old, you grow old when you stop laughing.”

~ George Bernard Shaw

Van Morrison: “Into the Mystic”

“Days Like This”

“Have I Told You Lately That I Love You”

A Poem I Wish I Didn’t Need to Write

It seems like this poem still is relevant,

I wrote this poem about the Confederate flag a few years back.

A History Lesson

Jesse Helms and Strom Thurman

proved the good do indeed die young.

The Stars and Bars

fly over ole Dixie

to let the black man

know to keep his place.

The flag proves southern whites

haven’t learned from history…

only rewritten it.

There is indeed

a rightful place

for the Confederate flag,

in a fucking museum.

Jason Isbell: “White Man’s World”

“God is a Working Man”

“Racism is man’s gravest threat to man – the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason.” –Abraham Joshua Heschel