A vocal minority
Works tirelessly
To eradicate
Compassion
Empathy
Kindness
Community
From the lexicon.
Decisions made
By militant
Misanthropes
Affecting
Millions
Who value
Caring for
Others.
A radio show host
Poses a question about
Whether we are
Being taxed
Too much.
One caller says that
He works hard for
What he’s got and
Why should he give it
To someone else.
Another caller says
We’re all in it
Together and why
Not help one
Another.
Dramatically divergent
Worldviews.
One lifts all boats,
One sinks them,
Different outcomes.
Eventually pulling back,
Putting some distance
Between him and the chaos,
Disorienting cacophony of
Scattered turmoil,
Confused muttering,
Rash reactions to undefined
Challenges, seeing the
Spectacle for what it is,
The disorder of wounds
Unhealed, dictating reaction,
A whirl of activity
Leading nowhere but distress,
Arriving at different points
For disparate reasons.
A thoughtful discussion about
An appalling transgression.
He stands up and offers
A few purposeful words
Reflecting a near-total
Lack of empathy or
Understanding of the
Plight of others.
In his mind,
All wrongdoing is justified
When one utters the words
Personal responsibility.
A collective hushed sigh
From an audience that knows
He doesn’t get it and,
Sadly, never might.
The near impossibility of
Teaching the indoctrinated,
So sure are they of
An alternate reality.
Bred, conditioned,
Indoctrinated,
Manipulated,
Convinced.
Weakness aversion
Instruction complete.
Night is day,
Day is night.
Life is meaningless
Unless you
Subdue it.
Prey on those
Who offer the least
Resistance.
Puffed out chest,
Impotent swagger,
Deflated.
Let us travel to a place where
We can leave behind the
Disappointments of the day
And acquire a beautiful new
Condominium with onyx
Counter tops and gold
Towel holders, and one of those
Intercom things that lets us know
Someone is here to visit and
We buzz them in to spend
An afternoon immersing
Ourselves in refreshing
Daiquiris and dancing,
Golden towel holders
Resplendent.
Something feels off,
The way they talk—
Distant, disengaged.
Repositories for dogma,
Inflexible, single-minded.
Defending the cause with
Cold calculation,
Detachment from emotion,
Savage memories repressed.
Entrenched legacy of abuse,
Dereliction of decency.
Competitive advantage
Extracted through
Ruthless exploitation of
Human beings.
Contemptible mindset,
Profit at any cost—
By any means.
An entire culture
Established to use people,
Proudly extolled,
Fiercely defended
Misconduct.
The executives shake their heads
In disbelief, puzzling over
Why their profits aren’t
Higher, after all, they
Just raised prices in order
To dispatch more money
To the exalted shareholders who,
No matter how much they make,
Constantly bellyache
About short-term drops
In profits while slyly
Cajoling the stock to go up
So they can cash out before
It plummets disgracefully.
On the way home from work,
At the drive-through window,
A father of three receives
Less food for his family.
