“Black Guy Gets Tased and Takes It Like a Boss” by g.s. liberalis
it’s after lunch and my white
coworkers are laughing at a video
of a black guy getting tased
he takes it like a champ
modifying the video title
making it more offensive, funnier
you seen the one where the guy gets tased
like fifteen times and doesn’t go down?
a few clicks later, laugh city
then a sense of quiet and shame
as the bosses come in, the bosses
don’t mind a little racism, little sexism
one time the big boss told the one woman in the office
you be the secretary when the client comes in
just pretend, needs to look professional
the subject changes by necessity, back to work
work fills the air and clears the mind
makes the body stiff and identical. i can’t help
but watch again and feel not just indulgence
of shame nor power that can oppress so easily
it must be something else.
people watch as if separated from everything
but a distant unaffected version of themselves
even as their humanity is spat on
with humor, even as they shoot a man in fear
they still place a gun in his hand like a paintbrush.
g.s. liberalis is from a book about Latin. When he’s not between pages he’s open on a desk.
