BINGO

BINGO
N-53 … G-60
B-37: Not Guilty.
His heart was in the right place,
beating in his chest,
right where it should be,
white, how he should be.
Unlike the unarmed child,
half his size, half his age …
his heart was in the wrong place,
at the wrong time
bleeding all over the street
splattered on the ground
obviously, in the wrong part of town.
I-42 … O-71
E-6: Not Guilty.
It was an “odd” situation
they could have both walked away.
It wasn’t about race,
or a self-proclaimed racist,
who ignored the police
who began the chase
who had the gun
who pulled the trigger
who shot down the nigger
… Oh, I mean African-American teenager.
O-84 … I-42
B-51: Not Guilty.
It was the testimony
incomprehensible and uneducated
a black mark against them.
It’s just how they are,
what’s inside them,
their education.
Race has nothing to do
with hunting season
with justice, or the system.
Star witnesses have to be of star quality
– white and brilliant.
If they could only follow the instructions
– we did.
G-63 … N-57
E-40: Not Guilty.
It was justified.
He didn’t do anything “unlawful.”
He wanted to do good.
He just went overboard,
for his own protection,
defending himself
from a candy-wielding, hooded assailant.
It’s part of being vigilant,
of watching out for the neighborhood.
Only the guilty show remorse
and George, it is very apparent
is proud of what he did.
Hell, the police didn’t even want to arrest him,
– that’s got to mean something.
O-70 … I-39
B-25: Not Guilty.
The law says he has to go free.
Look at all the money
the private attorney
the handpicked jury
someone has to be responsible to that.
But don’t you worry,
the courts can always put it on the backs
of Marissa Alexander and Cece McDonald
who should have thought twice
about defending themselves from attack.
Sure, you can stand your ground,
but in this country
you’re still guilty of being black.
N-52 … G-64
B-76: Not Guilty.
It’s the only verdict the court would allow,
refusing to listen to arguments of race
of actions motivated by hate.
The jury got to hear
what the court wanted them to hear.
They got to see
what the court wanted them to see.
Was it the judge?
Was it the money?
No, it was the entire system,
corrupt from top to bottom
that let a killer walk free.
If you get it,
if you understand
that Trayvon never had a chance
that the entire game is rigged against you
that a white man can get away with murder
– if he’s got the money
– if the victim is poor
– if the victim is black
– if he’s got a badge (even if the badge is imaginary)
that justice exists only for those who write the rules,
then raise your hand in the air
and clench your fist
and at the top of your voice
yell: “BINGO!”
It’s a game we’re all meant to lose.
— Mark Lipman
www.vagabondbooks.net
editor@vagabondbooks.net