Scratch a Liberal, and a Fascist Bleeds
Righteous hands washed clean in boardroom backwash, while streets choke on the dust of empty promises.
Scratch the sheen of compromise,
watch what pools beneath,
a slow-oozing red
veined with intentions turned sour,
righteous hands washed clean
in boardroom backwash,
while streets choke on the dust
of empty promises.
They sell kindness by the pound,
polished in market stalls,
but pick it up, hold it close,
and your fingers are cut on sharp edges,
each smile a thin mask for
the beast beneath.
Scratch deeper.
The pulse quickens, reveals
a whisper twisted into order,
safety, the blare of a flag unfurled,
silent compliance drawn from closed lips,
all those dreams crammed into quiet corners
as the big lights glare on empty words.
But it’s all here, beneath the gloss—
the clench of power’s fist,
the slip of a polished shoe
on ground paved with good intentions,
each step, each quiet breath
a soft march to control.
Scratch a liberal—
and watch the shadow bleed through,
a slivered truth, masked in
the same old polished lies,
as the fascist bleeds,
deep in the marrow
of their righteous bones.
The phrase "Scratch a liberal, and a fascist bleeds" suggests that, beneath the surface of seemingly progressive or liberal views, there may lie authoritarian tendencies or beliefs that mirror those associated with fascism. It criticizes the idea that some liberals, while advocating for values like tolerance and equality, may still uphold systems or take actions that lead to control, oppression, or suppression of dissent.
In essence, the phrase implies that, despite outward appearances, certain political stances may hold hidden contradictions—where ideals of freedom and equality can coexist with subtle but powerful forms of control. It points to the idea that intentions can be betrayed by underlying power structures or actions, and that liberalism, in some cases, might mask authoritarian impulses, especially when it comes to maintaining the status quo.