Symbolic
that on this day in 1969 Black Panther Fred Hampton was shot by Chicago police
dead
Resisting
arrest you wonder; no shot at close range to the head while sleeping soundly in
his bed
Like Garner
no indictment no charges not a day in jail
Little
wonder many of color believe the system of justice has failed
Something is
rotten in our criminal justice when cops are above the law
Time for
local governments to correct this fatal flaw
Michael Garner’s
crime of selling illegal smokes
Did not give
the cops the right to his airways choke
The man may
have been obese and did not with the orders comply
Still no
right to kill or a reason to on that day on video die
A choke hold
can kill and unless in fear of their lives should never be used
No wonder
communities of color feel threatened and abused
Nine times
on a video Garner complained he could not breathe
Neck
compressed weight on his chest his heart quickly seized
Lost in the
outrage is another ironic fact
New York taxes
for cigarettes are $5.85 a pack
The product
may be a health disaster and people should not smoke
But with
taxes high the product goes underground for more criminals serving needs of smokers
under the nicotine yoke
A pox on the
grand jury that saw fit not to indict after deliberation of but one day
Now another
federal civil rights investigation headed our way.
© December 4, 2014 Michael P. Ridley aka
the Alaskanpoet
Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire
Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
Rhymes on the Memorable Times
The Perfect Gift, All Recipients to Receive
a Lasting Lift
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