Tuesday, October 25
Red Rain
by Peter Gabriel
red rain is coming down
red rain
red rain is pouring down
pouring down all over me
I am standing up at the water's edge in my dream
I cannot make a single sound as you scream
it can't be that cold, the ground is still warm to touch
this place is so quiet, sensing that storm
red rain is coming down
red rain
red rain is pouring down
pouring down all over me
well I've seen them buried in a sheltered place in this town
they tell you that this rain can sting, and look down
there is no blood around see no sign of pain
hay ay ay no pain
seeing no red at all, see no rain
red rain is coming down
red rain
red rain is pouring down
pouring down all over me
red rain-
putting the pressure on much harder now
to return again and again
just let the red rain splash you
let the rain fall on your skin
I come to you defenses down
with the trust of a child
red rain is coming down
red rain
red rain is pouring down
pouring down all over me
and I can't watch any more
no more denial
it's so hard to lay down in all of this
red rain is coming down
red rain is pouring down
red rain is coming down all over me...
"THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India: The red rain that lashed parts of Kerala last month is eluding explanations as the days go by..."
-India's Red Rain Analysis Report
Today marks a milestone in American history: 2,000 U.S. soldiers have died in the 2003 Iraq War and over 30,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed. The unrelenting and savage bloodshed may be what is contributing to the "red rain" phenomena on the planet these days.
Another bitter milestone in this tragedy is that the Iraqis have a new constitution. While the American press is quietly promoting this event, the British papers have unleashed a double dose of truth on their lucky readers. It is a report based on a secret survey which plainly tells the world that Iraqis want the "coalition" to disappear. Why the Bushites need a survey to tell them what any fool can see is beyond imaging. We've waged TWO wars on them in the past 20 years, killing and maiming hundreds of thousands of innocent people. They hate us because we hurt them. They don't understand the "liberty" trade off that Bush keeps yowling about in all of his boring speeches. They don't want liberty if it means their fathers and sons will be "detained", humiliated, tortured, killed and their women and children left to starve or be blown up. Would any sane person consider that a healthy trade off?
Well, those sane, pragmatic leaders in Iraq who haven't been assassinated, intimidated, corrupted or killed have no choice now. Iraq has been devastated and must be rebuilt and they can't trust Halliburton and Rumsfeld to have the people's best interests in mind. So, I am hopeful that from this rubble and bitterness, something good will survive and thrive.
God give us all the strength to build instead of tear down, to create instead of destroy and to love instead of hate.