jmg@houxk.UUCP (J.MCGHEE) (12/13/83)
I thought it would be best to start off with a source/author which we all know. The following song was written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in November 1972 in response to the rising tide of repression which occurred at that time in Northern Ireland and appears in their album called "Some Time in New York City. Whatever this song might lack in artistic merit is compensated for by the straightforward approach to events at that time and the viewing of those events against the background of the entire history of the Irish nation vis-a-vis England. The Luck of the Irish --------------------- If you had the luck of the Irish, You'd be sorry and wish you were dead. You should have the luck of the Irish And you'd wish you were English instead! A thousand years of torture and hunger Drove the people away from their land, A land full of beauty and wonder Was raped by the British brigands! Goddamn! Goddamn! In the 'Pool they told us the story ( 'Pool = Liverpool, How the English divided the land, England) Of the pain, the death and the glory And the poets of auld Eireland. Why the hell are the English there anyway? As they kill with God on their side! ( Nazi soldiers had the Blame it all on the kids and Republicans! phrase "Gott mit uns" As the bastards commit genocide. Aye! Aye! Genocide! inscribed on their belt buckles meaning "God with us" ) The word "genocide" does not make sense here viewed only on the basis of modern-day events because the deaths of thousands of people and the imprisonment without trial or charges of still thousands more, as horrible as these things are, cannot be called genocide. This word only makes sense when we view present day events as a continuation of the entire history of Ireland which is briefly mentioned in stanzas 2 and 3. It is those historical events of past centuries actually constituting genocide which I intend to document in my subsequent articles. As a footnote I am including the text of another song on the same album which describes the events of Bloody Sunday - January 30, 1972 which were responsible for triggering the reaction of millions of people of Irish heritage over the past decade. Sunday Bloody Sunday -------------------- Well it was Sunday bloody Sunday When they shot the people there The crys of thirteen martyrs Filled the free Derry air. Is there anyone amongst you Dare to blame it on the kids? Not a soldier boy was bleeding When they nailed the coffin lids! You claim to be majority Well you know that it's a lie You're really a minority On this sweet emerald isle. When Stormont bans our marches ( Stormont is the name of the houses of They've got a lot to learn government in Northern Ireland. ) Internment is no answer It's those mothers' turn to burn! You anglo pigs and scotties Sent to colonize the North You wave your bloody Union Jacks And you know what its worth! How dare you hold to ransom A people proud and free Keep Ireland for the Irish Put the English back to sea! Yes it's always bloody Sunday In the concentration camps Keeps Falls Road free forever From the bloody English hands. Repatriate to Britain All of you who call it home Leave Ireland to the Irish Not for London or for Rome!
kissell@flairvax.UUCP (Kevin Kissell) (12/14/83)
So, this is where "Fibber" McGee gets his "history". Dead pop stars.
dxp@pyuxhh.UUCP (D Peak) (12/19/83)
A netter suggests that Joe McGhee gets his history from dead pop stars NOT SO !!!!!!! I have seen at least one quote from that "figment of fact" "THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS" probably a drinking buddy of Jimmy Breslin Dave Peak(pyuxhh!dxp)