New Action – UFT

by Arjun Janah, Brooklyn, March 9, 2011

In Wisconsin, teachers stood
For weeks in snow, misunderstood.
And other workers stood beside.
They said, “The truth, you cannot hide!”

So in the states, the people rise,
But in the center, there’s surprise.
Obama, like the Clintons, eyes
The wealthiest — and yields to lies.

To Illinois, they had to flee
From Madison, to disagree,
Those Democrats, in more than name,
With guts to say, “A crying shame!”

And still it passed, by subterfuge,
The bill that offers no refuge
For workers, taking back the rights
They’d won through past (and bitter) fights.

Fifty years, at once erased!
And if, by this, you’re now amazed,
Then wait, for what is coming next,
And you’ll be even more perplexed.

Your pensions, and that Medicare.
And Medicaid! For those who care,
They’re raising the retirement age,
While lowering the effective wage.

But trillions yet, we spend on wars.
The super-rich are now our stars.
The young, they live on fantasy,
Their I-pods and their ecstasy.

The rich are getting richer, at
A rate that’s blowing off the hat.
A few percent now own this land
And government. You understand?

The rest of us are renters all,
The hired help, is what they call
Us, those who work. And those who can’t?
Just listen, to the bigots’ rant!

So who, at center, is for us?
And whom, can we, in future, trust?
Who speaks the truth, and says it loud?
Who sees, what this is all about?

They’re few and they are far between,
And most, by us, are rarely seen
Or heard. By media, they’re ignored,
Or swiftly, by the powers, gored.

So we, to those, in power, turn,
Or those who’re close to it, to learn.
And still, a few have guts enough
To speak the truth, although it’s tough.

Republicans are for the rich.
The Democrats are seen to switch.
So what should working people do?
Unite and say, “With lies, we’re through!”

Howard Dean’s a Democrat,
And still has balls to call a rat
For what it is. So go and sign
To say, “We see the full design

“And just don’t buy it. We create
The wealth. We will not tolerate
These lies that try to hide the root
Of what’s the ailment. Speak the truth!”

If when you’re old, you’d rather die,
And if, when sick, you’d gladly try
To live on streets, then let this pass.
If not, then rise, and kick some ass!

Arjun
2011 March 19th, Fri.
Brooklyn