President Obama Calls Jason Collins

Doesn't President Obama really know what courage is? It seems his priorities are way off.

Jason Collins and LaVena Johnson

(CLEVELAND) - Jason Collins, NBA player and Stanford graduate, recently announced that he is gay, more power to him. But this admission brought comments from the President? Wait... two Presidents? Obama discussed the young man's "courage".

So all the while, people like Luke and I think about the Americans who had real courage, people like LaVena Johnson, a US Army soldier stationed at Balad, a large base not too far from Baghdad, who was raped and murdered. We've both written about her, I was interviewed on a national radio program once about her story, but the vast majority of Americans who send their own children off to war have never heard of her name, and that is a shame.

LaVena had her life ahead of her, she was popular, looking forward to seeing her family, and then she ended up dead, her pubic area had been set on fire, she had been severely beaten, raped, and then shot to death. The weapon was too long for her to have even reached the trigger, she was in no way suicidal, yet that is exactly what the US Army and government decided caused her death, suicide.

A life violently stolen and then a story almost to sick to even relate, about a tragic death in a terrible war where young Americans like LaVena had plenty to fear, but not from the enemy but from, as Luke says, the enemy within.
- Tim King

President Obama Calls Jason Collins

President Obama calls Jason Collins expressing gratitude for, “coming out”, But, did he ever call the parents whose daughter was punched in the mouth? From a savage assault on an Army Base serving her country in war torn Iraq, Michelle Obama made a comment to Collins, why not have LaVena’s back? Army PFC LeVena Lynn Johnson is brutally murdered DOJ ruled it a suicide, Cause of death, shot from a rifle too long for her to pull the trigger. Homicide! Did her parents receive condolences from President Obama, not on your life, And yet Barack said that, “he was impressed by his courage” likewise his wife. Obviously, courage is not the word for LeVena as she fought hard to her death, She was bewildered, confused, an enemy from within, depriving her last breath, Ah ha, but LeVena has long been deceased so she can no longer vote, now I see, Obama voiced support for same sex marriage to assure himself a second victory. Collins, a 34 year-old journeyman, graduate of Stanford who plays in the NBA, Jason has every right to announce whatever preference he should choose to say, Backing him while in opposition to seek justice for LeVena, put in harms way, Tough to swallow, as her killers roam free from July 19, 2005 to this very day. Several politicians have applauded Collins’ decision and even ex-President Bill, Offered a statement exalting his courage, not calling the Johnson’s is a bitter pill, The powers that be offer praises in all forms congratulating those who come out, Service women who suffer untold sexual abuse, barely a whisper, never a shout. By Luke Easter

We live in a world of social & economic injustice. The main reason for founding America in the first place was to relieve the oppression of the King of England. Patrick Henry said it best, “give me liberty or give me death.” And yet, all too often death seems to be the only way out. Why is there such a high suicide rate especially among teens, in the land of the free & the home of the brave? What makes headlines? Good news? Ha! More depressing stories than anything else. I feel poetry takes an edge off the hurt of bad news while still delivering it but in a, “glitzy” sort of way. Giving a different perspective. Kind of like slap in the face as opposed to a knife in the back. At least with the slap you’ll live to see another day and you will know whom it’s from. I wasn’t here for the beginning of the world but at 59, I just might be here for the end.

Even though it’s still a knife, rhyme poetry helps to dull the blade. And that’s my job. You can write to Luke Easter at: lyricsfromlucas@aol.com