Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire

Is ‘Duel’ the better 4-letter Dream word for ‘Debate?’
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
26 Jun 2024
🖨️ Print Article
Joe Biden and Donald Trump debate in 2020
Donald Trump and President Joe Biden debate in 2020 Photo: ABC News

Sun drenched morning. Silver bullet-loaded, matched gold-plated
Glocks gleam above gilded dress swords. Above bump-stocked
AR-15s, strapped across slumped shoulders of two 1% men of
Limited vision. Mediocre men brandishing usurped Peoples’ Power …

The NRA, RNC and DNC searched far and wide for a S***hole
Country—boots on the ground—who’d host the gentlemen’s
Gun-powdered dustup. The People are excited! Ticket scalpers’ pockets
Got the mumps! Pay-per view revenues explode like 2,000 lb. bombs!

Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium would’ve hosted it. But fans were
Civil War split on who they’d ‘Tomahawk Chop’/ faux Native chant for.
Miraculously, Bechtel built Weehawken Stadium seating well over
100,000—provided Boeing bombs it/Bechtel rebuilds it …4 yrs later …

A Peach State nut job/aka ‘Driving Miss Crazy;’ a Rocky Mountain
State gun moll; an Empire State inquisitor; an ex-Palmetto State
Governor who scribbled, “Finish them off!” on bombs destined for
Gaza were chosen as cheerleaders for the combatants

A dock built for bringing in more supplies and equipment split apart.
Kegs of beer, pallets of peanuts and pretzels were airdropped into the
Stadium …       Standing back; standing by; looking skyward for
Snacks, Proud boys momentarily walked in Palestinian sandals …

WE The People face fierce trillion dollar dilemmas—
Bought and bossed ones offer
Dollar store ‘solutions.’ Performative politicians promise to
“Fight like hell!” and, hopefully, spare us trauma of bipartisan
Buffoonery …  Policy-lite/Solution-absent/Mad monologues …
Dumbed-down discourse … Disguised as debate …

They opt for “Trial by combat” instead! For Jumbotron spectacle!
Standing back-to-back—French-style—and stepping off 20 paces
To cherry ‘red lines’…    As breathless billions worldwide watch!
And proceeds go to
House the Unhoused; Healthcare For All; Free Education; go
To clean up rivers and oceans; to Green Jobs and empty jails …
“Thoughts and prayers” to the loser’s family …
Winner’s allowed— like U.S. troops in Afghanistan—to
Urinate on loser’s body; to cut off fingers for souvenirs.
Body will lie in state—wrapped in stars and stripes—
Capitalist Hill rotunda … 21 gun-salute! Burial, Arlington
National Cemetery.

Winner gets next biggest imperialist strongman. Next biggest authoritarian
Supreme Leader/Embassy Butcher/Nationalist Pogrom Master—lending new
Meaning to “sudden death over … time.” And buying the
International Working Class time … to reorganize … Before the alarm goes off?

© 2024. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.

Raymond Nat Turner is a NYC poet; BAR's Poet-in-Residence; and founder/co-leader of the jazz-poetry ensemble UpSurge!NYC. You can Vote for his work at GoFundMe and PayPal.

2024 election
Palestine
Working Class
Democrats
Republicans

Do you need and appreciate Black Agenda Report articles? Please click on the DONATE icon, and help us out, if you can.


Related Stories

Glen Ford, BAR Executive Editor
Trump and America’s Fascist Forefathers
01 July 2026
Donald Trump is not an anomaly, but the heir of fascism which began in 1776 and continued throughout U.S. history.
Ann Garrison, BAR Contributing Editor
Could Wemby Become the Conscience of the NBA?
24 June 2026
NBA superstar Victor Wembanyama grapples with the times we’re living in, even as his career takes off.
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Short word problems: do the math
03 June 2026
Work these word problems. Work them as if your lives depend onYOUR correct answers.YOUR solutions … Because they do:
Anthony Karefa Rogers-Wright
Big D Dysfunction: Why The Democrat Party’s Latest Comedy of Errors is a Tragedy of Strategy 
27 May 2026
The party that installed its presidential candidate without a primary vote now blames its 2024 loss on everything except its own cont
x
Yarden Azoulay Katz
“Their Chaos is Our Peace”: Fighting Zionist Repression in Texas and Beyond
29 April 2026
Zionists continue their attacks on universities, exerting pressure to silence and terminate professors who express views in support of Palestin
John Parker
Socialist candidate John Parker: Abolish ICE and police, fund people’s needs
22 April 2026
Following is a recent campaign meeting talk by socialist congressional candidate John Parker.
Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
BAR Book Forum: Zophia Edwards’ Book, “Fueling Development”
01 April 2026
In this series, we ask acclaimed authors to answer five questions about their book.
Boycott the world cup
Black Alliance For Peace
100 Days From the World Cup, an International Coalition is Calling on FIFA to Move the Games From the U.S.
11 March 2026
The US has disqualified itself from hosting the World Cup through wars, genocide, and domestic repression.
Gary Wilson
Dow 50,000 — and workers selling blood
18 February 2026
The Dow Jones hit 50,000, yet 200,000 people a day are selling their blood plasma to survive.
Anthony Karefa Rogers-Wright
Trump’s De Jure Racism Provides Convenient Cover for Liberals and Democrats to Mask Their De Facto Racism
11 February 2026
The political theater of condemning Trump's racism serves the function of diverting attention from the more dangerous, policy-based r

More Stories


  • Black Alliance For Peace
    The Biden Administration Fails to Win Imprisonment of the Uhuru 3
    18 Dec 2024
    The U.S. sought to once again target Black radical forces, by charging violations of the Foreign Agent Registration Act. The Uhuru 3 were acquitted of those charges but convicted under the…
  • Organization for the Victory of the People
    No Deployment of US Troops or Bases in the Caribbean
    18 Dec 2024
    The United States seeks to buttress its power in the Caribbean by deploying troops to Trinidad and Tobago, using this geostrategic position to exert pressure on Venezuela and exploit Guyanese…
  • Conference Organizing Committee
    Declaration of the International Conference Cuba 2024. Decade for People of African Descent. Equality-Equity-Social Justice
    18 Dec 2024
    Delegates representing organizations from around the world gathered in Cuba for the conference “Cuba 2024 Decade for People of African Descent.” The following declaration was produced and approved at…
  • Black Agenda Radio
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio December 13, 2024
    13 Dec 2024
    In this week’s segment, we hear a 2019 analysis from the late Glen Ford on US support of jihadist proxies as part of regime change efforts. Also, Margaret Kimberley discusses the 2024 election, Joe…
  • Tanks in Syria
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Gerald Horne Analyzes the Collapse of the Syria Government
    13 Dec 2024
    Dr. Gerald Horne joins us to discuss the recent and very rapid collapse of the Syrian state and its international impacts, including in Africa.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us