A new species
has emerged
in the United States.
The Base.
Comprises predominantly
white, uneducated males,
who appear heterosexual
but hate females.
They cheer a leader who calls women
dogs, low IQ, disgusting pigs.
They blame the victims
of sexual assaults.
They block access
to safe abortion.
They hate scientists too,
or anyone who speaks about
evolution,
vaccination,
climate change.
They hate Russia
but admire Putin.
Hate North Korea
but adore Jong-un.
They see “some very fine people”
on the side of Alt-Right and KKK.
Their own ancestors
came to America
from foreign countries.
Now they hate those
coming to America
from foreign countries.
In a bid to seal their borders
they reinforce walls,
call in the military,
separate mothers from children
at the ports of entry.
They believe
Mexicans are rapists,
Muslims are terrorists,
and U.S.-born congresswomen
should go back
to where they came from.
The Base
is forever hungry.
It must be fed
twice a day.
A favourite meal is 140 characters
mixed with fake news, manufactured crises
and a dose of bigotry.
Its ideology of
fear, hatred and intolerance
echoes in Europe,
Australia,
Brazil.
Canada watches,
waits.
(Editor’s note: poet Shai Ben-Shalom, an Israeli-born biologist, examines current events in the Blacklock’s tradition each and every Sunday)
