But Wha, Wha, What
About The A.C.L.U.
An anthology of poems of
liberty infringement cases:
Casper and Elmer
Waldo
Jacob
Hilda
Dorothy
Wanda
Sylvester
Arnold
Conclusion
By Father John R. Green
An Episcopal Poet
Copyright © by John R. Green
Shown with his blessing
Casper and Elmer
Casper watched with
sardonic elation,
The unwarranted search
of Elmer's station.
"Why should Elmer
a warrant demand,
Unless his domain
harbors contraband?"
-
"Elmer's rage
concerns not me,
Alone in his misery
let him be;"
Then brushing aside
all pleas for reason,
Casper retired to
write for a season.
-
Now for the story
he readied to pen,
Casper obtained the
document of crafty Ben;
Which contents revealed
rare findings,
About the disappearance
of Henry Briandings.
-
Then on dreary
early morning,
Bulls of the Law
storm in without warning;
Seizing the papers
so starkly revealing,
That a shaken Casper was
desperately concealing.
-
"Where is you warrant?"
cried Casper in vain.
As they ransacked and
scoured his domain;
Then confiscating the
treasure of crafty Ben,
Left Casper alone
to rave in his den.
-
"You must have been
hiding from the Law,
Which you should hold
in reverence and awe."
Cried Casper's neighbors
scorning his wail,
"The upright and righteous
are immune from jail."
Waldo
"What is the source
of your creation?"
Thundered the defense attorney
at Waldo's revelation.
"This is a secret
sacred to me;
To have and hold
Waldo is free."
-
But high court moguls
were not so kind.
"You must reveal whose
knowledge was on your mind:
When you described
this machination,
Which wrought such
public indignation."
-
"Does no one care when
liberty is compromised?"
Lamented Waldo in
consternation surprised.
Well, not when the hurt
is felt by so few,
But wha, wha, what
about the A.C.L.U.?
Jacob
Now Jacob delighted with
town father's order,
To contain Nazi March
at city border;
T'was shocked by court's
grant of procession,
Lest liberty be channeled
into recession.
-
"Why should the promulgators
of Hitler's devastation,
Display freely their arrogance
in our nation?"
Raged Jacob when
asked if he knew,
The Nazi's permit was
defended by the A.C.L.U.?
-
"The Nazi demons
have no right
To share in Freedom's
holy light.
So what if they
are American born,
From the A.C.L.U.
I am now torn."
-
Smoldering with anger
and indignation,
Jacob strode by
the Greyhound Station;
Soon to see
before Town Hall,
A Nativity Creche,
red and tall.
-
Crying for the
powers to heed,
Who had the Creche's
construction decreed;
Jacob's spirit vexed
at State's embrace.
Of a religion
uncommon to his race.
-
"Does no one care
when freedom is distorted?"
Wailed Jacob, his integrity
demeaned and contorted.
Well, not when the hurt
is felt by so few,
But wha, wha, what
about the A.C.L.U.?
Dorothy
Now Dorothy waxed
in indignation,
At the Progressive
magazine's revelation:
Of how the
Hydrogen Bomb works;
"Where there is such printing
our enemy lurks."
-
But then came
chilling information
About leaking
Atomic plant radiation;
Near the hamlet
where Dorothy dwelled
Abetting the terror Nuclear
catastrophe for her held.
-
"Cease the protest or
face incarceration,"
Warned the troopers
to the collective demonstration;
And when not all seemed
fit to disperse,
The act of arrest
was duly terse.
-
"Does no one care when
the right of petitions is denied?"
Dorothy and Laura
in their cells cried.
Well not when the hurt
is felt by so few,
But wha, wha, what
about the A.C.L.U.?
Wanda
Now Wanda shrilled
and contended strongly,
That the ERA Amendment
would treat women wrongly:
"Why provide more years
to produce the Amendment,
When we have all we need
for our contentment?"
-
Dismissing ERA pleas
as liberty's prattle,
Wanda hastened to meet
with boss Battle;
Who announced her dismissal
from job at Tom Atlas
Since pregnancy was
now her primary status.
-
"Does no one care
when women's rights
are affected"?
Bitterly lamented the contributing
secretary unprotected.
Well, not when the hurt
is felt by so few,
But wha, wha, what
about the A.C.L.U.?
Sylvester
Now Sylvester dismissed
as liberal wailing
The pleas of the prisoners
form for humane jailing.
"Let their incarceration
them remind,
They have forfeited the
right to speak their mind."
-
Sylvester then trained
his reflection sour,
Upon his employer's
corporate power;
But after the Evening News
described his blast,
He learned from Personnel
his job would not last.
-
"Does no one care
when expressed thoughts
are curbed?"
Raged Sylvester
wrathfully disturbed.
Well, not when the hurt
is felt by so few,
But wha, wha, what
about the A.C.L.U..?
Arnold
"I am tired of hearing
about Blacks on the jury";
Let us be done
with this Southern fury,
Cried Arnold shunning
financial appeal
From advocates of
racial equality zeal.
-
Then returning home
to his grave dismay,
Told of what had happened
to his daughter Wrey;
Jailed while hitchhiking
in another state,
With adult prison population -
an horrendous fate,
-
Held without hearing
or access to phone,
Four days of no
communication with home;
Shocked by happenings
in the land of the free;
Terrorized by the threat
to her integrity.
-
"Does no one care
when due process
is defaced"?
Anguished Arnold while
over his lawn he paced.
Well, not when the hurt
is felt by so few,
But wha, wha, what
about the A.C.L.U.?
