Day 495

This afternoon Starbucks will close.  Its “partners” will all train

In racial sensitivity, to try to wash the stain

Of bigotry from their small corner of the universe

And be examples to help rid our nation of this curse.

 

When Roseanne Barr went off the rails with her gross, racist tweet,

The president of ABC withdrew her show, tout suite.

The bigots that Trump comforts, their disease that has not died,

Are proof that what Starbucks is doing must spread far and wide.

 

We’re waiting now to see what Donald Trump’s response will be.

The Roseanne show was getting giant ratings on TV.

Her show directed its appeal right at the Donald’s base.

So, what offended Trump, her tweet or Roseanne’s fall from grace?

 

Because Barack Obama was elected President,

His elevation has revealed how much some folks resent

Advancement based on talent in our meritocracy…

The meaning of equality of opportunity.

 

Advancement based on talent, innovations by the score,

For those whose educations have been poor, these slam the door.

Will those advanced on talent now extend a helping hand

To those of us who stumbled to help them once more to stand?

 

Advancement based on birth created inequality

And so does talent-based advancement in society.

Aristocrats and technocrats build cultures safe for them.

If you are not one or the other, you will sink, not swim.

 

If, added to these barriers is color of the skin,

Some people simply have no chance in this new land we’re in.

If we can’t find the talents in someone whose skin is brown,

In our new meritocracy, these folks will surely drown.

 

Trump, who began in politics with birtherism’s lie,

Thinks racist views are as American as apple pie.

He’s never criticized a racist.  Why should he start now?

Trump needs his bigots.  he won’t challenge them, no way, no how.

 

What will the bigots and the uninformed do when they learn

Trump’s in this to enrich himself and he has no concern

For helping them in any way.  He knows they can be fooled.

If they believe his lies, they make it easy to be ruled.

 

His strategy against impeachment illustrates this well.

By smearing Mueller, it’s just Donald ringing Pavlov’s bell.

Supporters Trump’s conditioned will begin to salivate,

Intimidating congressmen who must decide his fate.