A long, thought-provoking free-verse poem - a talk between a space alien and a white bigot |
On the darkest of nights in a well-hidden field, an encounter between an extraterrestrial being and human earthlings is about to occur. An alien spacecraft lands at a KKK rally. Out steps an alien who approaches and says, “Take me to your leader.” The KKK rally’s leader slowly steps forward from amidst the smoke of burning crosses and a sea of white-robed white men. The alien proclaims, “The Alliance has sent me to seek an answer to a question that has us greatly confused. For centuries now we’ve wondered why are you white humans so proud? How can you claim to be superior to all the other humans possessing a darker skin phenotype?” The KKK leader is confused. “Phenotype?” The alien sighs and explains, “Humans having skin color other than white.” The KKK fellow answers, “Oh, you mean them Blacks, Mexicans, Chinese, and Muslims. Why that’s easy to answer. Us white men made America the greatest Christian country on Earth. We spread America from coast to coast through our efforts alone.” The alien’s five eyes glisten as it replies, “I prepared an in-depth report of this subject to earn my credentials for space travel. You stole lands belonging to the original Native populations by killing them, breaking treaties made with them in good faith, purposely spreading diseases among them, forcefully removing whole tribes to the west. To starve them you decimated the enormous herds of bison on which their culture was based. Whenever they fought back to save themselves, you called them ‘savages.’ You brought your religion with you, yet you failed to follow its teachings. You carried your Bible in your left hand, a weapon to murder in your right hand. For such atrocities, species in the Alliance would be most ashamed. So I ask again of you, ‘Why so proud?’” The KKK leader turns red-faced with anger. He kicks the ground as he thinks how to reply. "Well, we sure as hell made the American South into the greatest farming place in the world, sending cotton, tobacco, and sugar to Europe and making ourselves rich. How ‘bout that?” Tears run down the alien’s face. “You enslaved millions of your fellow humans who were Black, treating them abominably for centuries. Black slaves were beaten, maimed, raped, sold away from their children and mates, even murdered at will. To preserve your right to own slaves, white men fought a terrible war in which over 600,000 humans died. We see no honor here. Explain to me if you can, what about this behavior do you think reflects well upon white humans living then in the South. Why so proud?” The racial bigot looks at the overcast night sky. “We damned sure settled the Southwest and changed it from badlands into a good place to live,” the KKK leader shouts. “You white humans stole most of these lands from the Mexican government by settling there unlawfully and then taking this territory by force of arms. In the process you labeled without cause all Mexicans as inferior humans. Again of such actions the Alliance asks, ‘Why so proud?’” The KKK leader paces back and forth before the alien; then says, “That’s all ancient history. What about what us whites have done for America lately? What you think ‘bout all that?” The alien steps back and surveys the crowd huddled in front of him before answering, “Whereas only a few openly wear white sheets, all too many of you white humans have bigotry and hatred not only for Blacks, Hispanics, Orientals, and Muslims, but you also disrespect women and Gay humans. Far too many so-called Christians among you fail to honor the true teachings of Jesus Christ. We of the Alliance identify well the hypocrisy and the hatred of those bigots among the white humans in modern-day America. We have studied you humans since antiquity. We warn you one day you will have to stand before a Superior Being and you shall have to answer, ‘Why so proud?’” I invite you to please check out my ten books: http://www.amazon.com/Jr.-Harry-E.-Gilleland/e/B004SVLY02/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0 |