gil scott heron..”Work for Peace”
Sep 10th, 2007 by Dr. Robert
In case you were wondering about Bush’s latest analysis about Iraq..
“we’re kicking ass…”,
get ready for the latest bombardment of soothing words,stern warnings,lies, and obfuscation from Generalissimo Betrayus and his valiant sidekick Ambassador “Davy” Crockett,our men on the ground, fresh from the halls of the “Green Zone/Alamo”…
they got the cred…don’t ya know..
Well, in light of this, lets check out the words of an elder..Brother Gil, as he reads his piece..”Work for Peace”… which first came out 15 years ago on the “Spirits” lp..in response to the first..Iraq war.
“the Military and the Monetary
they get together whenever they think its’ necessary..
they’re turning our brothers and sisters into mercenaries
and our planet into a cemetary…
ya gotta work for Peace…”
Dig it and do it.
September 10th, 2007 at 9:59 pm
Dude.
You beat me on the Gil post!!!!
Good show!
Again relevant messages from (not so) different times!
Thanx
September 13th, 2007 at 4:41 am
Dr., it has been very peaceful here (for 6 years) since we were attacked.
September 13th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
what of the thousands of family members who have lost loved ones abroad in the last 6 yrs? would they characterize their living here as peaceful?
what of the bitter divide we experience now politically in this country, the hostility directed from all sides?
i would argue it’s been anything but peaceful.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
[…] the disturbing quote “it has been very peaceful here (for 6 years) since we were attacked” rattling around […]
September 14th, 2007 at 1:35 am
dear BJ..
with respect..
you may want to re - define your definition of Peace..
is it the absence of War..or the threat of War..?
or just the recent physical attacks on your..homeland?
or ensuring a Peace between people through the political process..?
given this Countries attack in Iraq…we have killed.. or caused to be killed.. depending on whom you wish to believe… 3000 plus Americans..50,00- 650,00 Iraqi human beings…2-4 million displaced from Iraq… (gone to mainly Syria).. spent hundreds of..billions..of dollars…and just recently…in our names…approved a $30b. and a $25b. dollar deal for armaments to Israel, the Saudi’s, and Egypt respectively.
And so much more. (Didn’t mention the Attack on our previously guaranted Liberties.. remember the Constitution… don’t want to get wiretapped..).
You feeling more peaceful?
What precisely do you think this equation will add up to?
Add it up..it ain’t Peace.
As Gil Scott said…”there are people working for War… we need to work for Peace”.
First step is see it for what it is… can’t help you there.. thats up to you…but..
Meet me in New Orleans and we’ll talk about it.
Shalom..Dr.R.
September 14th, 2007 at 2:00 am
dr. ,you mentioned Petrayus (Betrayus as MoveOn.org coined,ha ha)so I thought you were referring to the war. Well, we haven’t been attacked for six years here in America. As far as the civil liberties are concerned, i really don’t think you need to worry about much unless you are a terrorist or a criminal. I just believe that the times are different than we wish they could be (including me). You say “work for peace” Can you tell what you mean by that. I want peace,but my feeling in peace is achieved by being powerful.
Jacob,We have a volunteer army. These soldiers signed up to serve, I think they understand what they are doing. Just my opinion.
Shalom
September 14th, 2007 at 4:21 am
wait a sec, right there what you said, “my feeling in peace is achieved by being powerful.” that is where we differ enormously, here and beyond. that’s the rosetta stone!
it is my belief, that peace has NOTHING to do with power. power over others, power over our environment, power over ourselves… involved in all of these are two things: conflict and fear. peace will not exist with others, and more importantly not within ourselves, until conflict and fear are both out of the picture. now how we facilitate this is an open question, one with numerous answers. regarding ‘power’, i would argue it’s the power of our mind/consciousness which brings about this change. and i ain’t claiming to have solved any of this for myself yet!
but to be powerful over somebody or some thing, to bring about peace, i just do not jive with that at all. again though this is all just my personal opinion, on matters i probly know nothing about.
——————————————————————–
yes the army is volunteer. and yes most soldiers know MOST of what they’re getting into. that doesn’t mean it’s still not heart-wrenching for the families who’ve lost someone… is all i’m saying.
September 14th, 2007 at 5:25 am
Jacob,
If everyone has the same idea that peace is the ultimate goal,that would work,but if evryone doesn’t share that view then we need to protect ourselves by being powerful, not by necessarily having power over others for it’s own sake.
Our family friend enlisted, she was in Iraq and just hated it so much she became pregnant as a strategy to get out. She was released to have her baby. After she had the baby her ‘husband” left her. Most recently she was called up to go in again, and her mom will have to take care of the child. i agree there are many heart wrenching stories. Peace
September 14th, 2007 at 7:38 am
i agree, it’s important to protect ourself from danger. but again, what do you mean by ‘being powerful’? by definition that includes two or more participants… one to be powerful, the other(s) to be less so. looking at this war as a powerful gesture made for our safety, one wonders what the impending costs will be.
i’m sorry to hear that about your friend, that’s a real tough one. i know we all can just sit here and extemporize about things, but when you actually know someone personally i’m sure that adds a heap of perspective.
September 14th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
What has being powerful got us in this situation?????
If you say no attacks here, that’s just cuz they don’t need to as we are fucking up on our own enough to satisfy them for now.
Giving them all they need. ie; more troops to recruit more extremists and a fuckin PERMINENT presence in Iraq. What more could you want to recruit!!!
Domination brings not peace but death and resentment.
I believe that the word peace is something the right sees as weakness, which is very, very sad.
September 14th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Talk about cut and run??????
What about Bush’s plan for now to make this even worse and then ditch office!
September 14th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
beetle,
since you asked..”what do I mean by..Work for Peace?”..
here’s the short answer:
I just follow this simple admonition..(repeat after me..):
“do unto your fellow Man, as you would have him do to you…”
it’s simple, requires no belief system, extremely effective..and very, very,powerful.
it all flows from that point…try it out,
personal satisfaction, and a tranquil planet guaranteed.
September 15th, 2007 at 2:50 am
Dr Robert, I agree with the Golden Rule and do try to follow other biblical principles as well. You and I understand the power of that. What about those that have no interest in the golden rule (ie Islamic terrorists). They believe the more infidels that they kill,the greater their rewards in heaven. How do you address these types of people?
September 15th, 2007 at 11:05 am
By not occupying their country, telling them what to do, and taking their oil!
That’s how.
Do you think if we were not there, building the largest embassy in the world in Bagdad and as of days ago announcing a PERMENENT presence in THEIR country that they would be threatening us?
If so, then our military complex (if this were the case) would be quite strong and able to defend us much more than now!
Bush(from years ago),” we are not nation building.”
Now what’s happening???
Forced American values!!!
Let them be.
September 15th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
i agree. if in some alternate reality these islamics had never felt the presence/influence/control of the US in their part of the world, would they really give a flying f%$#k about our infidel ways? i highly doubt it. and even still if they did, and wanted to destroy us because of it, how laughable a notion they try and pull that off.
but alas this ain’t the case, as God put the magic black juice under their feet and not ours.
September 16th, 2007 at 12:44 am
Jacob, It can’t be all about oil because they are in wars all over the world,even in countries that have no oil. The terrorists killed Steve Webb from Newport Beach in the Bali bombing! They want to dominate everyone. (in my opinion)
MUSLIM ON-GOING CONFLICTS IN THE WORLD
AFGHANISTAN: The war in Afghanistan is ongoing. Since Soviet troops withdrew, various Afghan groups have tried to eliminate their rivals. Although the Taliban strengthened their position in 1998 they have not achieved their final objective
ALGERIA: Armed Islamic groups formed and since 1992 have carried out attacks on key economic points, security forces, officials and foreigners.
EGYPT: Fundamentalist Muslim rebels seek to topple the secular Egyptian government. At least 1,200 people have perished since the beginning of the rebellion.
INDONESIA: The struggle on the Indonesia islands is complicated by leaders of pro- and anti-independence movements, and by religious conflicts. More than 500 churches have been burned down or damaged by Muslims over the past six years
INDIA/PAKISTAN: Muslim separatists in the Indian section declared a holy war against the mostly-Hindu India and started attacks in 1989, mainly from Pakistan-occupied section of Kashmir, and from Pakistan and Afghanistan.
ISRAEL: Within its own borders, Israel continues to battle various Muslim organizations that seek independence for a Palestine state, areas made up of the Gaza strip, West. Bank, and part of Jerusalem.
IRAN: After the Iranian Revolution in 1979 toppled the government of the Shah, the Mujahadeen Khalq soon began a bloody guerrilla war against the new Islamic government.
KOSOVO: The ethnic Albanian KLA (Kosovo Liberation Army) in this Serbian province fought a guerilla war against Serbia to claim the region. Beginning in February 1999, Albanians were forced out of the province, prompting NATO to attack Serbia
NIGERIA: There are violent religious clashes in the city of Kaduna in northern Nigeria beginning February 21 2004 and have continued.
SUDAN: The largest country in Africa, has been plagued by a succession of unstable civilian and military governments since it gained independence in 1956 from an Anglo-Egyptian condominium. The long-running conflict continues between the Arab Muslim northerners of Sudan, (the base of the government), and the African Christians of the south.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: At war with terrorism.
PHILIPPINES: The Phillipines armed forces, with assistance of US troops, are fighting Moslem rebels - they have been linked to Osama bin Laden’s el Qaeda terrorist group - on the southern islands of the country.
Peace,brother
September 16th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
Muslims are scary. They made me wet my bed again last night.
September 16th, 2007 at 8:32 pm
For US it’s about oil!
Dominate????
Not us Americans!
We would never.
Uh…er.., I guess we do it all the time and are trying to do it there now under the guise of spreading spreading democracy with a smile!
September 16th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
ian thats sad.
well according to Greenspan that IS why we are there beetle. maybe not 100% why, but lowballing it i’d say 85 - 90%.
i don’t contend there are a lot of muslim crazies running around who want to rule the world. i contend whether this is, as often put by this administration, ‘the struggle of our times’. if these ‘muslims’ are indeed an omnipotent threat to civilization.
if that were the case my ass would have been drafted by now, and America wouldn’t be a zombie population roaming the mall all day. sacrifice may even enter our lexicon. but no…
must… buy… Ford F-150…
September 16th, 2007 at 10:50 pm
if these muslim extremist were such a threat, there would obviously be a draft. But they are not. At least not to the extent the right wants them to be. yeah, there’s some bad guys out there. and we should get them when we can. oh wait, we had the chance in Tora Bora, but Rummy and Bush opened up the corridor to let mr. osama and his posse escape. assholes.
September 17th, 2007 at 2:51 am
Do any other groups go around blowing themselves up and crashing airliners into skyscrapers except for Islamic terrorists?Don’t you think this type of behavior is a little odd?
September 19th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
Repeat of post as you don’t get it!
“By not occupying their country, telling them what to do, and taking their oil!
That’s how.
Do you think if we were not there, building the largest embassy in the world in Bagdad and as of days ago announcing a PERMENENT presence in THEIR country that they would be threatening us?
If so, then our military complex (if this were the case) would be quite strong and able to defend us much more than now!
Bush(from years ago),” we are not nation building.”
Now what’s happening???
Forced American values!!!
Let them be.
And they shall leave us alone. And if they don’t , WE WILL CRUSH THEIR HEADS WITH OUR FINGERS!