The race for the Democratic presidential nomination has seemingly gripped the nation. We have heard over and over again how important certain primaries were, and yet, despite many proclaimed do-or-die scenarios, each campaign rages on.
Last night, both Senators Clinton and Obama looked tired in their speeches capping Super Tuesday Deux (Senator McCain always looks tired). While this race is rightfully captivating, I find myself also needing a breather from the rhetoric every few weeks to regain perspective.
Today, Jackson Browne provides me with that much-needed perspective. I discovered this song and video in my Human Rights: A Culture in Crisis class. During a short break in the middle of each class, my two professors play songs they call “deep tunes” to capture our humanity and showcase the different mediums of expression with which human rights claims are made.
Jackson Browne - Lives in the Balance
At minute 2:04, Browne sings:
They sell us the president the same way
They sell us our clothes and our cars
They sell us every thing from youth to religion
The same time they sell us our wars
Those particular lines remind me of the hundreds of millions of dollars that have been spent on these campaigns and the weekly $1 billion spent on fighting a war that has taken a million Iraqi lives and many more American lives than were taken on September 11th. Let's not forget that two of the presidential candidates today voted to authorize the war in Iraq.
And yet we talk about poverty eradication, universal health care, tax cuts, and bridging the achievement gap in education.
Let's watch four minutes of YouTube and wake up.
Comments (4)
Anthem by Leonard Cohen
The birds they sang
at the break of day
Start again
I heard them say
Don't dwell on what
has passed away
or what is yet to be.
Ah the wars they will
be fought again
The Holy Dove
She will be caught again
bought and sold
and bought again
the Dove is never free.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
We asked for signs
the signs were sent:
the Birth betrayed
the marriage spent
Yeah the widowhood
of every government --
signs for all to see.
I can't run no more
with that lawless crowd
while the killers in high places
say their prayers out loud.
But they've summoned, they've summoned up
a thundercloud
and they're going to hear from me.
Ring the bells that still can ring ...
You can add up the parts
but you won't have the sum
You can strike up the march,
there is no drum
Every heart, every heart
to Love will come
but like a refugee.
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.
That's how the light gets in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjtE2-dLjSs
Posted March 7, 2008 2:14 PM
Posted on March 7, 2008 14:14
Abed,
Yes, well said.
Robinson Jeffers said much the same thing in his 1926 poem, "Shine Perishing Republic".
In case you haven't come across it, here it is:
Shine, Perishing Republic
While this America settles in the mould of its vulgarity, heavily thickening
to empire
And protest, only a bubble in the molten mass, pops and sighs out, and the
mass hardens,
I sadly smiling remember that the flower fades to make fruit, the fruit rots
to make earth.
Out of the mother; and through the spring exultances, ripeness and deca-
dence; and home to the mother.
You making haste haste on decay: not blameworthy; life is good, be it stub-
bornly long or suddenly
A mortal splendor: meteors are not needed less than mountains:
shine, perishing republic.
But for my children, I would have them keep their distance from the thick-
ening center; corruption
Never has been compulsory, when the cities lie at the monster's feet there
are left the mountains.
And boys, be in nothing so moderate as in love of man, a clever servant,
insufferable master.
There is the trap that catches noblest spirits, that caught--they say--
God, when he walked on earth.
Posted March 6, 2008 11:50 AM
Posted on March 6, 2008 11:50
Well said.
Posted March 6, 2008 11:00 AM
Posted on March 6, 2008 11:00
Well said.
Posted March 6, 2008 10:59 AM
Posted on March 6, 2008 10:59