by Jerry Alatalo
hile this generation’s young people learn about coercive economic measures used against “target” nations like Venezuela, described in an official U.S. Army “Unconventional Warfare” manual, and published by WikiLeaks – Canadian artist/musician Bruce Cockburn was writing songs about the International Monetary Fund and the connection between money, natural resources and war more than 30 years ago.
One wonders: where are all the famous artists, musicians, sports and movie/TV celebrities from across the Earth who hold strong personal positions on the important matter of war and peace? If any by chance pass this way, perhaps they will digest, and become sparked to take action by, the clearly inspirational peace message delivered by the great Canadian artist Bruce Cockburn.
“Call It Democracy” | Bruce Cockburn | 1985
Padded with power here they come
International loan sharks backed by the guns
Of market hungry military profiteers
Whose word is a swamp and whose brow is smeared
With the blood of the poor
—-
Who rob life of its quality
Who render rage a necessity
By turning countries into labor camps
Modern slavers in drag as champions of freedom
—-
Sinister cynical instrument
Who makes the gun into a sacrament
The only response to the deification
Of tyranny by so-called “developed” nations’
Idolatry of ideology
—-
North, south, east, west
Kill the best and buy the rest
It’s just spend a buck to make a buck
You don’t really give a flying fuck
About the people in misery
—-
I-M-F … dirty M-F
Takes away everything it can get
Always making certain that there’s one thing left
Keep them on the hook with insupportable debt
—-
See the paid off local bottom feeders
Passing themselves off as leaders
Kiss the ladies, shake hands with the fellows
And it’s open for business like a cheap bordello
—-
And they call it democracy. And they call it democracy. And they call it democracy. And they call it democracy…
—-
See the loaded eyes of the children too
Trying to make the best of it the way kids do
One day you’re going to rise from your habitual feast
To find yourself staring down the throat of the beast
They call a revolution
—-
I-M-F … dirty M-F
Takes away everything it can get
Always making certain that there’s one thing left
Keep them on the hook with insupportable debt
—-
And they call it democracy. And they call it democracy. And they call it democracy. And they call it democracy…
(Thank you to BruceCockburnVEVO at YouTube)
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Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn became most focused during his musical career on war and peace during the 1980s and the administration (1980-1988) of U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George H. W. Bush. Bush would go on to become president for one term (1988-1992).
Many have become concerned about a man who had a large role in covert wars of aggression in Central America in the Reagan-Bush administration, Elliot Abrams. People are extremely concerned about Donald Trump’s appointment of Elliot Abrams as his so-called “point man on Venezuela”, and especially worried about the fate of innocent Venezuelans if there were a repeat of the covert mass murdering days of Reagan-Bush.
#HandsOffVenezuela.
Bruce Cockburn is now in his 70s, still very active with songwriting and performing, – and probably feeling a strong sense of déjà vu, sadness and frustration when seeing what’s occurring in Venezuela. Our guess is that in 2019 the more mature, decades wiser Bruce Cockburn in his mind’s eye has images of potential weapons to finally, successfully battle and defeat this generation’s war criminals. Mr. Cockburn probably held out hope through the many years that his earlier powerful antiwar-message music would never have become relevant – again.
Peace.
Live performance by Bruce Cockburn – Summer 2005:
hank you and tip of the hat to peace activist, documentary filmmaker and 9/11 truth advocate Charles Ewing Smith for posting a video of the amazing male singer from Kazakhstan, Dimash Kudaibergen. We were thankful to “stumble across” the artistic phenomenon at Charles’ YouTube channel. Singing and studying classical music from the age of (5), the now 24-year old Dimash possesses an amazing range of (6) octaves and could credibly be positioned near the top of great vocalists, male or female, of this or any generation in history.