Michael Bacol, “Message Sent Pray for Us”, Oil on Canvas, 2001. Kulay-Diwa Art Galleries (roughly translated: Color-Soul or Soul Color Art Galleries; Gallery of Philippine Contemporary Art.) Rightclicked and downloaded with express permission (thank you again!) from the webmaster at www.kulay-diwa.com
Somebody sang a Sting song at the “communal action” rally 20 minutes ago, which is probably apt because of the “open-arms” nature of the rally (communal sya di ba, in response to the call of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines that the people should respond with communal action to the mind-boggling alleged kickbacks, $130 million dollars, by reported Palace cronies from the ZTE broadband contract negotiations) and its emphasis on non-politicians taking the stage, although you still see a number of senatorial-/ congressional-candidate-wannabe’s taking the microphone. (They still managed to insert themselves in the program! They prefer the kleiglights instead of doing real spadework and evidence-gathering!). It’s the first time i heard a Sting song performed in a protest action, a reggae version of Sting’s “Get Up Stand Up”; i’m sure Mr. Somner wouldn’t mind, a couple of years ago, an upcoming rap group did a rap-remake of his biggest hit, i thought it was sacrilege but Sting even joined the rappers in the counterpoint of the song! That’s communal. Rally organizers have discovered the best format ever to attract crowds: a rock concert that’s indignant and at the same time celebratory of our getting together. The gathering looked like one of the biggest post EDSA 2001 assemblies. Here’s a Sting song “History Will Teach Us Nothing”; Manolo might disagree with the textual meaning, history teaches us nothing, but wait that’s not really what the song says, it’s about someone getting disillusioned with the institutions that we’ve always relied upon:
“Our written history is a catalogue of crime
“The sordid and the powerful, the architects of time
“The mother of invention, the oppression of the mild
“The constant fear of scarcity, aggression as its child”
(or at least that’s how i read it, ha ha):
History Will Teach Us Nothing by Sting
If we seek solace in the prisons of the distant past
Security in human systems we’re told will always always last
Emotions are the sail and blind faith is the mast
Without a breath of real freedom we’re getting nowhere fast
If God is dead and an actor plays his part
His words of fear will find their way to a place in your heart
Without the voice of reason every faith is its own curse
Without freedom from the past things can only get worse
Sooner or later just like the world’s first day
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away
Sooner or later just like the world’s first day
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away
History will teach us nothing
History will teach us nothing
Our written history is a catalogue of crime
The sordid and the powerful,
the architects of time
The mother of invention, the oppression of the mild
The constant fear of scarcity, aggression as its child
Sooner or later
Sooner or later
Sooner or later
Sooner or later
Convince an enemy, convince him that he’s wrong
Is to win a bloodless battle where victory is long
A simple act of faith
Is reason over might
To blow up his children will only prove him right
History will teach us nothing
Sooner or later the world’s first day
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away
Sooner or later the world’s first day
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away
History will teach us nothing
History will teach us nothing
Know you human rights
Be what you come here for
Know your human rights
Be what you come here for
Know your human rights
Be what you come here for
Know your human rights
Be what you come here for
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