Thoughts on the Execution of Troy Davis

At first, no thoughts.

Just the numb. The blood moving slow, like sad slush.

An innocent man. Same day as a guilty man.

What was the message?

To poor whites: Don’t drag them behind pick-up trucks.

Let US do it by lethal injection. Legitimized.

By the courts. The Governors. The parole boards.

The INjustice Thomas, black mask of white supremacy.

The message: only WE have a monopoly on the means of violence.

On arbitrary. On taking what is most precious. Irreplacable. Irreversible.

This is the meaning of power.

But it’s not. It’s the meaning of madness.

Power would be the ability to bring him back.

I think of his last words.

To the family: I am sorry for your loss.

I did not take your son, your father, your brother.

Dig deeper into this case to find out the Truth.

To the prison staff: To you who are going to take my life,

May God have mercy on your souls.

May God bless your souls.

I think, in 2011 they would frame brown Jesus.

They would bribe witnesses, poor saps

Looking to reduce their own sentences.

Looking for some small favor from the State.

They would wear their crosses and honk their horns and

Yell out the windows, kill him!

By lethal injection.

By electric chair.

Whatever.

He is not one of us.

Indeed.

I think, heaven help us all.

This morning I am Troy Davis.

I

AM

Troy

Davis.

Heaven help us.

We are ALL Troy Davis now.

mary oishi

22 september 2011