‘Am I in the bad part of town?’ Tourists shocked by what they see on San Francisco streets

 

So, tourists are wondering if they have somehow, stumbled into the ‘bad part of town’ because America’s streets are filled with homeless, mentally ill, drug addicts? HA! That is laughable! Tourists can go to any city in any state in America and find the same. America is a shithole! Get used to it tourists or take your tourism dollars and spend them on a country that has not descended into the “Mother of ALL Shitholes!”

It’s something many San Franciscans see on a daily basis, outside their homes or offices and during their commutes. For better or for worse, locals are used to walking by crime scenes, have seen open injection drug use, and have witnessed mental health episodes firsthand.

“Is this normal or am I in a ‘bad part of town?’ Just walked past numerous homeless off their faces, screaming and running all over the sidewalk near Twitter HQ and then a murder scene. Wife is scared to leave hotel now,” wrote an Australian Reddit user Wednesday.

That person isn’t alone. On Sunday, another tourist from Canada asked the San Francisco Reddit community, “Why is this city so terrifying?”

“Is this normal or am I in a ‘bad part of town?’ It’s normal. Get used to it because it ain’t going nowhere no time soon because Americans have been conditioned to ignore the poverty stricken, to neglect her most vulnerable citizens, to look at them as a blight instead of as a human being who has fallen on hard times. Yes indeed, come here to America tourists and experience firsthand, what all of us Americans have gotten used to and we just don’t notice anymore. What you tourists see is no longer noticeable to us and so it does not impact us like it would someone who is used to hearing that America is the ‘land of milk and honey’ and therefore, should look the part. Hell! America hasn’t been the ‘land of milk and honey’ for the majority of her ‘citizens’ since day one. Many have just joined their ranks in being outcasts in this stolen nation. America is in her days of reaping what she has sown. Unfortunately, the poor are being impacted first, but they will not be suffering all by themselves for long because the same is coming for the rest of us. The writing is on the wall.

“Just walked past numerous homeless off their faces, screaming and running all over the sidewalk near Twitter HQ and then a murder scene.”

So, the homeless are right outside Twitter Headquarters? Well ain’t that a bitch? Those of you who are all agog over Twitter and our president’s tweets’, please explain to us why Donald Trump hasn’t tweeted about the conditions right outside his beloved Twitter’s headquarters. For if not for Twitter, how would he keep us informed of his intentions to continue to do what he can to add to the “numerous homeless off their faces, screaming and running all over the sidewalk near Twitter HQ and then a murder scene?” I am quite sure that the Draft-Dodger-In-Chief never tweeted about a murder scene near his beloved Twitter HQ. Oh no! He is too busy telling us how he has made ‘America Great Again!” Apparently, in Twitter Trump’s view, a great America is an America where there is rampant homelessness, poverty, drug addiction, used syringe needles lying around and mentally ill people screaming on the streets at things that are invisible to tourists. Ain’t America great?

“I’d been there for probably less than a day, just wandering around the center, and already seen more than enough poverty and suffering to cause me wanting to leave desperately,” wrote another visitor from London in 2017. “I saw many people talking to themselves, or to things that weren’t there. Even in a Macy’s, and there weren’t any police officers to help them or do anything about it.”

Ahhh! Someone came all  the way from London and was just appalled that they spent so much money on a trip to America just to see so much poverty and suffering, mental illness and homelessness that it made them want “to leave desperately” and never come back. So Macy’s wasn’t even up to par, eh? Well, it’s probably closing anyway. Haven’t you heard? Brick and mortar stores like Macy’s aren’t faring very well these days what with closures being announced left and right. That poverty thing you know. When there is so much abject poverty, who has money to spend shopping at Macy’s? Ask the folks who closed so many Macy’s stores. They’ll tell ya. Their customer base is drying up like a carcass in Death Valley California.

So, if you want to waste your tourism dollars by coming to America to see what America has descended into, which of course is a shithole, then by all means, come and get a front row seat and witness the descent. Witness the massive homeless problem that has caused tent cities to spring up. Witness how we treat the mentally ill. Witness with your very own eyes, the truckloads of used syringe needles lying around because you see, we have us a really huge heroin crisis going on and much hand wringing is being done about this by the CDC(Centers for Disease Control), but not much else since many of us are so bad off here in America that in order to dull the senses to what IS our reality, we need heroin. We need crystal meth. And the U.S. military gets the job done by protecting those poppy plants over in Afghanistan to send to America to enable us to get that heroin fix so that we can make it through another hellish nightmare of a day here in America. We will blow ourselves up with our meth labs to give the meth junkies another fix so that they too, can lose themselves in the temporary euphoria of a crystal meth high.

This IS America, tourists. Come on over! We welcome you. Someone needs to spend some money at our few remaining brick and mortar stores because we’re not. Haven’t you heard? Thousands of malls have closed or are closing. Oh, we are keeping Dollar Tree open and Dollar General, as well as Family Dollar. But that’s about it, unless you count the thrift stores and the drug dealers. The drug dealers are making out like bandits, but you already know this. You’ve seen plenty of evidence since I am quite sure that no one is so naive as to believe that all of those used syringe needles were there because of diabetics giving themselves insulin shots. Who is that naive?

I am so very glad that America’s dirty little secret has now been exposed for the world to see. I am so very glad that America can no longer take the high road and call other nations and countries, shitholes when this “Mother of ALL shitholes” has not one leg to stand on since they’ve all collapsed and are lying in a heap among truckloads of used syringe needles lying on sidewalks, parking lots, in front of Twitter headquarters, coffee shops and closed department stores all across America. What the tourists saw on San Francisco streets and were horrified over can be found on just about every street everywhere in America. But don’t take my word for it. Come here for a visit! You’ll never want to come back. Just ask this person!

“I’d been there for probably less than a day, just wandering around the center, and already seen more than enough poverty and suffering to cause me wanting to leave desperately,” wrote another visitor from London in 2017.”

“Desperation,” how aptly it applies to America; hopelessness, despair, distress, pain, agony, torment, torture, misery, wretchedness, defeatism. We are truly a desperate and defeated nation. I wonder….where has that great ‘American exceptionalism’ gone? Oh, my bad! That was just a bullshit PR stunt meant to lull us into feeling good about our descent as we were about to hit rock bottom; bottoming out in poverty, homelessness, mental illness and drug addiction over our despair at ‘life’ in America. What a tourist attraction.

“Am I in the bad part of town?” If you’re in America’, yes you are! Every square mile of it!

Valentine The Homeless (A Re-post)

 

This would be as good a day as any to take that money that you intend to spend on your ‘valentine’ and spend it on helping out a homeless person and before you start in about how the homeless would just spend it on alcohol or drugs, take a minute and think about what you intend to spend it on. A nice bottle of wine, perchance? Or how about a little pick-me-up pill called Viagra or Cialis? Are they not drugs? You see, when we want to feel all self-righteous about what we do as opposed to what someone else does, then we fail to realize that we are doing exactly what we are castigating others for doing. Most of us have a vice and some of us have more than one. I freely admit to mine. It is champagne and I am going to practice what I preach and ‘valentine’ a homeless person. And it doesn’t matter if you have no ‘valentine’ to celebrate Valentine’s Day with.

The point is that there are people who are living on the mean streets of every shitty city in America and they will not get a box of chocolates, nor will they get a bouquet of hothouse flowers. They will not get skimpy, libido enhancing lingerie. Hell! What would they do with that anyway? If you cannot bring yourself to give the homeless, cash, then why not ‘valentine’ them a gift card? There are gift cards for Starbucks, Ruby Tuesdays, Applebee’s, AMC theaters and a host of other stores and restaurants. Or how about gifting the homeless with a brand new blanket or handing them a cup of coffee or some new socks. No, it will not solve the problem of homelessness, but it will most likely make a difference in their lives to know that someone thought about them for a change. And if you told your ‘valentine’ what you did with the money that you would have spent on him/her, chances are, you’ll both be on cloud nine on Valentines night.

So, this year, why not do things a little differently? ‘Valentine’ a homeless person, it will certainly help them and it wouldn’t hurt you.

Valentine the homeless and make this their day.
Who needs lingerie when you’ve seen it anyway?
Please use your heart and give your lust a rest.
Help the unfortunates; those who aren’t blessed.
That box of chocolates will just make her fat.
And if you give him boxers, he’ll really hate that.
Since you love one another, you don’t need a gift.
But those who are homeless, could sure use the lift.
In the spirit of the day, think of those out in the cold.
I said, “Love one another!” if I may be so bold!

Written by,
Shelby I. Courtland
©2014 Shelby I. Courtland

Since you’re hell bent on making corporations happy, at least try and make it count for something.
—————————————————————————————————————–
This post is getting a lot of attention and I thought that since it was well-received when I originally posted it, this would be the perfect time to re-post it and hopefully shine an awareness on the serious issue of homelessness as we celebrate Valentine’s Day in one of the coldest months of the year. Please take time out of your busy schedule to notice those who are less fortunate and at least offer them a hot cup of cocoa on a cold winter’s day. It will be most appreciated. Believe me, I know. I have been homeless.

“Man In The Mirror!”

 

I would like to recognize and honor Michael Jackson with this post. That man could move me to tears every single time I heard him sing and every single time I saw him move. He cared so much about this planet and about the children and for that he was targeted. I don’t care how much he settled those erroneous lawsuits for and I don’t care what any media hounds printed about him. He was a victim of an abusive father and yet despite that and in defiance of that, he still went on to become the greatest living legend to have ever graced this planet.
That mess that we are forced to listen to on radios and IPods and other listening devices is not worth a farthing. What I wouldn’t give to be able to turn back the hands of time and change the circumstances under which Michael Jackson died. If only I could replay that day over, he would still be with us today, if I had anything to say about it.

I find myself going to YouTube and just watching and listening to the magic that IS Michael. I sit and shed tears whenever I hear “Man In The Mirror.” That song right there speaks volumes. What this world could look like if only each and every one of us looked in the mirror and if we did not like what we see, and most of us do not, confront the evilness in our hearts and fight against it, if we would confront the hatred and ugliness that consumes us and turn that into something positive, what a wonderful world this could be.

Can you just imagine what this world is going to look like in a mere five years from now if we continue down the road we are headed? There will be no bright future for our children and our grandchildren. That is a fact. What we lack is even the basics in humanity 101. We don’t even have the basics down pat to what it means to be ‘human’. How can we even look our children in the eye and say, “This world will be a better place for you when I am gone because I am going to see to it,” when we see to it that it gets more and more fucked up as each day passes. We are not only failing our children, we are failing ourselves. We moan and whine about some unseen forces that are in control of our lives and yet what do we do about things that are within our control? We do nothing but bellyache and complain and hope that some savior will come from who the hell knows where and do the hard part; carve a better future for us all. We are supposed to be doing that.

When was the last time you helped someone? Or saw someone in a store with not enough money to pay for their food and you stepped up and paid the difference? When was the last time you went to a shelter and handed out socks or personal hygiene items to those in need? When was the last time you passed by a homeless person and looked the other way? Consoled your conscience with the thought that, “Well, he probably is just scamming us?” It is so easy to tell ourselves that there is nothing that we can do about anything. For starters, you could visit a nursing home and brighten some sick and elderly person’s day. It does not have to always cost you money to do some good instead of just posting about how bad shit is. We all know this. Yeah, it’s bad, but what are we doing about it? How about we leave our keyboards, let them collect dust and help someone instead of bringing the stories of the downtrodden for us to scroll and peruse, and instead, blog about the fact that you got off your ass and took canned goods to a food shelf and said, “Pass it on! Play it forward!” Blogged about the fact that you ladled soup out at a homeless shelter, and said, “Pass it on! Play it forward!” Blogged about the fact that you cleaned out your closet, found winter coats that you couldn’t wear and donated them, “Now pass it on! Play it forward!” Blogged about the fact that you brightened a child’s day by tutoring him/her and again said, “Pass it on! Play it forward!” There are programs in every city in every state that need volunteers. If we really want to provide a better future for our children and grandchildren, then don’t bother looking to Bernie Sanders to get it done. Don’t bother looking to Hillary Clinton to get it done or Donald Trump. You be the change that makes a difference. No politician is going to ever get it done. We, the people have it within our power to help one person at a time. When will you write about what you have done to help someone as opposed to writing about what you hope some politician will do?

Stand and look in your mirror. You be the ‘man’ in the mirror. Not Bernie Sanders. Not Hillary Clinton. Not Donald Trump. Not Jeb Bush, but YOU! Change can start with YOU and ME! “Pass it on! Play it forward!” Make that change!

So What If The TPP Agreement Is NAFTA On Steroids?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just because American workers lost more than 700,000 jobs to Mexico thanks in part to NAFTA(North American Free Trade Agreement, a trade agreement between Canada, Mexico and the U.S.), is no guarantee that we will see more of the like with this new trade agreement that has been shrouded in transparent secrecy. Our government would never sell us down the river. Oh Damn! My bad! Since they sold my ancestors down the river, it is a sure bet that the rest of you guys can rest assured that they’d sell you down the river just as fast. But not to worry! The descendants of the ‘Africa-to-America’ Slave Trade are doing great! Just look at the statistics of cities like Detroit, Baltimore, New Orleans, Chicago-South Side, North Philadelphia, Camden, NJ, Compton, CA and the list just goes on and on and those living in those cities can bring us up to speed on the ‘drug trade’. See! So many different ‘trade’ agreements and here, we want to have a hissy fit over this TPP trade agreement. And I have not forgotten this next group.Those made homeless by the loss of jobs to Mexico, AGAIN thanks in part to NAFTA are still homeless and are willing to teach the rest of us the ins and outs of homelessness. The ‘homeless trade’ where those that once had jobs and homes lost them both and entered into a new trade agreement between the streets, the jails and gentrification. Those people are traded by city hall and developers(hell bent on gentrification) from the streets into ‘for-profit’ prisons. There is that pesky ‘trade’ thing again folks. But hark! Never put the homeless down for it is always nice to have friends in ‘low’ places for ‘just in case’ scenarios.

Americans are in an unrighteous uproar because they see the TPP as a really, really bad thing when quite honestly, it is not!

The Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, is a free-trade pact being negotiated among 12 Pacific Rim countries. The TPP is an ambitious effort to shape a comprehensive agreement that would not only reduce tariffs and other barriers to open markets, but also establish leading-edge standards on a range of issues affecting trade and international competition. For instance, negotiators are working to set up rules on intellectual property rights, government procurement and the role of the state in private enterprise.

Free trade has been making the world go around since man first discovered that man could freely trade one country for another, could freely trade one country’s people for another, could trade one country’s resources for another. Although in all honesty, calling it ‘trade’ is quite a stretch when that trade involved trading the shores of the British Isles for a stolen ‘traded’ America. And then, we have the ‘slave trade’ which did not elicit much ire from those who prospered by it since most of the ‘founding fathers’ certainly did, not to mention, their progeny and as I look around, quite frankly, many people of a certain complexion are to this very day, prospering from the ‘slave trade’.

I wonder why it is such a bad thing when trade adversely affects a certain group as opposed to another. Hmmm…. Something else to ponder, I guess. It would seem to me that what comes around, goes around and it is not hardly enjoyed by those who were enjoying prosperity; not by their own sweat, blood and tears, but by that of others. When the shit comes home to roost, it is then time to get out the protest signs and protest the consequences of trade agreements only when those agreements could negatively impact me, myself and I. To hell with you! Now, this is about me and I denounce in every way, the vileness, the lack of transparency and the secrecy behind this new trade agreement called the Trans-Pacific Partnership because it is not in my best interest. No, not this particular trade agreement! To those of you who are products of the ‘slave trade’ “Too bad!” To the 45 or so Indians left in America, too bad, the English traded the shores of England for America and to those of you made homeless by NAFTA, too bad you are still homeless but now that this shit is about to be shoved up my ass, it is time to scream, protest and denounce THIS shit! We are SO selective in our outrage and so late to the party!

Welcome to the New World Order! “Obey your masters!,” said the slaveholder to his slaves and so it is written and so it shall be!

Would any American like to make a trade agreement with Iraq whereas you trade places with those who have been reduced to refugees thanks to America? Would any American like to make a trade agreement with Afghanistan whereas you trade places with those who have lost loved ones thanks in part to your sons killing theirs? Would any American like to make a trade agreement with Yemen whereas you trade places with those that cannot escape drone strikes paid for by American tax dollars and the people of Yemen can come here and drive your SUV to the mall while you dive for cover in Yemen? Would any American like to make a trade agreement with the people of Libya, a Libya that is on fire. Let them trade places with you so that they will know clear skies and have options and choices as opposed to bombs and militants and skirmishes and fires. Would you like to make a trade agreement with them, America? Go on over and ‘trade’ your lot for theirs! Where are your protest signs over the trade agreement of your tax dollars for bombs and drones to kill innocent people? But if there is about to come down the pike, a trade agreement that could ultimately impact your cushiony American lifestyle, why you, along with your protest sign is there! And don’t even pretend that it is not all about you and is in fact about how this will impact people of other countries because since when have you cared about them?

On The Wicked Ways Of Man

I came back as a homeless man

And you locked me in a cage

The guards beat me ferociously

My Father was consumed with rage.

 

When next He sent me back to you

I walked across desert sand

A drone was sent to kill me

And I was back in my Father’s hand.

 

I was sent once more to shed some light

On the wicked ways of man

You once again, paid me no heed

since I had the deepest tan.

 

No more will I come for you

Your sins have damned you all

And when you die, you’ll not come here

In hell on your knees, you’ll crawl.

Written by,

Shelby I. Courtland

©2015 Shelby I. Courtland

 This one is for the Christians because you guys have just finished patting yourselves on your goddamn back  and screaming and yelling about how “He is risen!” etc., etc., and then got on with the business of hating on your foreign neighbors, got on with the business of playing fake ass do-gooders when you’re really taking all of the tithes that you bilk from the blind sheep and using it to purchase your fancy vehicles and take your grand vacations. I’ve watched as you beseeched the public for funds to feed the homeless, only to turn around and fill your pantries and freezers with the choicest meats and delicacies and gave to the poor and hungry, outdated shit and you smiled all day long over what your hypocritical ass was doing. Oh, you’ll get yours, indeed you will.

And if you are sitting somewhere expecting an announcement that Jesus has come back, are you serious? There will be no trumpet announcements and “Gather ye!” messages. Your biblical Jesus was poor and humble and walked the earth in a robe and if you truly believe that He will arrive driving a Cadillac Escalade with an Armani suit on, are you for real? You faithless shits wouldn’t know Jesus if he walked right through you. You wouldn’t even feel Him because you are dead inside. The only thing you care for is material shit and to see people who you think are your enemies, dead. You chase after ever more elusive highs because your sad and pathetic little world is really not doing it for you, is it? No, it’s not and that is why you have to deaden the awareness because you are not really living, you are just pretending because that is expected of you and you need stronger drugs and more alcohol to get you through the day because no one can know that you are not really as happy as you claim to be. But you won’t do what you need to do. You refuse to stop worshipping money and you just can’t stop being greedy, cold, callous, thoughtless and selfish. You pretend that you are not any of those things when in fact, you are all of them and so much more of the like.

If your Jesus did come back, what would He think of you? Yeah, I know and what’s more, so do you!

 

While The World Is On Fire…!

While the world is on fire,
the whores of Hollywood did strut.
They took to the red carpet,
to show off a toned-up butt.

We need to see this mess.
It is important that we know,
that our favorite star is honored.
You couldn’t miss that show.

No one is any danger.
The homeless are not cold.
Drug addicts are in treatment,
and no child is being sold.

Keep a lookout for best-dressed,
and who got naked just for fun.
Go out and buy your favorite attire.
You won’t be the only one.

We know what is important.
It’s not the refugees of war,
but the whores of Hollywood,
that we worship from afar.

Written by,
Shelby I. Courtland
©2015 Shelby I. Courtland

Can we get any more ridiculous? Odds are, yes we can! And remember how well, “Yes we can!” worked out for U.S.! I swear! We are so unbelievably stupid, useless, clueless and zombiefried! And I ain’t braggin’! I’m just sayin’!

Excuse me! Uh..world! This IS what America is all about! Depicted here, is a homosexual displaying his ‘junk’ for yet another potential, dare I say, husband? As you can see, we ALWAYS display GOOD taste. And please, PLEASE know that I am being so extremely sarcastic, it ain’t even funny!

Black Folks, We Are Fucking Doomed…..!

 

 

….because we don’t have the face of an angel. Every goddamn time we look around, an angel is depicted as being a sweet little innocent white child all dressed up in white and with red rouge painted on the cheeks or is that Cupid? Regardless! Because even if it is Cupid, the little white cherub that shoots an arrow into your heart, Cupid is white and white is good, white is kind, white is benevolent, white is what you as Black people can never aspire to. Forget about it! Get your Black ass out of the way because you don’t have that angelic look; the look that whites have.

When next you are in church praying to a ‘white’ god, look up at the picture of Jesus Christ. He is white. How the hell could a Black man be depicted as Jesus? Everybody knows that Black people are the very spawn of the devil. I am all up in the fucking church today, preaching it! All of you Black heathens look to the ‘white Jesus’ to save you. Look to GOD who of course is also white and we know this because of all the white folks that have died, temporarily, saw a tunnel, some lights and a white man at the end of it telling them to “Go back, you have much more killing of the evil Black people to do! Now don your blue uniform with the badge and hop to it. Don that white robe with the eye slits and hop to it. Shave your white ass head and hop to it! Fuck them no-account niggaz up!” As you can see, weze unedumacated as it is. So what the hell good are we? We ain’t no goddamn good! Whites done spouted that shit out often enough.

I am always going on and on about how people should become aware of how much they matter and that people are a star in their own right, but what the fuck do I know? Quite obviously, not a goddamn thing because I too, am pissing in the goddamn wind and I don’t fucking like the taste of piss, not even my own; champagne drenched that it is. Oh that’s right! How dare I drink champagne. That’s a drink for the whites to use to toast at some prestigious affair that raised money to feed the homeless and we all know that Black families are seven times more likely to be homeless and that Blacks make up half of the U.S. homeless population. Thank you white folks,! How extremely white of you to do that especially since you own every goddamn thing anyway thanks in part to the history of this shithole called America where your ancestors slithered over here and stole land, enslaved Black people and now, you’re throwing a benefit to help those poor Blacks who never could own a goddamn thing seeing as how we was owned. But we get the blame for that by the ever so nice whites, smiling at us and patting us on our fucking nappy ass head because it’s such a shame that Black people have such rough and kinky hair. “Oh Belinda White, did you feel that child’s hair? What in the world? My stars. No wonder they’re considered three-fifths human! We got that one right!”

Yeah! So, let me sit back here behind the dumpster with my nappy ass hair and scratch myself because all Black folks are nasty and we stink! And now, I am going to open up this here Colt 45 Malt liquor and take a good long swig because that is what I do. I lounge around and drink all day and then I go down to the welfare office and fill out forms and start at the beginning of when I took my first shit so that they can hand me some free food stamps and then I promptly take those free food stamps and I sell ’em and I buy myself another Colt 45 malt liquor. I just love being drunk and stinky and to get free stuff that the good old angelic whites never berate me for. Seriously? How fucking useless can I get? Since I can’t be white and angelic and godlike and sainted and good and clean and kind because we all know that’s why white folks are here; to fucking be all of that and so much more that’s right as rain.

Black folks we are doomed and we doomed ourselves because we ain’t angelic looking. We’ve got to be white for that to happen and don’t even bother with that skin lightening shit because you’ve got to be born with their kind of white, it doesn’t come out of a bottle. Come on over here with me Black folks and I’ll hand you some malt liquor. What else are we good for, eh? So, here’s to taking the edge off. Because when you can’t BE ’em, don’t fuck ’em!  Just fucking forget ’em!

Now have a  good goddamn Happy Black History Month! Bottoms up!

 

 

The State of the Union Speech…for real!

First of all, let me be clear, I did not look at the State of the Union speech last night, but here is my take on it.

“My fellow Americans, let me be clear. I love you all and I love America! We are at a turning point in America’s history. I have created so many unemployed people, that I have been contacted by the Guinness Book of World Records for this submission. I have closed so many retail stores, I believe I have broken another record. I have drone struck so many innocent people in foreign lands that our drone program is in no danger of ending. I have deposed so many other evil dictators, the world is a much safer place, especially in Libya and Iraq. That mess I got started over in Ukraine, uh, I mean…that Putin got started over in Ukraine is going just as planned. Venezuela is feeling our wrath and will continue to do so until they realize just who is in charge of their country. I have opened relations with Cuba for our, uh, their benefit. Oil production is at an all-time high and our shale industry is doing great. In fact, I just received a thank you letter from some folks in Texas who haven’t yet received their lay-off notices. Real bad Black folks who were caught with a dime bag of weed on them will be incarcerated for 30 years and so white folks, go ahead and take that deep sigh of relief. The prison industrial complex is in full swing and mostly privatized as that is what free market enterprise is all about. The government should not corner the market. There are enough prisoners to fill all institutions. There is no need for more schools since our poor are in prison. There is no need to pass legislation to rein in Wall Street as they are great at overseeing what they do. Those folks are the best.

We have several distinguished guests with us tonight. First up, we have Jack Black who wrote a letter to Santa begging him to let him get an education and grow up to be a successful entrepreneur. His greatest hope is that he does not find himself on the business end of an AK-47 held by New York’s finest in blue. And I am here to help him with his dreams of entrepreneurship because my Administration has approved $20.00 in funding for new business enterprises for Black inner city youth and this young man should have the ability to open as many shoeshine stands on the streets of New York City as is possible for him to realize his dream.

As you all are aware, we just celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and I must say, Dr. King visited me in my dreams last night and thanked me for the wonderful job that I am doing in increasing unemployment in Black communities all across America. Dr. King praised me for increasing child poverty to unprecedented levels because even Dr. King understood the premise of pulling yourselves up by your very own bootstraps. He could never tolerate slackers. Look how much marching he did. That was quite a stretch, marching from Selma to Montgomery. Dr. King realized that the rich prop the economy up and that serfs and peasants are needed and therefore, we have created a nice little niche for said serfs and peasants to slave away all day long; cleaning the toilets of the rich, handing them their lattes across the counters of Starbucks, ringing up their purchases at Nordstrom’s and of course, bowing and scraping to them as they dust and vacuum their homes.

At the start of my first term, I did what I had to do and that is why not one Wall Street thug that caused the economic collapse went to jail because those thugs are necessary to uphold the very foundation of the economic status of millions of Americans. How else could Americans lose their homes? These self-sacrificing thugs are up all night swilling champagne and trying to formulate plans to make more Americans homeless because that builds character and if I may go back to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., for a minute. Dr. King said, “Do not judge me by the color of my skin, but by the content of my character.” So, as you can see, my inspiration tonight comes from Dr. K. Wassup man? Dr. King was all for building on character. Don’t worry about your skin color. I am half Black and half white and I stand before you as president of the greatest militarized country on the planet. If we maintain our military, then we don’t need to fund food stamp programs. Seniors can take cuts in their Social Security benefits and the Disabled can join our military in the bullet making department. We even have openings at various drone sites all across the country. Even a senior citizen can put some bi-focal glasses on, cite innocent foreign targets and with the touch of a button, send them to hell. These are mean times we live in folks. We’ve created so many terrorists that we just may have to reinstitute the draft. By doing so, we will put more people to work because we have jobs available in the military for the blind, crippled and the crazy. Hell! That’s what we turn our service men and women into anyway and we need some fresh blood ‘cause the troops ain’t looking so great.

We have another distinguished guest with us tonight. This lady from Little Rock, Arkansas wrote to me about her need for housing. Joan Bloomers, where are you? Oh, there you are. Please, let her out of the cage so that she can acknowledge my acknowledgement of her. I thought I told you Joe to prepare a bath for Ms. Bloomers. The homeless shelter she is staying at has bedbugs and lice and no hot showers. Thank you for your letter Ms. Bloomers, now back inside your cage, if you will! Now, I know what some of you are thinking. John Rabid Dog McCain has twelve houses and I bet that he would not even miss one and could therefore, give one of his homes to Ms. Bloomers here. You know what? I wouldn’t even think of asking John Rabid Dog McCain to give up not even one of his homes because well, why should he? Ms. Bloomers needs the assistance of her community and since I was a community organizer, I am well aware that the community should have come together to provide some assistance for Ms. Bloomers’ housing needs. HUD is underfunded due to the needs of our military and unfortunately for Ms. Bloomers, I cannot offer her a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher at this time. Be patient, Ms. Bloomers and patience is its own reward. Have faith in your Lord and Savior Ms. Bloomers and know that he shall deliver you out of the cold of winter and into the warmth of the Pearly Gates.

And in closing, let me say, fellow Americans, I take much pride in informing you that I intend to start a new two year community college program for all 2nd graders. This program will be funded through tax increases on the class that used to be the middle class but has now descended into the underprivileged class, but not to worry folks. After the 2nd graders take the TAS standardized entrance tests for the two year community college program, that will weed out the wheat from the chaff and only the brightest minds will be qualified. They will be the exceptional ones and as you all know, we here in America, pride ourselves on our exceptionalism. So remember, my fellow Americans, I have decreased high paying jobs, I have increased the need for food stamps. I have increased child poverty by leaps and bounds. I have committed more war crimes than I can shake a stick at and all that I have done is because of my love for America. We shall continue to reign as the most impoverished but the most militarized, warring nation on the face of this planet. Our motto is, “We came, we saw, we conquered, we blew it up and we went back and we blew it up again!” Now take that ISIS AND Vladimir Putin!

God bless America! And thanks to me, may God help the American people! Thank you!”

Don’t Listen….

As you place your presents underneath a dead tree,
forget about the homeless and their children who are hungry.

While you laugh and sing over brandy and champagne,
forget about the addicts that are strung out on crack cocaine.

When you visit friends and relatives to exchange your gifts,
forget about the tired workers that have worked two shifts.

Since you can’t be bothered to count one blessing,
forget about the prisoners that were tortured into confessing.

Whereas you are privileged and cocooned in your little world,
don’t listen to the prophecy that a messenger will herald.

Ignorance will no longer be bliss and neither will it shield,
all from what is coming and soon shall be revealed.

Written by,
Shelby I. Courtland
©2014 Shelby I. Courtland

They Are Not After Me!

…and though I rage at the system in place,
at my own inadequacies, I don’t want to face.

When I turn away from a homeless man,
I know that I am not doing all that I can.

And how many times have I helped the victims of hate?
When have I found myself stepping up to the plate?

When I ask myself, “What about the sick and the hungry,
and what help did I offer to a strung out junkie?”

When bombs are dropped on innocent heads,
they say, “Look at all the tears she sheds!”

I stand around and cry crocodile tears,
and then I shut the door on all my fears.

I am so afraid of the horrors I see.
For if they are busy killing you, they are not after me!

Written by,
Shelby I. Courtland
©2014 Shelby I. Courtland

Keep thinking that ‘they’ll’ not be after you! ‘They’ intend on handing each of us our ass on a platter. It is just a matter of time and time is what we’re all fast running out of! Just look around you, the world is on fire from Gaza to Iraq, from Ukraine to Qatar, from Libya to Afghanistan, from Syria to Darfur, from Yemen to Somalia, from Pakistan to Venezuela, from Honduras to Guatemala, from Detroit MI to Stockton CA, from the tunnels of the homeless in Las Vegas NV to the homeless street walkers in Atlantic City NJ, from the slums of Calcutta to the sweatshops of Bangladesh and they are coming for you and for me!