Tolerate This

By James O’Keefe

Note: This is an authentic “slam” poem written in the Winter of 2003 in my passionate, reactionary response to Annie DiFranco.

It is to be performed in the spoken-word/hip-hop format.

Very few people at Rutgers are about to agree with what I have to say

But because you believe in acceptance and diversity

I’m ‘bout to say it anyway

You think you’re all Peace?

You think I’m all war?

You don’t know what it is we’re fighting for

It’s kill or be killed and we’ve been killed before

You don’t seem to understand the fundamentals of war

Like anxious butterflies behind closed doors

You imply utopia, logic you ignore

You disagree with dieing hard likes its

Some choice to make

You defy society like it’s some claim to stake

Hurry up and bitch because tolerance won’t wait

But we can’t let impatient hippies determine our fate

You blame this nation

For what madmen have done

On the Eleventh of September, 2001

You Support Palestine

But ignore about their laughter

Emanating from their celebrating the hating of Jews and destruction of America

On the day after

You use shady language and class dividers

You label suicide bombers as “freedom-fighters.”

You’re pro-harmony but never stop causing noise

Still

Against Capital

Against Capital punishment

Against Capitalism

On the Steps of Capitol

Hill

Sometimes it seems from your unpatriotic screams

You’d rather be in chains

In a Communist nation where a dictator reigns

Your ignorance just thrives when you describe

Bush as a Texas cowboy running astray

You stereotype him so I can stereotype you

Smoking weed and drinking your double cappuccino latte

How does it feel?

Just deal

No blood for oil but gas prices to high for sale

No tax cuts but stash the cashed check in the mail

You won’t make sacrifice for homeland protection

You often question but never offer suggestions

You’re in constant defense of criminals somehow

You persecute people for not being politically correct

Who’s hypocritical now!

You make up slogans and accusations

Believe anecdotes without a single citation

Brand me a racist with an agenda to gain

Hand me your bluff but I’m tough not insane

You spit on our honor cause division and pain

When you say the victims died in vain

Sitting on your pedestal of judgment

So-called “tolerance,” progressive, cosmopolitan, comfortably, cool, seriously doubting

Whining and pouting

Shouting against Inequality for the disunited States

And rising crime rates

You don’t care about the cause, just want the effect

You Dine in the paradigm the military you hate is trying to protect

You think I wouldn’t die for this country you’re wrong

I realize America’s where I belong

So you can stab me with your words

Protest me to the ground

Call me a fascist, racist, selfish clown

But I wont’ let hypocrites put me down

I’m American and I realize how fortunate you are

Why your teacher made you salute those stripes and stars

It’s ok to criticize but think before you speak

Think about the rights you have

What happens when the shuttle crashes?

Instant gratification

No more space exploration

We put a man on the moon 40 years ago

But now it’s too soon to send

A man into space?

A slap in the face

Of our imperialist plot to conquer a lot

Don’t rebuild the WTC higher

Simply build a tiny spire

It’s time to abandon all structural endeavors

Hide under our beds and cover our heads

Like the sissies you are

Don’t salute those stripes and stars

Fire Bill Maher

Because he told us we’re cowards

And we’re afraid that we are

We all care about our civil liberties being taken away

But only some parts of the constitution are ok

Not the electoral college part?

It works both ways doesn’t it?

The FBI, CIA should have done its job then

Its got all the evidence now

But you don’t care

You want infinite proof there

You wouldn’t sacrifice one fraction

To Save Millions of lives and when

Those lives are lost you blame those who didn’t take action!

The least I can do is ask you

TO not use sugar coated language and abuse our sensitivity

Our communication

Please do not call killing babies equipping young women with a choice

Don’t defy those who protect us

You’re making the enemy rejoice

It’s easy to hate

To accuse me that I discriminate

But to those who raise their fists

Answer me this

When the bomb is dropped by Iran (rhyme with bomb)

You look up and see the mushroom cloud

In the Sky

With forgotten rebelliousness and futile messages at your side

The day, when perfect hindsight is suddenly all around

And a billion tear drops fall to the ground

The day when you look into your child’s eyes and have to explain

More innocents have died

And your pedestal, your ability to be free is taken away

Then you’ll see something other than a President’s blue blood royalty

Tell me THEN your opposed to war

And the reasons for which we’re fighting for

Tell me THEN we’re imperialist clowns

Who operate on fallacious grounds

So if it’s true, your division’s still tall

Then perhaps the most powerful truth of all

Is you’d look the families in the face

Tell them one-by-shun

You helped cause another 9/11,

2001.

NJO: Originally posted on the blog Feathers of Steel at liberabit.blogspot.com.

Illiteracy Count: 9

1. Annie DiFranco
2. dieing hard
3. like its Some choice (apostrophe?)
4. gas prices to high for sale
5. Who's hypocritical now! (question mark?)
6. our honor cause division (comma?)
7. die for this country you're wrong (comma?)
8. wont’
9. Its got (apostrophe?)