Independence Day and What I Have to Say

posted by Bill Arnett @ 1:26 PM Permalink

UPDATE: When I wrote this yesterday I wrote it in a contiguous block of 36 lines, which, upon reflection after receiving some much appreciated advice from my good friend, Sailor, I have broken the poem up into 9 verses of four lines each to improve readability. No content has been changed and I thank Sailor for his kind advice.

Let’s all count our “blessings” on this coming Independence Day
And contemplate that which prevents American’s from having a say.
Freedom of speech may still be allowed, provided you remain
In a “free speech” zone surrounded by guards and fences of chain.

The right to petition government for redress is still there
Tho’ we have a president who demonstrably does not care.
There’s still a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
If you turn a blind eye to what the rest of the world sees as a mess.

For now your life can be taken simply by order of the president
As extra-judicial killings will always go a long way to prevent
A suspect person trying to challenge their illegal detention,
And it’s still cheaper to kill than to spend money for his rendition.

And though much has been said about the evil wrought by this plan,
The kidnappings and killings will continue as long bush is “the man.”
The right to liberty, which formerly played an important roll in life,
Is becoming a hindrance to an administration wracked with strife.

Thus came the USA Patriot and the Military Commissions Act
That changes the tenor of life in America, and that is a fact.
The pursuit of happiness becomes more difficult as a result,
As all our rights fall prey slowly to what amounts to a cult,

Of a rogue president so out of touch with most people’s reality
That they no longer lend anything he says any credibility.
And as long as the detention center and prison at Gitmo is open,
America the bully detains suspects without trial, just the sweep of a pen.

Though the president claims that America does not torture suspects,
The rest of the world sees thru the lies he tells and rejects
American claims to be that “Shining beacon of hope and democracy,”
While the Middle East heads towards conflagration and says he’s crazy

To believe that democracy can ever succeed when installed by a gun,
To the neocons and sycophants destroying America it’s just all good fun.
And for years passed and years to come Americans will be in Iraq,
Safeguarding oil profits for corporations that can never pay us back

For the horrific death toll of both Iraqis and our American forces
And a president who will never, ever admit error and change courses.
So let us all pray that in the year of our Lord known as 2008
We can rid ourselves of these evil, ill-spirited Republican reprobates.

Labels: Bush, civil liberties