PT Barnum is attributed in saying, “A Sucker is born every minute.” The comedian, W.C Fields did say, “Never give a Sucker an even break.” Yesterday, when trump announced in a joint press conference with netanyahu, that the United States will take over ownership of Gaza, we saw these two phrases lived out. The biggest con man in American history, donnie trump, got suckered into a disastrous con by benjamin netanyahu. This is not the first time that the United States has been suckered. Two, within my own lifetime, Vietnam, and, Iraq and Afghanistan were disastrous cons for Americans in terms of human life, civil unrest, and a decimated economy. Having just gotten out of the disaster of Afghanistan, thanks to the treaty in which trump drew up with the Taliban that took both the United States and the Afghani people to the cleaners in his first term, we are going back into another grave disaster for the United States.
Throughout ancient history, no foreign power has been able to control Gaza much less all of Palestine. Whether it be the Pharaohs of Egypt with their mighty armies, Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army, Cyrus and the Persians, the Greeks, the Roman Emperors with their mighty armies all the way up to the present, no foreign power has ever been able to control Gaza for long periods of time. Like Afghanistan, they all end up leaving in disarray and complete defeat.
What is trump thinking? He can build golf resorts there? He can exploit the land for his own greedy benefit? Like our immoral invasion of Iraq, and our prolonged stay in Afghanistan, also ordered by three of the greatest chicken hawks of the time, George W Bush, Rumsfeld, and Cheney, we destroyed our economy and the lives of a generation of young men and women by their foolish greed for oil (it’s always about oil, isn’t it?).
Now corrupt little donnie trump, the worst chicken hawk of them all, having dodged being drafted to fight in Vietnam by his equally corrupt father, is involving us in the worst historical quagmire of Gaza. He will destroy our economy as he did his first term, and, also the lives of another generation of young men and women who will fight there. In golf terms, Gaza is just one big sand trap, a sand trap from which no one can escape without grave(s) after effects.
What is trump thinking? I keep on repeating that question even though I know the man is completely devoid of any rational thought. He sits in the oval office looking like an obese Homer Simpson. The main difference is Homer is smarter and only dreams about doughnuts and Duff Beer. trump sits there and thinks about broads, sex, diet coke, KFC, Big Macs, Whoppers, fries, money, porn stars, sex, fast food, sex, diet coke, power etc.
Two songs from two generations fighting in disastrous conflicts should give us all pause for reflection as we enter into this very dangerous time for the United States. One is a folk song, and the other, a heavy metal band. Both of these songs can be heard on YouTube.
MASTERS OF WAR
The first song is Masters of War, composed by a young Bob Dylan on the eve of the United States entering into that complete disaster called Vietnam.
Masters of War (Witmark Demo – 1963)
Song by Bob Dylan ‧ 1963
Come you masters of war
You that build the big guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks
You that never done nothin’
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it’s your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly
Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain
You fasten all the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you sit back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
While the young people’s blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud
You’ve thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain’t worth the blood
That runs in your veins
How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I’m young
You might say I’m unlearned
But there’s one thing I know
Though I’m younger than you
That even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do
Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good?
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could?
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul
And I hope that you die
And your death will come soon
I’ll follow your casket
By the pale afternoon
And I’ll watch while you’re lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I’ll stand over your grave
‘Til I’m sure that you’re dead
Songwriters: Bob Dylan
Masters of War (Witmark Demo – 1963) lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
The disaster of Vietnam killed over 58,220 American military personnel, men and women. This number does not include those who have died from the effects of Agent Orange many years following the war, or suicide.
B.Y.O.B (Bring Your Own Bomb)
Daron Malakian – vocals, guitars, bass (uncredited)
Shavo Odadjian – bass (credited but does not perform)
John Dolmayan – drums, percussion.
The second song is by the heavy metal band, Systems of a Down, entitled B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Bomb), composed in 2005 as a protest song against the disastrous Middle East war in Iraq and Afghanistan, in which lies from both george w bush, cheney, and rumsfeld got the U.S. involved (warning the song has some profanity in it).
B.Y.O.B.
Song by System of a Down ‧ 2005
You
Why do they always send the poor?
Barbarisms by Barbaras
With pointed heels
Victorious Victorias kneel
For brand new spanking deals
Marching forward, hypocritic
And hypnotic computers
You depend on our protection
Yet you feed us lies from the tablecloth
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la, ooh
Everybody’s going to the party
Have a real good time
Dancin’ in the desert
Blowin’ up the sunshine
Kneeling roses disappearing
Into Moses’ dry mouth
Breaking into Fort Knox
Stealing our intentions
Hangers sitting, dripped in oil
Crying, “freedom”
Handed to obsoletion
Still you feed us lies from the tablecloth
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la, ooh
Everybody’s going to the party
Have a real good time
Dancin’ in the desert
Blowing up the sunshine
Everybody’s going to the party
Have a real good time
Dancin’ in the desert
Blowin’ up the sunshine
Blast off, it’s party time
And we don’t live in a fascist nation
Blast off, it’s party time
And where the fuck are you?
Where the fuck are you?
Where the fuck are you?
Why don’t presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why don’t presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Kneeling roses disappearing
Into Moses’ dry mouth
Breaking into Fort Knox
Stealing our intentions
Hangers sitting dripped in oil
Crying, “freedom”
Handed to obsoletion
Still you feed us lies from the tablecloth
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la, ooh
Everybody’s going to the party
Have a real good time
Dancin’ in the desert
Blowing up the sunshine
Everybody’s going to the party
Have a real good time
Dancin’ in the desert
Blowin’ up the sun
Where the fuck are you?
Where the fuck are you?
Why don’t presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why don’t presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
They always send the poor
They always send the poor
Songwriters: Daron V. Malakian / Serj Tankian
B.Y.O.B. lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
The songwriters were correct. Though over 7000 Americans died in that war, over 30,150 combat veterans from that war have died by suicide. How has that war affected the lives of the liars bush, cheney, and rumsfeld? Their lives have not been affected one bit by their lies. They have not suffered at all. They continue their fat cat lives unaffected by the horror they caused so many others.
This is a time when our leaders, political, religious, and business must stand up to the obese Jabba the Hut sitting in the oval office and say, “NO!”
Democratic senators and congressional representatives, the time has come to play hardball. You all look like a bunch of wimps! The time has come to do business the republican way … dirty. If you continue to play Mr Nice Guy you will be steamrolled by trump and all the dirty players in the MAGA Nazi camp.
Business leaders, you are capitalists. Your world revolves around greed and acquiring more and more wealth. You’re not stupid. trump and the MAGA Nazis will destroy this economy and destroy your profits. The time has come to hold these people accountable for their stupidity and protect your businesses.
American bishops, here I am speaking to the Catholic bishops, you look like a bunch of cross dressing eunuchs compared to the lone female Episcopal bishop who stood up to trump. Did ordination to the Episcopacy turn you into a bunch of castrati? Man up! Witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and oppose the evil of trump. Because of your inaction on criminal sexual abuse for centuries, your rejection of the Catholic Social Justice teachings of the Catholic Church, especially those of Pope Francis I, you have LOST any teaching authority you think you have. Again I repeat, the time has come for you Man Up! Witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and oppose the evil of trump.
Together we can defeat the evil and the stupidity of donnie trump.
