Bush lies, democracy dies

Just a week or so ago, two of my sons and I were talking about the differences between the protests during the Vietnam War and the present day state in which we find ourselves. I, who am barely old enough to remember the Vietnam War, was trying to explain to them, neither of whom are old enough to remember anything about the Vietnam War, that student demonstrations were staged at many universities, people, such as Martin Luther King, Jr., were actually speaking out against war with great passion, and protest songs, such as Fortunate Son (CCR) and Ohio (Neil Young) were blaring on the radio.

I wondered with them why the voices of protest were now silent over this illegal war. Well, I didn't have to wait long for the protest songs to emerge. This week, I discovered that the Signs of the Times team have written and recorded an MP3 file, called You Lied. Check it out and pass it on. Here are the words to the song:

You lied
words & music by Signs of the Times

You told the world Saddam had chemical bombs
To kill us all in our homes, on our farms
You said he sent his men into the heavens
Big planes crashing down, September 11

You lied, You lied,
People died, When Bush lied

I've got some questions, wipe that smirk off your face
Betraying your people, that's a real disgrace
See I'm having a hard time finding that plane
You said hit the Pentagon, bursting into flames
Vapourising the aircraft, didn't leave no remains
But the bodies appear not to burn quite the same

More lies Yeah, yeah, more lies
America died, When Bush lied

And talk about mir'cles, did you see how they fell,
the three towers in New York, those charges worked well
Flattened out in a straight line, just like it was planned
Did you think we were so stupid that we wouldn't understand
And it's a pity about the folks there on Flight 93,
Just as they took back control, you blew them to smithereens

You lied, You lied
Heroes died, when Bush lied

You say Osama is living in a place you have traced
But you don't go and get him, it seems such a waste
Could it be it's because he's still one of your men
A C-I-A asset just like he was then
He endorsed your campaign in a last minute pitch
Is he just one more man who has gotten quite rich

From your lies, Your lies
Freedom died, from your lies

How about those Israelis dancing to their success,
On the rooftops of Jersey, they created a mess
So you sent them back home with a slap on the wrist
Told the cops not to bother, 'cause they don't exist

It's a lie, You lied
Justice died, when you lied

Now people are dying through your crimes in Iraq
You've killed more than Saddam, tho' you don't care to keep track
Cause they're only some Arabs in a faraway land
That Yahweh has promised to his chosen band
While Sharon and his cronies pull on your strings
When he opens his mouth your whole government sings

His lies, His lies
Palestinians die, With Bush lies

Next time you talk to your God, I've got a question for him
What side is he on or does it change on a whim'
There's a whole lot of people, suff'rin here in his name
What kind of pyscho is he that he's playing this game It sounds more like the devil is guiding your hand
Destruction and death are the plagues of the land

Of your lies, your lies
Children die, When Bush lies

You see, Mr President, there's something amiss
Two elections you lost, but you overcame this
By rigging the vote, not counting the blacks
You've ensured two full terms, the dry drunk is back
And now they're changing the laws to get you a third
The brown shirts are charging at the front of the herd

Of your lies, your lies
Democracy dies, When Bush lies

The question remains what can we do about this
Most people refuse to consider this list
They're lost in illusion, can't recognise proof
So we offer this song to all who stand for the truth

No more lies, No more lies
Must we all die, Because of your lies

No more lies, No more lies
Must we all die, Because of your lies

Your lies...

copyright 2005 Signs of the Times

Today, my son was telling me that System of a Down has recorded a couple of protest songs over the past few years, one of them being Boom! in 2002, and that they are actually playing on the radio. This band is way too heavy metal for me, but the lyrics, if you can understand them, indicate that the younger generation, as in the 60's and 70's, are leading the charge in social dissent, their elders being way too timid to speak out. Here are the lyrics to one of their latest, titled B.Y.O.B. You can watch the music video, which has been Number 1 on the Launch.com site for several weeks, here.

B.Y.O.B.

Why do they always send the poor

Barbarisms by Barbaras
With pointed heels
Victorious victories kneel
For brand new spankin' deals

Marching forward hypocritic and
Hypnotic computers
You depend on our protection
Yet you feed us lies from the tablecloth

Everybody's going to the party have a real good time
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine

Kneeling roses disappearing into
Moses' dry mouth
Breaking into Fort Knox stealing
Our intentions

Hangers sitting dripped in oil
Crying freedom
Handed to obsoletion
Still you feed us lies from the tablecloth

Everybody's going to the party have a real good time
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine

Everybody's going to the party have a real good time
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine

Blast off
It's party time
And we don't live in a fascist nation

Blast off
It's party time
And where the f**k are you?

Where the f**k are you?
Where the f**k are you?

Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?

Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?

Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?

Repeat from "Kneeling roses disappearing into..."

I think there are many reasons why there isn't the outcry over this war that there was over Vietnam. One obvious reason, Dorothy, is there hasn't been a draft -- not yet, anyway (but just you wait, 'enry 'iggins, it's coming). Another is the propaganda that we were attacked by Arab terrorists on 9/11, which, of course, was used as justification for everything that has followed (see previous posts for more on this). Another is all the propaganda that has followed, stirring this false sense of national patriotism, just like Hitler did with the German folks back in the 1930's.

Personally, I'm glad to see protest songs getting out there. Whether it's Eminem's anti-Bush, get-out-the-vote music video effort, which was fairly ineffective because it didn't come out in time to make much of difference (Oh, hell, Alice, who am I kidding? It wouldn't have made a difference even if it had been released two years before the election.), or the System of a Down song, or my personal favorite, You Lied.

If all of the Hollywood idols, actors, rock stars, writers and directors would speak their mind, en masse, instead of just a daring few, then it just might help turn the mainstream tide away from fascism in this nation, but, no, Neo, we have mostly cowards in Hollywood who are more concerned about making millions than they are about people dying, just like those we have sitting in our government. Let's just take a quick example. Did you know that Bob Geldoff, organizer of Live8, the big Rock 'n Roll show in London last weekend prior to the G8 summit, gave instructions that none of the bands were to do any kind of song criticizing King George? Sounds like censorship to me, Alice!

So Bush lies, democracy dies...