Tell it!

You know what's a great song? "Anthem" by Leonard Cohen. It's frikkin' amazing.

"Anthem"

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
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in.

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.

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.

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Does anyone else (artists) today know how to say these things? I think Bob Dylan used to, though he was a bit more of an emotional dude. I realize, too, Leonard Cohen's musical abilities leave some to be desired, but damn.

O.K., so now for more "cut'n paste" shenanigans, since that's all it seems I'm capable of at the moment:

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The following excerpt comes from an informal talk between Hermann Goering and Gustave Gilbert. You've most likely seen variations of this before. Still, it is so poignant.

___________________________________________________________________________________

We got around to the subject of war again and I said that, contrary to his attitude,
I did not think that the common people are very thankful for leaders who bring them
war and destruction.

"Why, of course, the people don't want war," Goering shrugged. "Why would some poor
slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of
it is to come back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people don't want
war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in
Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who
determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along,
whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist
dictatorship."

"There is one difference," I pointed out. "In a democracy the people have some say
in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the United States only
Congress can declare wars."

"Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the people can always be
brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them
they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and
exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

-Herman Goering was one of Hitler's men. He was found guilty on charges of "war crimes," "crimes against peace," and "crimes against humanity" by the Nuremberg tribunal and sentenced to death by hanging. The sentence could not be carried out, however, because Goering committed suicide with smuggled cyanide capsules hours before his execution, scheduled for 15 October 1946.-

bam.