It's not the way I've thought of introducing this band; coming home tonight this song played. It's truly saddening, the parallels of war. The song speaks of a story my friends tell from time to time. I'm asked often during gatherings, "do you think I'm a shitty person"? I answer, "describe shitty". I know about the horrific things our soldiers have done. It's hard to be a proud hero when you've had to shoot a child or a mother. I go on to tell my friends, "there is no measure that could ever measure and produce an explanation of what you have done.....just learn to accept and be at peace".
I hop that you all give this some thought and perhaps even have an opinion. I would love to hear how you feel about the lyrics of the song and hope to perhaps learn new perspectives.
5 comments:
First: You know how crazy I am about Rise Against, so of course I know and love this song.
Second: A really good pick. I know that many people think of soldiers as people who "decided" to fight a war. That's not really true. Soldiers are people who decided to serve the U.S. and risk their lives for it, when other people are sitting at home... in their little bubbles. They put their lives at risk, and it not only affects them, but also all their loved ones.
So for that, I thank you.
Three: I know that some soldiers have done some horrible things, but so have I. Blaming all soldiers is like blaming the German race for the Holocaust. It just isn't right.
P.S. Thank you again.
Well said Jas. I think I will have to use your last point next time someone insists on telling me how horrible they are.
There is much to ponder here, Kimmie. Insightful response, Jasmin. Thank you both.
We ask people to go and fight for us, ostensibly to protect our way of life. Sometimes the fight is not a noble one, but that’s down to politicians not the people who get sent to fight. War is brutal, so we shouldn’t be surprised when sometimes it brutalises people. Politicians sit at home dreaming up rules under which soldiers must fight without having a clue about the reality of what they are asking soldiers to do. They then go and get self righteous when people do brutal things. Usually the problem lies with the politicians not the people who they send to fight. In the theatre of war normality goes on hold. Projecting women and children seems less laudable when they are sent to kill you with bombs strapped to them. We send our soldiers to fight with a set of rules the other side never abide by. My family have been fighting my country’s wars since at least the Battle of Corunna in 1809 and probably before that and I’m proud of every one of them. And if they did things I’m less than proud of then I must take some of that responsibility, because I sent them, they fought in my name. I find it very hard to criticise or second guess people doing things I’ve never done. Time for the media, the politicians and the armchair generals to get real. War is a brutal business.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.
From Tommy by Rudyard Kipling
A lovely song kimmie and it speaks a lot !
Soldiers are highly trained , yet they still are human. They get affected too !
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