"The Slaughter Of Loreal Tsingine" by John Kaniecki

There is power in words, just like in any form of art. Talent is a gift from God and it is up to the artist to determine how he will use what he or she has been blessed with. Peter Seeger sings a song which asks “Which side are you on?”

The sides are somewhat ambiguous but it generally breaks down to a conflict between the oppressed and the oppressor. Unfortunately while the oppressor is very acutely aware of the struggle the oppressed are not. In fact lies, and manipulation used by the oppressor are more powerful than the bullets and bayonets of the soldiers.

So as a working class, revolutionary, activist, artist it is up to me to present the struggle of the oppressed. In this poem I look at the sad case of Loreal Tsingine. Loreal was a Navajo woman murdered by the police.

According to the police they were looking for a shoplifter from a convenience store. The description was very vague. Loreal apparently had a pair of scissors. The assassin from the state, one Officer Shipley, fired no less than five times!

Loreal had a history of mental illness while Officer Shipley in his short two and a half year career had a history of using force.

This sad episode is an illustration of an epidemic in this country. The police literally have a ‘license to kill’. Furthermore ‘justice’ is far from blind and far from fair. If the roles had been reversed and a police officer had unfortunately been gunned down mercilessly the time frame for trial would not have been prolonged. Rather it would have been done as quickly as possible.

I will not forget Loreal Tsingine, she is the face of the faceless. Her loss is a tragedy. She was a human being just like you and I and human beings shouldn’t be gunned down on the streets of America. It is as simple as that. Justice for Loreal Tsingine is justice for all of us.

Here are words in her memory.

The Slaughter Of Loreal Tsingine

by John Kaniecki 

Most citizens do not know

Or heard of the Navajo

All tribes slandered

Into the convenient box of 'Injun'

All peoples slandered

By this injustice done

Apparently somebody stole a case of beer

Losing money America's worst fear

A casual call to the police

From the convenience store

Agony, a declaration of war

Here's the description they release

Native American woman

Gray sweatpants, white top

Native American woman

This reckless anarchy must stop

For if we don't put them in their place

By mercy and God's grace

The Great Spirit will bless their race

And all these lands shall be returned

And the pale face spurned

So what went down?

A police man came

Loreal didn't want to be arrested

And who would?

The charges she contested

The nameless cop makes a claim

Scissors the woman drew

Upon the man in blue

One shot

Perhaps from surprise

Two shots

Well that'll stop her cries

But five shots

YES FIVE SHOTS I said

Until she was good and dead

So long my dear daughter

Like the buffalo they did slaughter

As their crimes amount

More then we can count

It is up for us, those still sane

To make sure

Our sister did not die in vain

And the authorities will not even release a name

To tell us who was to blame

Cowards with no shame

Cowboys and 'Injuns' their sadistic game

Loreal Tsingine you sought no fame

For those you loved

Whom I am thinking of

Life will never be the same

I pray their misery

And this poetry

Will ignite a mighty flame

So to the whole world will proclaim

We are sick of this racist war

NO MORE!!! 

Please investigate my book, "Poet To The Poor, Poems Of Hope For The Bottom One Percent".