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The following can also be found in the book Chicago Stories 1997. Click here to learn more, and to download a free electronic copy.

Have we really gotten to the point
where Michael Jordan has to politely ask us
to not riot?

Have we really gotten to the point
where tennis shoes have to be offered
to get people to turn in illegal guns?

And really, have we really gotten to the point
where the President has nothing better to worry about
than if Kate Moss glamourizes heroin?

Have we really gotten to the point
where we have become such collectively bad parents
that smooth talkers on the internet can convince children to run away from home?
And teenagers need a magnetic strip to go to school?
And a girl gives birth at Prom and stuffs the baby down the toilet?
And newborns have computer chips surgically implanted to keep track of them?

Have we really gotten to this point?

And tell me, have we really gotten to the point
where our pets are put on Prozac
along with a third of our nation's youth?

Have we really gotten to the point
where we need retinal scans to use our ATMs?

Tell me if we've really gotten to the point
where a five year old is accused of sexual harrassment
and it takes Tiger Woods to make us realize
"You know what? Most people playing golf
are middle-aged white-trash bigots!"

My GOD, have we really gotten to the point
where people are getting sued for second-hand smoke?
Where all three network news divisions are owned by private companies?
Where burning the flag is against the law
but listening to your employee's phone calls isn't?

And tell me, will you please tell me,
have we really gotten to the point
where a black man has to root for another black man's innocence
even if privately he thinks he is guilty?
Where defending your rights means defending Andrew Dice Clay?
Where the budget of a movie is larger than the budget of Norway?

Please tell me if we have really gotten to this point.
Because I'd really...
I'd really like...
I'd really like to know.

Copyright 1997, Jason Pettus. All rights reserved. This was published under a Creative Commons license; click here for details. Contact: ilikejason [at] gmail [dot] com.