"How many kids they've murdered...only God can say....."

[Derek V]

He's talking about Latin American armies. Substitute the word "blacks" for "kids", and he's talking about the police, not in Latin America, but our America. And you might not have to substitute any words at all, as so many of the African-Americans killed by our thugs in Blue are kids!

Listen to the whole song and tell me, TRY to tell me, that you don't agree with every word he's saying.

[uhnope]

1. puh-leez

No, the situation in the US is not comparable to the situation in Guatemala under dictator Efrain Montt, no.

BTW Cockburn performed this song for Canadian troops in Afghanistan.

[Derek V]

3. Have you seen what's been happening in our streets?

Have you noticed how our police forces are rapidly turning into armies? Have you been paying attention to this country's oppression of its poor and disenfranchised?

Uh, nope, apparently not.

[uhnope]

5. educate yourself just a little about Guatemala under Rios Montt

military dictatorship, widespread massacres, government by rape & torture. C'mon man, you lose credibility when you go off the rails like this.

Thanks for being on the right side, just be a little more level-headed about it.

[heaven05]

6. educate yourself more on race in amerikkka

the only difference between what you're poo pooing is that black people have been going through this for three-300+ years. There have been massacres, rapes during slavery period? Uncounted. During the terror days in the south? Uncounted, Torture, you want torture? How about castration and burning alive. Lynching of whole families. Rosewood type massacres took place in different parts of this country where whole towns of black people were massacred on trumped up charges. You better study more about amerikkka. I know about central america, death squads the whole 9 yards, yet it has and still is happening in this country also. Not trying to diminish what the Guatemalan people suffered. Not my point here, just don't diminish what that poster was trying to pass on to you. Yours has NOT been the only game in town. For some of us it's just closer to home..

[uhnope]

8. if you're saying the Guatemalan case was comparable to the USA 90-200 years ago, okay

maybe we can talk. But sorry, you lose people when you don't look at things objectively or when you exaggerate. No, the USA does not have death squads in any way that can be compared to the situation in Guatemala under the dictatorship. In fac, t, that's an insult both to the Guatemalans and to African Americans.

Yes the USA has a terrible history and a continuing legacy of that history. We are also one of the only countries showing an ability to radically change, as our president shows us every day.

Also you lose people with the "AmeriKKKa" stuff. MLK, Obama, Cesar Chavez--these are Americans too.

I think you and I agree that it's infuriating when we look at what the USA could be, should be and is supposed to be. But when we compare the USA to other countries and other times, then we can feel a little more positive. Ask any refugee who comes to America

[heaven05]

11. You carry no weight,

with me given your response and we have, after this response, nothing more to talk about. You mention MLK, Obama and Chavez. All respected by me. If I lose you or others because they cannot deal with amerikkkan reality AS I AND OTHER AA HAVE HAD TO LIVE IT, so be it. This country is racist, culturally, socially, systemically and institutionally. You have no perspective in your response worthy of merit or agreement from me as an AA who has dealt with many years of amerikkkan racism and knows the true history of slaughter and ugliness perpetrated by people who hate another person based solely on the color of ones skin. Go be a good american, I'm happy for you but you are way out your league trying to lecture me on amerikkkan history and racism.. You can feel any loyalty you please for amerikkka, that's fine. I know MY history in this country and diminishing the rape, murder and torture of black people based on Guatemalan history is called false equivalency. I have insulted no AA with my post unless they feel as a Charles Barkley clone might feel. Then I have no stock in their feelings. I will be truthful with someone trying to tell me what amerkkka is about that knows only what they want to know and that infuriates me. You will find out differently, maybe, if you open your eyes and ears. Because of you political stand, seems kind of RW to me, we have nothing more to converse about. Your love of amerika has blinded you to it's reality. Not my problem.

[heaven05]

7. You lost no credibility

nor are you wrong in any manner.

[jtuck004]

2. I thought this was about our drones. n/t

[Derek V]

4. Is there any substantial difference?

[Maedhros]

9. Bruce is very insightful.

Also spot on:

Padded with power here they come
International loan sharks backed by the guns
Of market hungry military profiteers
Whose word is a swamp and whose brow is smeared
With the blood of the poor

Who rob life of its quality
Who render rage a necessity
By turning countries into labour camps
Modern slavers in drag as champions of freedom

Sinister cynical instrument
Who makes the gun into a sacrament -
The only response to the deification
Of tyranny by so-called "developed" nations'
Idolatry of ideology

North South East West
Kill the best and buy the rest
It's just spend a buck to make a buck
You don't really give a flying fuck
About the people in misery

IMF dirty MF
Takes away everything it can get
Always making certain that there's one thing left
Keep them on the hook with insupportable debt

See the paid-off local bottom feeders
Passing themselves off as leaders
Kiss the ladies shake hands with the fellows
Then it's open for business like a cheap bordello

And they call it Democracy

See the loaded eyes of the children too
Trying to make the best of it the way kids do
One day you're going to rise from your habitual feast
To find yourself staring down the throat of the beast
They call the revolution

IMF dirty MF
Takes away everything it can get
Always making certain that there's one thing left
Keep them on the hook with insupportable debt

And they call it Democracy...

[delrem]

12. I believe you meant to reply to this post by SummerSnow

Found a databas of unarmed black men shot by police.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025906179

[99th_Monkey]

13. Oopsie Thanks for the heads-up nt