Uncompetitive As I Am

I don't mind competitiveness, why would I?
As long as other people don't mind
how plain bad I am at being like them.

So often I have seen that when there is less
for people to get competitive about
they increase their competitiveness
as if making other people do without
was an almost existential matter of principle.  

Mistrust Made Easier

Is it my cynicism
or does racism
put the narcissism
and parochialism
into Being Patriotic?

From Israel To Belfast

fences root themselves in peoples minds
and become internal walls against open war between 'communities'.
Whilst the media feed the locals on each side cliches of their pasts
to help maintain the belief that the dividers remain 'peace walls'.
The better to sustain old enmities by means other than war.
How better to make 'cross community diplomacy'
each side repeating its losses to itself, and project the other side 
as winners, all whilst pretending to listen to and empathize?