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!!!
