The Ballad of Kathryn Johnston
[On November 21, 2006, Atlanta, Georgia police officers executed a "no-knock" search warrant for narcotics at the home of 92-year old Kathryn Johnston. H/t Patterico and SayUncle.]
The Ballad of Kathryn Johnston
She may have been sitting in her chair
Or brushing her still glossy hair
But when the cops kicked down her door
She picked up her forty-four.
Atlanta's blue-clad Myrmidons
Who gunned Kathryn Johnston down;
I wonder, how do they feel?
For this was a woman with iron in her spine
That only death could bend to their will.
Their blue-backed paper and their blue-steel guns
To her did not mean a thing.
For she was in her home and with her gun in her hand.
In her castle she would die like a queen.
How many shots were fired at her
In the horribly one-sided fight?
Ninety-two shots for she was ninety-two years old?
A bullet for every year of her life?
Now Atlanta has nothing to be proud of.
Its shame through all the world should resound.
Because it should not have taken so many cops
And it should not have taken so many shots
To bring this brave old woman down.
She fired at three and she wounded three.
Murder her soul does not stain.
But the officious fools who drove her to such ends
Have thrice earned all people's disdain.
Now some will say she was defending her home
And others may say she was defending some man;
We will never know for the truth died with her
In that hellish hail of lead.
These verses were made on Thanksgiving Day
As soon as the news did arrive.
If Atlanta had lawmen worthy of the name
Kathryn Johnston would still be alive.
The Ballad of Kathryn Johnston
She may have been sitting in her chair
Or brushing her still glossy hair
But when the cops kicked down her door
She picked up her forty-four.
Atlanta's blue-clad Myrmidons
Who gunned Kathryn Johnston down;
I wonder, how do they feel?
For this was a woman with iron in her spine
That only death could bend to their will.
Their blue-backed paper and their blue-steel guns
To her did not mean a thing.
For she was in her home and with her gun in her hand.
In her castle she would die like a queen.
How many shots were fired at her
In the horribly one-sided fight?
Ninety-two shots for she was ninety-two years old?
A bullet for every year of her life?
Now Atlanta has nothing to be proud of.
Its shame through all the world should resound.
Because it should not have taken so many cops
And it should not have taken so many shots
To bring this brave old woman down.
She fired at three and she wounded three.
Murder her soul does not stain.
But the officious fools who drove her to such ends
Have thrice earned all people's disdain.
Now some will say she was defending her home
And others may say she was defending some man;
We will never know for the truth died with her
In that hellish hail of lead.
These verses were made on Thanksgiving Day
As soon as the news did arrive.
If Atlanta had lawmen worthy of the name
Kathryn Johnston would still be alive.
posted by nk at 1:35 PM
8 Comments:
Beautiful!
May Kathryn Johnston be inspiration to us all.
The funny thing is, if they made cop killing legal, Patterico would suddenly be in favor of it. The law is the law after all, so don't actually consider the merits of said law, or how the agents of force go about upholding it. Don't want grandma flushing her weed down the toilet, that might be a pain to recover. Better to treat the house like a Delta Force urban clearing op.
Patterico, especially in regards to this topic, is viable proof that education and academic degrees are still distributed in this country in relation to wealth, privilege and quota systems, not according to intelligence and command of logic. If you have enough wealth or the right contacts, you *can* succeed in this country, and probably not be slaughtered in your own home by the police.
Yes, Patterico, but let's not limit it to 3.
May we all shoot *all* the cops who wrongly invade our homes in any and all police states, hopefully living to tell about it in a free state, but at the very least knowing we defended our right to quiet enjoyment.
Thank you to richard_rocking for the link. I could not register on his site to thank him.
Thank you for that beautiful poem. Kathryn Johnston was like a mother to me and I couldn't have written a more poignant poem myself. And for the coward who didn't have the courage to identify himself. Kathryn Johnston didn't smoke marijuana. She didn't even take perscription drugs, and she was proud of it. She hated the drug selling in her community and would have never condoned drug selling in her house. This whole thing is a farce, and I belive the truth will eventually come out.
Kelly,
You are welcome. My condolences to you and to all Kathryn Johnston's loved ones for your loss.
Kelly just spoke Volumes!
Thanks for that too!!
Very sorry for your loss, I've got a feeling KJ is going to be greatly missed by the entire community.
I've attempted to post much over on Patterico's site, but some filters got my keys tied up.
I think that nickcharles's comments will prove out to be the closest to reality. Such will of course take some time to play out. I hope that somebody does a sidebar tracking of this one, maybe Radley or Paterico can find the time and space with some help.
Such would be a good place for it to reside.
***********
OOPS!
Looks like the cat is already outta the bag.....
Police lied, people died!
Love the poem nk!
May Kathryn's soul rest in peace
Post a Comment
<< Home