White terrorism came to town,
White men in polo shirts
Bearing their torches, bearing down
To claim their “just desserts,”
(A euphemism for respect
That they had never earned—
They felt their due, so to collect,
Their tiki torches burned).
It was a handsome show of force
(If handsome means distorted
Faces enraged by hatred’s course,
Or else the white shirts sported).
The next day they convened again,
White terrorists right angry,
To make a statement: we are men,
Our white egos are hungry.
They brought all kinds of riot gear
And weapons to attack,
As some dissenters that were near
Received the brunt, alack.
Three dead and twenty injured marked
The day’s “festivities,”
As vitriol was spewed and barked
Per hate’s proclivities.
“Kill Jews! Kill blacks! Kill foreigners!
And faggots too!” they chanted,
“Start booking all the coroners!”
(Not one word was recanted.)
Then, later on, the news of this
Outrageous show of force
Reached high circles—analysis
Dissembled: which was worse?
The side which came prepared to fight
With weapons, shields and guns,
Chanting its slogans, “White is right,
Put down the rest at once,”
Or those who carried peaceful signs,
Were killed, insulted, maimed,
Beaten down (by no “thin blue lines”
The melee being tamed).
The Party and the Government
Showed a united front,
“Between those who were violent
And those who bore the brunt,
“We find it hard distinguishing,
Flag-bearing terrorists
Armed-to-the-hilt, and threatening,
Baring their teeth and fists,
“Or those who lamblike but succumbed—
We see no difference here,
Our moral judgement flails benumbed,
The matter isn’t clear!”
Thus spake the president and all
Republican acolytes,
(“Some Nazis we would plainly call
Good citizens, by rights”),
“For if they beat dissenters down,
They did it with intention,
But of what sort, we will but frown,
And never, ever mention.”
Thus terrorism sowed its ill—
White men in polo shirts—
But what they brought to Charlottesville,
From that the eye averts.