"The Pie We Call Life" w/ Intro.
01.15.08 (3:25 pm) [edit]I wrote the following poem over the same period that I wrote "PATRIOT" but it's a lot more relaxed, in my opinion, than "PATRIOT."
The inspiration for this poem was a variety of things. One being my view on my nation and how a large amount of people act about world affairs. Their attitudes and what-not. The altered and flawed view that many have, like we are immune to the destruction that other nation's deal with on a more daily basis - when, we are not.
September 11th, 2001 greatly impacted my life. I think it impacted everybody, nationally and internationally. I didn't know anyone who died as a result of the attacks, and I don't know anyone who has died in any of the wars since then, so it hasn't affected me in that way. It did, though, rapidly change the way I viewed politics and the world. At first, being young and just not interested in anything political, I didn't understand what happened. Honestly, being an adolescent at the time, I didn't understand what the big deal was. But, growing up and living in the same environment my entire life, I was pretty much raised with that scapegoat for all evil: "Satan" or "Suddam" and so on and so forth. I actually told myself - and now I regret this - that "Suddam did it." I regret it now because...Suddam wasn't to blame, for much of it [if any at all].
The War in Afghanistan, the War in Iraq, the War on Terror, etc. are all linked [obviously] - or so our government tends to put off. I agreed with the War in Afghanistan, because it directly had a link to the attacks. Al Qaeda, Osama bin Ladin, the Taliban...They all were rooted primarily in Afghanistan, and the invasion - as I believe now, and as I believed back then - was justified with the September 11th attacks.
I remember after the 9/11 Attacks everyone talking about coming together and such in our nation. Everyone said that, everyone tried to come together. I don't believe it had much of an effect on bringing our nation together. It just tore it apart, even more.
This poem ["The Pie We Call Life"] is about September 11th. It's about my view on the world, on my nation, and trying to just make people see the way I see things. About how the world, after our countless wars overseas, finally seems to be closing in on us. Wondering why all the people around me are acting so surprised at the attacks, acting so outraged. I mean, all the history behind September 11th...It doesn't give us, nor them, much of a right to attack the other. We're both to blame - the terrorists and the governments - because we both believe we're right, and we can't compromise and we can't leave eachother alone and mind our business.
The world is growing smaller and smaller with each technological advancement in our civilization. The internet, telecommunication, faster travel, etc. is making the world that once seemed enormous and huge seem very, very small and enclosed and trapped. Certain cultures trying to change other cultures, people killing people because they have different thoughts and beliefs and opinions...Instead of just trying to respect and compromise and work with eachother, we're killing eachother. Our civilization - the human civilization, as a whole - is on a decline. We play the blame game rather than asking ourselves "Why?" Instead of trying to control other people who have different cultural views - who don't believe or aren't ready for things like 'freedom' and technology - we should just try to help them be more peaceful and fix things.
I could go on and on explaining my views, and going over the facts and history of the whole "What Caused 9/11" and "Why is the Middle East Such a Powder Keg," but it'd both be too long to explain, and would solve nothing.
Without any further explanation, here's the poem.
"The Pie We Call Life"
The world is closing in on us
Before we believe we were safe
From all the destruction and suffering
What is this that I see?
Planes are crashing into thee
Black plumes spilling from these buildings.
People are descending
After they went leaping
To escape the light and heat
Of the fire that started the end
Why do we act surprised?
This is just the heavy price
That we all pay for the slice
Of this pie that we call life
Western society's not free
From gunshots and debris
A flawed set of liberties
It's time to accept and wake up
And know that we must face the facts
Believe that we must come together and
That killing never made the world better.
"PATRIOT"
01.14.08 (5:43 pm) [edit]As a bit of an introduction to this poem I wrote a few months ago, I'll just give a little input and elaboration as the background of this poem [inspiration / influence, etc.]
Originally titled "Act of PATRIOT" this poem was written in the early summer of 2007, around late May [if not earlier, in April], and was inspired by the dystopian conceptual album Year Zero by Nine Inch Nails and by the factual PATRIOT Act which I - and many others - see as the start of an erosion of our freedoms and rights.
For those of you who don't know, the PATRIOT Act [Or USA PATRIOT Act, its full title being "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001] is an act that was signed into law by George W. Bush on October 26, 2001. It expanded the authority of law enforcement agencies for the purpose of fighting terrorism in the United States and abroad.
But what did the PATRIOT Act do?
--It Increased the ability of law enforcement agencies to search telephone and internet communications and medical, financial and other records
--Eased the restrictions on foreign intelligence gathering within the United States]
--Expanded the Secretary of the Treasury's authority to regulate financial transactions
--Enhanced the discretion of law enforcement and immigration authorities in detaining and deporting immigrants suspected of terrorist-related activities.
--Expanded the definition of terrorism to include "domestic terrorism" which expanded the number of activities to which the PATRIOT Act's law enforcement powers could be applied.
The PATRIOT Act has weakened protections of our civil liberties - the protections being outlined in the founding documents of our nation, such as the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, etc.
Some of these erosions in our rights include:
--Illegal search and seizures, because the Act gives law enforcement agencies the ability to search homes and business without the owner's / occupant's knowledge or permission
--Illegal access of phone, financial, and internet records by the FBI without a court order [also illegal search and seizure]
--Expanded access of law enforcement agencies to business records [including financial and library records].
In Article Six of the United States Constitution, it states that the Constitution is the "supreme law of the land" and that the laws and constitutions of states shall not conflict with the federal constitution, and that if any conflict arises between state laws / constitutions and the federal constitution, then the state judges are legally bound to uphold the federal constitution [taking an oath of office when they become judges]. Also, the Fourth Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights [the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution - making it supreme law] grants us protection from illegal search and seizure. The Fourth Amendment is, and I quote, "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable search and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
Since the PATRIOT Act was an act of Congress and the President, it is legally empowered by the United States Constitution. But, it arises the question of Constitutionality - are the laws in the USA PATRIOT Act exempt from the outlines provided in the Supreme Law of the Land that is the Constitution? This being it allows the government to violate certain rights and freedoms outlined in the Constitution, such as illegal search and seizure. The PATRIOT Act is clearly not Constitutional. History shows that the first step of a government turning into an authoritarian, or despot / tyranny, is the slow erosion of rights and freedoms, along with blaming the troubles of a nation on a group of people [usually being a minority group], both being the case today.
A modern, well-known example of an authoritarian government was Germany under Nazi leadership in the 1930s and 1940s. The progressive erosion can be tracked with the following events:
--In 1933, the Enabling Act was passed, which gave the Nazi Party legislative powers, which allowed it to overlook constitutional previsions for four years.
--The Nazi Party used extreme nationalism and propaganda using prejudices - calling minorities [which included Jews, Roma / gypsies, Blacks and other non-whites, Slavs, Jehovah's Witnesses, mentally or physically handicapped people, and homosexuals] "enemies of the Reich"
--These prejudice, nationalist propaganda allowed for the establishment of Concentration camps, with the first in 1933 being officially described as "the first concentration camp for political prisoners."
--The Nuremburg Laws of 1935 stripped Jews of their German citizenship and denied them government employment, and many Jews that lost their jobs at this time were replaced by enemployed Germans.
--When a German Jew living in Paris assassinated a German diplomat, the Nazis incited a riot against Jewish businesses [known as "Kristallnacht" because of all the broken glass in the streets].
--Along with Concentration Camps, many minorities - mainly Jews - were confined into walled-off Ghettos in 1939. Those who were found leaving were shot on sight.
--Over 200,000 Jews fleed from Germany by 1939, the property they left behind being seized by German citizens and officials.
And now, I'll get to my final point before I post my poem:
Many times I've been told by my fellow countrymen "If you don't like it, get out" along with other hateful, belligerent things [such as saying I'm "anti-American" and "anti-Patriotic"]. Well, I have this to say to them: I am more patriotic then you. You are not patriotic, you are a nationalist and you go against many of the beliefs that our country was founded on.
I will compare and contrast nationalism and patriotism.
Patriotism:: Affection towards country. Love country for just being country. Peaceful until forced to fight. Can laugh at country the way families can laugh at each other's weaknesses. Takes for granted the imperfection of those it loves. Relaxed. Assumes nationalist loves country with the same affection. Realizes rest of world cannot be turned into America. Seeks only contentment at home - quick to compromise with an enemy. Wants to have country just strong enough to defend itself. Outraged and feeling his country is under attack, may succumb to the seductions of Nationalism.
Nationalism:: Admire America for being strong, not for being American. America is the "greatest country on the earth." Would not support country if it was not the best. Grounded in resentment and rivalry. Defined by it's enemies and traitors, rather the enemy / traitor is real, supposed, or accused. Militant by nature, typically belligerent. Has to prove country is always right. Reduces country to an idea, a perfect abstraction, rather than a home. Find patriot's affection annoying. Rigid. Insists that country be defended not because it's their country, but because it's the right thing to do. Really loves an abstraction - such as "national greatness." Apt to be suspicious, accusing patriots of "zeal" and "anti-Americanism." Identifies America with abstractions like "freedom" and "democracy." Thinks it's their job to impose abstractions on the world, even by force if necessary. In their mind, abstractions are universal ideals, and nobody will be safe until they [abstractions] exist, unchallenged, everywhere. "Safe for democracy world" by "a war to end all wars." Any country that refuses to Americanize is "anti-American" or a "Rogue nation."
I'm very patriotic. I care about my country, because it's my home, not just because it's America. I don't believe we are better than everyone else, I just believe it should be a good home and should treat it's people good since we make our homes here. I love my country, very much, and I only act on what I think is right for the country - for my home - to make it a better place in the future to live. I only point out the faults - the things that our country does that hurts the very people that are living here - to try to make a change in our home, for the better. I'm not speaking against the nation, but I'm speaking against the things it does that I feel are wrong and hurtful. I support our Constitutional rights and laws and founding beliefs, and I'm against anything that erodes those rights and freedoms.
So, without any more introduction to my views or anything, here's my poem:::
"PATRIOT"
It was a cold night,
Odd for summer's weather.
All black clothing,
We were quietly gathering.
Scattered through an alleyway,
The police chasing after us.
I fell down into the street,
Darkness surrounded me.
Sharp pain in my back
As I was put into steel cuffs.
No Miranda rights read to me.
The PATRIOT arresting patriots.
Bright light flickering on in front of me.
So bright, this thing I cannot see.
Who the hell are you standing in front of me?
Another FBI or CIA monkey.
Pigs and monkeys say that I am the enemy.
"Inciting terror" - a Class A enemy.
Painting posters and writing poetry -
A comparison to bombing and hijacking?
So here I sit within my hidden prison cell.
No freedom or rights or life are left for me.
Say hello to some PATRIOT Americans for me.
And thank "God" for putting this burden upon me,
Taking away my pursuit of life, happiness, and liberty.