Death in Charleston

More victims of gun violence

Sadly lost their lives this week

As a man with a weapon quietly entered

A South Carolinian church to wreak

Havoc on worshipers meeting together--

Nine people who happened to be black,

Studying together in a place of refuge

And never expecting a violent attack.

We mourn the loss of nine more Americans

To a racist monster with hate in his heart.

How could anyone commit such an act
That tears so many lives apart?

The murder suspect--a twenty-one-year-old--

Has clothing with racist symbols and sayings.

He also attacked the worshipers with abusive

And racist language at the time of the slayings.

If he were Muslin, he'd be a "terrorist."

African-American? He'd be a "thug."

But, no, he's just a "troubled soul,"

Many critics say feeling smug.

Fox News commentators, of course,

Give the shooting their expected spin:

"It's an attack on Christians," they say.

Do they know what country they're in?

NRA members blame Pastor Pinckney.

They typically blame the victims when

They should be looking at sensible ways

To stop such bloodshed from happening again.

Read the names of the victims below.

Think of their contributions, their lives,

Their children, relatives, mothers, fathers,

Close friends, and their husbands and wives:

Sharonda Coleman-Singleton

Rev. Clementa Pinckney

Cynthia Hurd

Tywanza Sanders

Myra Thompson

Ethel Lee Lance

Daniel L. Simmons

Rev. Depayne Middleton-Doctor

Susie Jackson

President Obama is amazed that our nation

Could tolerate such violence considering how far we

Have advanced. But such atrocities

Make me wonder: How advanced are we?

(6-19-15) By Bob B