[Newspoetry] No rest in the bathroom...

[Ranjan Banerji]

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In the shower, rinsing off the previous evening's 
American hypocrisy and rhetoric -- mental grime.

The radio is on, NPR is talking 
about a school.  A school with 

no drama, 
no music, 
no art.

The students read a language they don't understand;
They fake understanding with rote memorization, 

slip
through
the
cracks

I grab the shampoo, think good thoughts about myself.
"This is why I'm an educator, so that I can stop this from
happening."

The report goes on.

They brutalize and kill students who might be homosexual.
They present opinions about other countries in educational settings
as statements of fact.
They bring media into the classroom that espouse cultural and moral
values that diminish the possibility of open discourse.

I grab the soap, think good thoughts about myself.
"This is why I'm an educator."

Then the host asks the guest if he noticed anything else on his trip
to an Afghani madrasa.

With horror, I frantically grab at the shampoo again.
Not even safe in the shower.  Hypocrisy is everywhere.

- --Ranjan




- --
Ranjan Banerji              "I know you believe you understand
ranjan at banerji.net          what you think I said, but I'm not
Luminary, Sage, Thinko      sure you realize that what you heard
The system shall evolve.    is not what I meant." --Hiyakawa

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