John Coopey

A BLACK LIFE DOESN'T MATTER ANY MORE

by John Coopey

Friday 23rd November 2018 9:58 pm

There you go and, Trayvon, here am I

One black, one white, so one’s OK to die

No need to puzzle or to wonder why

Cos a black life doesn’t matter anymore.

Akai Gurney, Ford and Michael Brown

Eric Garner choked while on the ground

Just 12 years old but still they gunned Rice down

Cos a black life doesn’t matter anymore.

There’s no use in you a cry-y-y-in

The cops got it covered up with notebook ly-y-ing

They’ve made sure what they wrote’s

Confirmed in all their notes

So it’s true-ue-ue-ue-a-ue

So watch your lip if you should chance to meet

A trigger-happy cop as he walks on his beat

Or else you’ll leave your bloodstains on a New York street

Cos a black life doesn’t matter anymore.

A black life doesn’t matter anymore.

🌷 (4)

◄ AH YES, I REMEMBER IT WELL

'THOU SHAN'T GO SHORT OF SHITE' ►

Comments

John Coopey

Sun 25th Nov 2018 08:19

The advent of the mobile phone and body cams brings a valuable aid to collecting evidence and ensuring compliance. And, on a similar front, I for one do not oppose the growth of CCTV on Britain’s streets.

M.C. Newberry

Sun 25th Nov 2018 00:13

Agreed, of course. The advent (and not before time) of video
camera evidence has shown that encounters are far from the
simple often prejudiced assumptions that can be trotted out as "gospel". I took the view over three decades ago that cameras
and tape would be valuable assets in front line policing but, of
course, there was always political resistance (guess the reasons!)
and for years it was never going to get past the concept stage.
The Yanks are ahead of us in some ways and now we have at
last adopted a London version of their side-swipe technique aimed
at putting a vehicle and its occupants off the road and open to
arrest - check the method being used here now to knock moped-riding thieves from their machines. Reported linked crime down
by a third already! Let the courts hear any complaints.

John Coopey

Sat 24th Nov 2018 21:23

I think we’d agree, MC, that citizens should all respect all the agencies of the law. But in a democracy those agencies themselves must conduct their business within the law and be accountable for it.

M.C. Newberry

Sat 24th Nov 2018 19:37

Cannot agree more. The scenario that leads to death anywhere is
totally regrettable but the circumstances are also to be regretted -
and the existence of courts, lawyers et al (not forgetting the media!)
are ready to sift through the evidence and decide guilt or innocence. A close look at the serious crime stats. here would provide food for thought - much of it awkward from the political point of view.

John Coopey

Sat 24th Nov 2018 17:08

I completely agree that compliance with instructions from the law is essential. But it is the over-reaction of police officers which is my beef. Non-compliance requires the law to deal with that as well as any other offence being committed. But resisting arrest should never carry a death tariff unless, of course, officers or members of the public are likewise being threatened.

M.C. Newberry

Sat 24th Nov 2018 15:54

The case of Rodney King (referred to repeatedly in the media as
a black motorist - no mention of his criminality) was a flash-point,
with those images of police officers giving him a beating being
played over and over. Again, no details of the preamble of non-
compliance and threat that led to those distressing scenes. Here
in the UK, the recent video on TV of that thug launching a karate
kick that propelled a female officer into the road as a bus passed
perilously close-by is another side of the picture of the reality of
what goes on in the streets.
I don't know why, but the sudden recall of the remark from a Jewish
refugee child arriving from Nazi Germany about the wonder felt
on seeing a policeman smiling now enters my mind.
Perhaps a spoof of that old Music Hall favourite "The Laughing
Policeman" is called for to redress the balance?

John Coopey

Sat 24th Nov 2018 09:47

I would agree that this evidence is anecdotal and not totally reliable. Indeed, if any of us were stopped by the police, the sensible thing would be to comply with any instructions given.
That said, the video evidence of police over-reaction, sometimes resulting in death, is compelling.
I wrote this a couple of years ago and have been unsure whether to post it. Self-censorship, I suppose. The juxtaposition of the weight of the subject matter and lightness of tone in the parody was one reason.

M.C. Newberry

Sat 24th Nov 2018 02:03

"You don't matter anymore".
A clever pastiche of a popular old Holly/Crickets number on Coral.
The statistics of US cops being killed and subjected to attacks each
year indicates something more than anecdotal assumptions that
this is a one-sided situation. I've had experience here of the non-compliance resistance which almost inevitably results in an
avoidable escalation that no law enforcer seeks or needs. A bit of
"I'll come quietly" is rare indeed, more's the pity...even worse when
anyone stopped or spoken to might have access to a lethal weapon
and be quick to use it for any number of reasons. This is a trait
among those from origins missing the social cohesion that this island
nation managed to forge for itself over past centuries.

If you wish to post a comment you must login.

Please consider supporting us

Donations from our supporters are essential to keep Write Out Loud going

Bringing poetry to people

Click here to donate now