Sunday, August 10, 2014

For Black Men (An Elegy For Mike Brown)

17 year old black boy named Mike Brown, who was supposed to start college tomorrow, was shot to death in Ferguson, Missouri by police while jaywalking. He was unarmed. He was shot 9 times.
Initial media reports claimed that an 18 year old black man had been shot and killed while fleeing police after shoplifting.
People in the neighborhood, including members of Mike Brown’s family, came out of their homes and began to protest, shouting “no justice, no peace,” and keeping their hands in the air.
Media reports claimed that a violent mob quickly formed around the shooting location shouting “kill the police."

Ferguson police have dogs and shotguns
The unarmed crowd is raising their hands
The unarmed crowd is the neighborhood Mark Brown grew up in
His family
His friends
All gather in the streets
NO JUSTICE 
NO PEACE
Rhythmatic to German Sheppard police dog barking
White foam from their snouts
Meanwhile, 
The media reports,
"Black man steals from store,
Shot down by police."
What the media didn't tell you
Was that Mike Brown was supposed to start college today
What the media told you
Is what you saw in the morning
Black coffee in your coffee mug
Before you got in your car and went to work
Your Life goes on
Your children are safe on the streets
Meanwhile, 
Mike Brown's family is screaming
NO JUSTICE
NO PEACE
And the media tells you they're screaming
KILL THE POLICE
Meanwhile, 
Calvin Bryant stands with children
Displaying signs saying
#I CAN'T BREATHE
Because Bryant's friend, Eric Garnder
Was choked to death on the streets
By New York City police
While people in the street pulled out their phones to record the incident
Crowds of people
Gathered around a man screaming
I CAN'T BREATHE
Meanwhile,
LeCree Johnson
Is at home with John Crawford's children
After police shot down John Crawford
Because he was holding a toy gun
LeCree was on the phone with John when she heard him scream
IT'S NOT A REAL GUN
Do you remember when White people were bringing their assault riffles into Target?
Mike Brown had his hands in the air
(As if he had anything to surrender)
When he was shot nine times by cops
Nine bulletholes in a seventeen- year- old boy
(But the media will tell you he was eighteen)
If a Black man puts a bullet in a cop
The whole World hears it
If a White man puts a bullet in an unarmed Black man
Does it make a sound?
If a White man 
Spits the word "nigger"
Does it make a sound?
If you put nine bullets in a boy
Whose skin is the colour of they way you drink your coffee
At 9am, 
Good Morning America
What sound does he make?
Meanwhile, 
Black community in the streets,
NO JUSTICE
NO PEACE
White police men 
White foam at their mouth
Black hands in the air
NO JUSTICE NO PEACE

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