Banana Republic
I never lived in a banana republic,
But now America is acting like one.
May be, just maybe, though I hope not,
Its decline has just begun.
Where the rule of law is bent and broken,
And justice is served to the highest bidder.
Where the wealthy and powerful get away with murder,
And the poor and marginalized are left to asunder.
Where elections are rigged; pols select voters
And the will of the people is ignored.
Where the media is bought and sold,
And the truth is buried in a mountain of gold.
Where the environment is ravaged and destroyed,
And the future of our planet is jeopardized.
Where climate science is ridiculed
And honest differences are pillorized.
Where division and hatred are sown,
And the American dream is slowly dying in vain.
Instead of taking bold and transformational actions now
The proverbial “can” is kicked down again and again
Oh, America, what have you become?
A banana republic, a shadow of what you once were.
But we must not give up, we must not despair
We must fight for our democracy, for our future.
We have a rich heritage, rich history,
though dotted with sordid actions.
Let’s acknowledge the sins of the past
And try to bring together warring factions.
So let us rise up, my fellow Americans,
Let us break the chains of oppression.
And demand a better future for our children
Let us realize the promises made in the constitution.
Our Union is not perfect, but it is striving to get better
Let’s work hard to become a “shining city on the hill”.
Let’s stand together, united, and strong
Make “justice and equality for all” more than a rhetorical drill
Let’s ensure our government truly is –
“of the people, by the people, for the people”.
Where religious liberty prevails, matters little if a
house of worship has a star, idols, minaret or steeple.
America retains heritage of a great country, not just for some
But for all its citizens no matter their origins.
It is up to us to “make America great again”
Through actions, not rhetoric or slogans!
God bless America, a land that I love
A land that I chose to call home
now
Don’t betray my conviction, my aspirations
Values and virtues are intertwined in your genome!