America vs. The People

All rise for the honorable Judge Ethics. *force everyone in the classroom to stand up and then sit down after a pause* Okay, so today in court case #352 we have the prosecutor “The People”, who is filing a claim of wrongful action against the defendant “America”. I see that both parties will be representing themselves, without the use of an attorney. America, how do you plead to this charge?  America: “Not guilty, your Honor” Judge: Okay, both of you please raise your right hand and repeat after me America and People: “Oath: I swear that the evidence that I shall give, shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God. Affirmation: I solemnly affirm that the evidence that I shall give, shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth” Judge: Thank you, you may have your seats, I will now open up the floor for opening statements. Prosecution may begin. Jury, please stay woke.  *Inform the students that at the end of the piece I’m going to ask which side they believe is correct and why. Then make sure they understand what the jury is and let them know that this is when the actual spoken word piece begins* The People: Thank you, Your Honor. Members of the jury today you’ll hear from both sides, not just mine but the one who always force feeds you lies. He mixes it with a little sugar and pulls out your tongue until you cry, he pours in a little facts and a hypothesis and shoves it down your throat so hard you think you might die. It’s not a pretty picture I can tell you I’m not gonna lie, but it’s even worse when you see it happening through your child’s eyes. See I set aside a few rules for America to follow, but when he was done finding loop holes the promise was left hollow. I tried to follow the wholes back to see just where I went wrong, but it was like trying to walk a thinner line than the one’s on a girls thong. And while we’re on that subject don’t even let me digress, about the pressure America has put on a young girls chest. You gotta be pretty you gotta be perfect, oh and have a big butt too, but what happens when you get old and non one can even recognize you. America has taken everything I said and tried to twist it around on me, he’s a smooth talker, Slick Rick, and soon you’ll all see. I’m tired of the deception and I’m tired of hiding behind these fronts, America is for the people? Huh, that’s just the media pulling stunts. Now, I know I’m going on long and America still has to speak, but time is money and talk is cheap. I’m not here to make amends, I’m not here to say amen, I’m not even here to say that all the problems are from men. I’m just saying America isn’t for you in fact there opposed, America’s  lies couldn’t be more naked if they weren’t wearing any clothes. Prosecution rests, your Honor.  Ethics: Thank you, Prosecution, and now we’ll hear from the Defendant.  America: Thanks, yuh Honor. Geez man sounds like the people have eaten too many sour grapes, I guess they were expecting wine although they were drinking from an expired crate. They expect me to take oranges and make lemonade, I’m just doing my best to make sure all of their wishes are obeyed. But, hey I’m just America what more can I do? Everything that happens to me is a result from you? How can you hold ya tongue’s now and then expect good results later? You expect me to stand here at your beck and call like a waiter.  How can you want things to go up and down depending on your direction? Oh I get it you thought choices came from your selection? Thought America was a buffet with everything you want in its own section? Man, ya’ll crack me up with this self-righteous nonsense, yawl ain’t got no sense, and expect me to give ya’ll cents, now tell me does that sound like it makes sense? The People can go on and on till their blue in the face, I gave them their promises and now they’re doing an about face. Trying to switch up on me after I came through with a final product, now they wanna pick and choose what they like, as if this were a potluck. I’m not gonna say anymore because I’m sure you’ll understand, America wants me to do backflips and I can’t even do a handstand. Defense rest your Honor.  Ethics: This is gone be a long trial. Prosecution call your first witness to the stand.  The People: My pleasure, I would like to call Minorities/African Americans to the stand your Honor. Tell your story for the court.  Minorities: Well, I don’t know if I recall it all, but I’ll do my best to start from the beginning of our fall. It started, well the beginning is kind of a haze, but I remember American’s forcing us to be slaves. And soon we became free, fighting back and pursuing our dreams. But the white men kept our dreams and there’s very separate, as if our lives weren’t already hectic. Fast forward to a few years later, and we’re still treated the same! White men take our entire lives and treat it like a game! I’m sick of hiding in the shadows! I’m sick of being scared to try, but most of all I’m sick of the fact that I don’t know how I’ll die. Everyone knows that they die one day, but as a minorities, the question is how. White mens tongues lash as us, sharper than a girls brow. White mens power, lords over us and pelt us like a hail shower. The white men want to teach us  about oppression, but then wonder why we suffer from depression, but then treat our diseases like a joke, and on their laughter our ancestors choked.  But through our power and might they are revived! And still we rise! But, back to a more present issue… Our slaughter in the world. We are being herded like cattle, and forced into a losing battle…... And it’s not just be but my Latina’s too, “Go back to Mexico they say” well then can we catch a ride with you? America wasn’t founded by a white man on a boat, it was already found and was being used to the most. Every race except Caucasians have had to suffer oppression, and then into depression, and then soon to regression, and then hoping for a succession because we can’t understand this one lesson. If we keep our mouths shut and keep our heads held to the floor  maybe America will let us make it home one more. Oh, and one more thing before America runs his mouth, and says dumb stuff like how slavery was only in the south. White people always call us lazy, right? I’m no expert on lazy, but I know you’re the one’s that were crazy enough to cross the ocean and find someone to do your work for you.  The People: *smirks* your witness America. America: *stands and smoothes down their suit* Minorities, was it? Well look at you, you’re all grown up and can make it in court now too. But this time I was the one in trouble, and not well not you. I’m just saying most of the time it’s one of you all sitting in my seat, handcuffs across ya wrist and shuffling ya feet. But hey, don’t get mad at me for just telling you the truth, all the suffering you went through was just a small fluke. I mean, we gave all of you a chance and you blew it one by one, and now you’re getting upset because when we see you we run? We lock our doors and reach a quivering hand to our gun, we tell our children that when they see you they should look the other way, but on social media we’re supposed to act like it’s okay? You’re just lazy people! Not even worthy of being a part of humanity! I’m protecting my citizens, my people in the higher class! And if you don’t like that well you can kiss my-! I’m sorry, just pressure of the job gets to you sometimes, always having to stay between these two little white lines. Not saying that lines can’t be any color, or come from two mothers, maybe if I said they can come from something other? I don’t I’m just good old Uncle Same just spouting the facts, handing out cracker jacks, giving you a chance to relax. Because how can one hear, unless they are here, because here is where I am, and where I am is where you must be in order to be free, so minorities come talk to me and we’ll see about equal rights for eternity. Defense rest your Honor Ethics: This case is getting a little lengthy, and I’ve got one after you between women and men. It’s a high profile case, so to speed things up, I’d like for both sides to present your closing arguments in order to include everything The People: Certainly, your Honor.     America: Bless you, your Honor, and if you’re not religious then thank you, but I don’t want to assume anything so I’m just gonna say thanks. It’s kind of hard to keep face and keep up with the world’s pace, people always want things to fit whatever they say. You pick and prod at the facts, and then get mad when they don’t come together. Wonder why when it rains you can’t change the weather, whether or not it’s in your hands is not the basis of our plans. We’re the government, the element, the main link to the big kahuna. And if you want a chance to succeed you should have come soonah. The time to live has long since passed, remember the Great Depression? Slavery? Mass riots in the street? Do you remember Rosa Parks and the Bloody Sunday? Can you remember You remember the Zimmerman Telegraph? Do you remember the Civil War? Do you remember when I was prostituting myself to other nations? You remember you made me to play a whore? I was helping everyone else and receiving nothing in return, in turn what have you done for me besides condemn me to hell? You’re making changes, changing face, and making everything just worse. You expect me to smile like I’m driving a limo instead of pulling my own hurse. Don’t get it twisted saying I’m crazy or I’m insane. When you’ve treated me so bad I thought about putting bullets in my brain. Shooting cocaine into my veins. Swerving in traffic and veering into the wrong lanes. But if I did that then wouldn’t you pay attention? Without me you’re a people without a voice or a choice. So pay attention people because it’s all up to you! If you don’t change your ways and speak up to be heard, than I will fail and turn into something from a fantasy. I’ll turn into that dystopian era that no one wants to see. America vs. The People is the name of this case? Why don’t we call it Civil War or should I not take it back to that place? Should I forget where we come from and forget our roots? We weren’t always a nation united or a united front, I’m the front man you’re just the little punk. You wouldn’t have nothing if it wasn’t for me, and yet you tarnish my reputation. Making a mockery of democracy and the entire human race. *Inform the class that America is done*The People: I’m sick of the rhyming games, so I’m gonna get straight to the point. America has raped us as a people and left us with a deformed son. He has penetrated our reasoning and forced it to surrender. He has plagiarized our thoughts and made watered down parodies. He has taken us like virgins to a satanic slaughter and drenched us in the failed reasoning’s of our ancestors. He has bound some of us in chains and sold us to prostitute ourselves to other nations. America is not for the people and it never has been, it has been using us over and over again. We are too prideful to see that we are not in control, and that America has possessed us, and held the true power all along. We have become nothing but it’s step parent, always struggling to assert power, but never fully gaining it. Nurturing and caring for America when it needs to be put down. America has turned on us like an owl’s head, and still never returned to us in the end. Like a predator on the hunt he has analyzed our weakness, separated us from our true calling, and lays in wait for us to finally slip up. Members of the jury, America is like a virus. It escapes from the failing lungs of one’s body, and then attatches itself to another host, a naïve host that believes that it’s in control. It hooks it’s claws into your throat and rakes it’s nails down your esophagus like a wrecking cough, it suffocates you with it’s lies and it’s evil intentions light your insides on fire, and send you into a dizzy, it crawls it’s way up out of your throat with “liberty, justice, and equality.” Dripping from it’s mouth. It stands over you and laughs mockingly as you weep in realization. You have created a monster from which there is no return. You stand and look in the mirror to see the damage it has reeked, only to realize, that the monster you have created…. Is you.  Judge: Well, jury, we have heard two interesting sides to a seemingly singular argument. Jury, it’s your time to decipher this case, and decide who in this case is right. Is America really just the abused one? Or are the people?  

This poem is about: 
My country
Our world

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