Addressing What We See and Feel

Addressing What We Can See and Feel

By Chuka McCoy

We have been thrown into chaos 

Confusion 

Division

Pitting one against the other 

On issues that we should be together 

We love our country

Our veterans

We want to have coverage for our healthcare

We also want to not be harrassed in life

Not being brutalized by crooked cops 

While we salute the good cops

That do it right

We want to gather 

In events that brings us together

Like movies 

Concerts 

And sporting events

Without being brought down

By bombs and a barrage of bullets

We can connect 

Love 

Empathize

Yet we are being divided

By an five year old child 

In the body of a seventy one year old man

That wants to be Al Capone

And cares about no one but himself

A fidget spinner 

That folds his arms and twist

Like trying to escape from a straight jacket

So he is a few steps 

Away from the button that will

Make us all expendable

We are better than that

Love, Hope and Respect

Hello everyone,

I know there has been a lot of talk dealing with division these days. Some people’s goal is to keep others in their perspective corners until the bell rings. This world isn’t a boxing ring and we do not have to fight each other. We have differences but more in common than what we realize. I want to start that dialogue to get everyone talking with each other than at each other. So, from now until the end of August, I will be offering a PDF of my latest poetry for free. The book, titled The Hero in Us All: Poems from Our Alter Egos, allows us to view what we all go through and offered an open dialogue with each other. You can download the book by going on my webpage, www.chukamccoy.com. After reading the book, feel free to bring the conversation to my Facebook, Twitter or Instagram page. Thank you very much for listening and hope to hear from you soon.

Chuka McCoy

It's about time we have this conversation.

The events that happened in Charlottesville this weekend has thrust racism and its effects on stage for everyone to see. There are many areas to address but I'm going to touch on some of them. The dialogue needs to start and should include all of us. 

1. It doesn't matter if you call yourself Alt-Right, White Nationalist, KKK or Neo Nazi, it all centers around racism and it's wrong. One race isn't better than another. There's just a diverse group of people that we live among in this world. People's hate is based on either fear of or superiority over others. When you have a heart for others, neither one of those will matter.

2. When groups come armed with torches, baseball bats and automatic weapons, THIS IS NOT A PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY! There's no way you're going to have a civil dialogue with weapons involved. So when you have that, on top of using moving vehicles to harm others, your intent is to terrorize others. Therefore, your group should be know as terrorists. There have been attacks in other parts of the world that's been labeled as terrorism that involved the same ingredients. These groups should be labeled the same thing. 

3. We, as the American people, have been played like a fiddle by the current government administration. All through 2016, the politician that was elected as President of the United States(Donald Trump) stoked our fear and pitted us against each other. He touch every soft spot subject he could point out. The focus on people's fears( of jobs not coming back, of others taking those jobs and the unknown) beat us over the head like a baseball player at batting practice. On top of that, every minority group got tagged with every fear label or insult known to man(too long of a list to go through). These racial attacks have been going on for over a year but we couldn't see it through our hurt, sadness and anger. The groups I mentioned before saw this as it happened and figured it was safe to show everyone their true colors. Donald Trump is like us so it's cool to express it openly now. David Duke, former member of the KKK, said at the rally this weekend that "we're determined to take our country back. We're going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump". Donald Trump, in his statement, refused to denounce these groups that completed these acts and is doing it in his name. He is the President of all Americans, not just some.

Overall, we are better than this and have more in common with each other than not. We need to have this dialogue amongst each other in a civil way. Even if we don't agree on all things, we can have a common ground to walk on. We cannot let others push us into fear. United we stand, divided we fall. I rather stand together with one another and show the world we are better than the ones that terrorize us.

Some people have a taste for something

Some stories are so weird that you don't believe that it happened. I was a witness to one of those stories. I went to McDonald's to pick me up something to eat for my lunch break before I get to work. I'm in the lobby waiting for my order to come when I see something strange. I see a guy, at least 6'1",  hovering over the drive thru window talking to the workers inside. He wasn't in a vehicle at all, which made it pretty awkward for anyone near that window. Then, this same gentlemen with long grayed hair and paled skin, decided to bring his argument into the store. It reminded me of a scene in Do the Right Thing when there was an argument in the pizza parlor. The customer kept yelling "that ain't no pieces of chicken" and threw some of his food down on the floor in disgust. The manager, matching his tone, said that's what's on the menu. I just got my food at that time and was almost ready to go. The customer said "there's suppose to be bigger pieces of chicken here at Church's". The manager told the customer that Church's chicken is next door. Soon, it started to dawn on the customer the mistake he had made and asked for his money back. Minutes later, sheriff officers were on the scene to talk with the gentlemen about the situation. I left out of the store and saw an empty van parked towards the curb a little after drive thru line ended. I figured it must have been what the gentlemen drove to the store. Minutes later, I saw that same van leave the McDonald's parking lot and drove right into the Church's parking lot.

Our Health

I know that healthcare is an important thing for everyone out there. Literally, it is a matter of life and death. We only get one chance on this Earth with our journey and our health is key. So, politicians(I won't get into party labels) in the House Of Representatives voted and passed a new Healthcare bill yesterday that affects us all. This bill will drastically limit the coverage that we will have, slashing funds towards Medicare and Medicaid. It will also give a significantly lower amount in funds to coverages people with preexisting conditions. It gives insurance companies the ability to raise rates based on what risk pool you are in(it is not friendly at all to the poor, sick and the elderly). It also will affect the insurance that you get from your job, giving your employer the option not to cover you for healthcare. The thing about it is that the politicians that voted for this bill and didn't even read it. It was drafted up and signed in three days without a review from them(to know what is in the bill). It also was not send out for a review of what effects the bill proposed on the public. Who has ever signed something without reading it? Most of the time, if that happens, it is never a good thing. There has been countless movies and news segments showing the pitfalls of not reading a contract. This affects everyone, except for the rich and the politicians that voted for it. There's a special provision that has the people who voted for it exempt from its coverage. That is never a good sign. They are suppose to represent us and our best interest. As they laughed and smiled like they were at an office Christmas party, representing us is the last thing on their mind. Let us shine and be heard.