I CALL FOR AN ARMY

[WilliamPitt]

I call for an army, for my heart is breaking.

I live in a world where style rules over substance. I live in a world where the perception of victory rules supreme over the reality of death, starvation and lies. I live in a world where this is acceptable.

I live in a world where fake Christians - murderers, thieves, criminals, hypocrites and usurpers - rule over those of us who try to live and will someday die by the law of Jesus: "This is my command, that ye love one another." I live in a world where today's Christian rulers (Bush, Ashcroft, etc.) would have been yesterday's Pharisees, who would have nailed Jesus to the tree in a heartbeat to ensure that their own power reigned supreme.

I live in a world that allows workers to starve, to suffer, to struggle, with no understanding whatsoever of the simple fact that without workers, there is no America, no civilization, no future.

I live in a world where a tree is looked upon as a resource, and not as a treasure. I live in a world where oceans, lakes, mountains, fields and all God's animals are seen the same way - resources and not golden treasures - but are burned up in the passion of production, broken upon the wheel of 'progress.'

I live in a nation that rules the world. That nation sees an African life, an Arabic life, an Asian life, a skin-colored life, as being less worthy of existence than a white life. This is spoken as well as unspoken in this nation.

I see a world of politics, of gamesmanship, of interests being parlayed against interests, of hopes being bartered against reality, of sinister motives made pure by promises. I see this, and know it to be the filth I must swim in.

And so I will swim.

I will dive in and fight the drowning, fight the compromises, but I know that if I am to survive, I must lash myself to rotten wood. I must do what I must do to make a difference, the way a hungry man will compromise his own purity for food when his children cry for want.

But O My Lord.

O My True Lord.

O My Lord who said, "This is my command, that ye love one another."

O My Lord who said that if I have two cloaks, I should give one to a man who has none.

O My Lord who said that what ye do the least of my brothers, ye do to me.

O My Lord, there will be a reckoning.

I will stand today upon filth and compromise. I will spend myself in the fight for men who do not deserve my blood.

I do this for one reason. I do this to purchase for myself and my brothers and sisters that quarter, that inch, that ounce of space from which I will rage and rage and rage. I will not die in the useless fight, no, I will cashier my pride and my self-respect, I will be the whore. I will be the whore and let them spend themselves upon me.

Let them take me for granted.

I will buy for them a victory with mine own blood. And when their roar of delight has faded but a moment, they will hear the drums of my army, my righteous army, to whom they owe their success. Let them tremble then. Let them fear. Let them understand that to acquiesce is to survive.

We will sup then upon their obesiance. Else we will sup upon their blood.

We are an army, and my heart is breaking.

But not for long.

I call for an army.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Don't worry. The Army is coming.....

[maha]

2. Amen, Bro' William

[bpilgrim]

3. so your switching to dean?

:evilgrin:

jk

good one :toast:

peace

[Dob Bole]

4. Thanks for that...

It was reassuring, in a sad sort of way.

[oasis]

5. Refreshing

[Tansy_Gold]

6. obeisance

n/t

[sistersofmercy]

7. Never let small minds question your principles!

narrow hearts will reveal themselves as such!

[mcaverly]

8. Amen brother.

You said it well.

[mcaverly]

10. Reminds me of Plato's

Apology

[calimary]

9. Already enlisted, Will.

I have been fighting this unholy war ever since Selection 2000. And, the bushies and rovians should take heed. People like me WON'T go away.

[donsu]

54. Me too since 2000 - my anger has no bounds

nt

[VOX]

11. We are marching, naked, in a night of spears. But we will endure.

We will prevail.

Thanks, Will.

[diamond14]

12. Will....do you mean "obeisance" ? nt

.

[YouNotMyBoss]

13. Else we will sup upon their blood

Sounds like a civil war? Are we now there? Where are the lines forming?

[tom_paine]

58. Civil War within 100 years

perhaps much sooner.

It all depends on how Orwellian-Totalitarian the Busheviks go and how well that sort of "1984" approach works.

The Soviet Union and other Totalitarian Nations (such as Imperial Amerika is rapidly tending towards) have shown than internecine warfare can be suppressed by brutal regimes.

So, right now it seems a toss up. With a 10% longshot that the Old Republic will be restored to health and vigor, though I think the wheels of Tyranny have ground along too far and the trends too far set and the wealth imbalance has gone too far and nobody cares/apathetic/hypnotized sheep can't bestir themselves until too much pain has been felt by too many.

Of course, by the time Bushevik Thrid World Economic Plan has been felt by enough people to pierce the Orwellian side of the equation, the Totalitarian side will have locked people into a monitored, fearful existance in which (so the Busheviks hope) resistance is futile.

But resistance is NOT futile!

[BeFree]

14. We will fight

Not for the sheeple, but for the children. For the least amongst us.

[Generic Other]

15. Where King once dreamed of what could be, you show us what is

A fitting reminder of another stirring speech delivered on this day many years past.

[never cry wolf]

16. HALLELULIA

At first it sounded like your world was Mordor. Actually, there ARE unfortunate similarities.

Will, I think you would have been right at home with t-jeff, g-wash and our other founding fathers.

Very nicely done.

[ewagner]

17. and Will, may I humbly add...

The Foot-soldiers

The foot soldiers in this army will fight a lonely battle. They will fight by themselves in workplaces and factories across the land.

They will fight this battle in winter snows and spring rains door-to-door in the wastelands of suburbia carrying the message of the battle to those who don't want to hear it.

They will be armed with the courage of the patriots and the truth of the founders and will most certainly inspire new recruits along the way. And soon, the small band of foot soldiers will no longer be lonely: they will become a mighty army.

[Walt Starr]

18. I'm not a Christian and I don't believe in your Lord

But my Pagan ass is already in your army, Will.

[falcon]

19. People get ready.....

there's a train a comin'. Don't need no money you just get on board. Can't remember the group who sang this classic but it brings tears to my eyes every time I here it. Should be the Democrat elect theme song.

[RetroLounge]

20. PEOPLE GET READY - The Impressions

PEOPLE GET READY
The Impressions
- words and music by Curtis Mayfield (1964)
- #14 hit for The Impressions in 1965 and covered by Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck in 1985?

People get ready, there's a train comin'
You don't need no baggage, you just get on board
All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin'
You don't need no ticket you just thank the lord

People get ready, there's a train to Jordan
Picking up passengers coast to coast
Faith is the key, open the doors and board them
There's hope for all among those loved the most
There ain't no room for the hopeless sinner whom would hurt all mankind
Just to save his own
Have pity on those whose chances grow thinner
For there is no hiding place against the kingdoms throne

People get ready there's a train comin'
You don't need no baggage, just get on board
All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin'
You don't need no ticket, just thank the lord.

Copyright 1964 Chi sounds (BMI)

[falcon]

47. thank you.

*

[RetroLounge]

21. I'm not a Christian either , Will, but I will fight side-by-side

with my Democratic brothers and sisters to rid politics of this evil scourge which has darkened our country.

The Second Coming - Yeats

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

[WilliamPitt]

22. What rough beast

One of my favorites.

[RetroLounge]

23. I suspected as much...

I have noticed in your writing and speaking that you have a flair for the lyrical.

[Terwilliger]

39. perhaps a little drink and DU?

I could be wrong.

[WilliamPitt]

41. You are

[Terwilliger]

42. wouldn't be the first

or last time

[LearnedHand]

36. LOVE that poem, Retro!

Thanks for posting it.

[Best_man23]

45. Power to the People

Power To The People
John Lennon

Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people, right on

Say we want a revolution
We better get on right away
Well you get on your feet
And on the street

Singing power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people, right on

Oh, when your man is working for nothing
You better give 'em what they really own
We got to put you down
When we come into town

Singing power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people, right on

I'm gonna ask you comrade and brother
How do you treat your own woman back home
She got to be herself
So she can give herself

Singing power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people, right on

Oh well, power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people
Power to the people, right on, etc.

[Quahog]

63. Oh man....

"The ceremony of innocence is drowned." Indeed.

That poem just made my hair stand up on end, AGAIN.

Just like it did the first time I read it as a freshman in college, twenty-five years ago....

[nannah]

24. rousing eloquence!

you always surprise me with your writing; the passion and depth always exist but the vernacular certainly changes. you are inspiring in your expression of your thinking and observations. i appreciate your work.

[DemLikr]

25. I CALL FOR A TISSUE!

Wow, Will. I came (politically, spiritually) near the close of your piece.

I would love to deliver that sucker as a speech.

The "I will be their whore..." section completely and totally rocked my casbah.

Great work!

[WilliamPitt]

28. Thanks.

[RandomKoolzip]

26. Right On! Rock 'em sock 'em Liberals!

That does my heart good to see William Pitt's essays on this board! Keep 'em coming!

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

27. That was powerful and eloquent.

:toast:

Very well said.

[ninkasi]

29. I can be an elder foot-soldier...

and I will. Let me give you children words that you may heed, or disregard, as you wish. Ask any person on DU how to get to a city in the United States...the city doesn't matter. The correct answer will depend on where the person who answers the question is. I live in Texas, and my directions to Chicago will of course be different than Will's, or from someone who lives in California, or New York City.

We can be Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddist, Pagan, Hindu, or none of the above, and still strive to have a society that is fair, and equal, and free of the stench of corruption that has choaked us all since Bush seized office. We can all fight, each his his own way, each contributing whatever he or she can. The goal is the same. We are ready.

[WilliamPitt]

30. "This is my command, that ye love one another."

Period.

[ninkasi]

32. Yes, Will...

utter simplicity, so often ignored. Following that one commandment precludes the evil we're trying to overthrow. So simple, yet apparently so hard to understand.

[LearnedHand]

37. Or, in the words of a pretty cool bumper sticker:

God bless everyone. No exceptions.

[goobergunch]

62. As an atheist, I concur. (n/t)

[TheReligiousLeft]

31. Friend of mine DID say I looked like a Revolution of One

So as long as Bush keeps our soldiers isolated, feeling like armies of one we can do nothing except become Revolutions of one...
That was a beautiful piece. Fear not, we will win.

[johnny_red]

33. big willy in the hizouse!

you are out of control man. keep firing those rhetorical mortar shells.

hear my battlesong:

I saw the best minds of my generation
destroyed by madness, starving, hysterical
I should be allowed to glue my poster
I should be allowed to think
I should be allowed to glue my poster
I should be allowed to think
I should be allowed to think
I should be allowed to think
and I should be allowed to blurt the merest idea
if by random whim, one occurs to me
If necessary, leave paper stains on the grey utility pole

I saw the worst bands of my generation
applied by magic marker to dry wall
I should be allowed to shoot my mouth off
I should have a call in show
I am not allowed
to ever come up with a single original thought
I am not allowed
To meet the criminal government agent who oppresses me
I was the best hope of my generation
destroyed by madness, starving, hysterical
I should be allowed to share my feelings
I should be allowed to feel
I should be allowed to glue my poster
I should be allowed to think
I should be allowed to think
I should be allowed to think
And I should be allowed to blurt the merest idea
If by random whim one occurs to me but sadly, this can never be
I am not allowed to think

[Tinoire]

34. You've outdone yourself. Bravo Tears to the eyes n/t

[shance]

35. The ultimate price of capitalism is extreme.

I had someone say to me that the system we live with is indeed the antithesis of goodwill toward men, and ultimately the downfall of every government, at least so far.

We must find a balance, where responsibility towards the planet and the people and all living organisms, is equal or BETTER than any profit a select few might gain.

This is when we will truly be victorious.

[maggrwaggr]

38. this brings up something that's been bothering me ...

How to put this .........

it seems that since approximately the time that Howard Dean has been on the cover of Time and Newsweek .....

The din, the anger, the outrage, the DESIRE to get him out of office and into jail has lessened ........

It seems we've decided "yes, the man can be beat, and this is the guy who's gonna do it", so we've lessened our call for justice on the war criminal George Bush.

I get the impression that we think if we can vote him out of office, that will be triumph enough.

I think otherwise. I think George Bush and his cronies will only laugh if this happens. They'll just go into cushy jobs, planning the next coup. Their power won't even be lessened that much.

And they will have gotten away with their crimes.

I feel that if we let Howard Dean and his wonderful campaign do all the heavy lifting (as one poster once said of Senator Byrd) that we're making a mistake.

Which is why I'm responding to this post. This post reflects exactly how I feel. We need not just win an election, but defeat these evil people. Crush them, and put them away somewhere where they can't hurt anyone any more.

Okay I'm done ranting now.

[WilliamPitt]

40. I hadn't noticed a lessening of desire

but perhaps an increase in intra-party gamesmanship which may mask the desire.

Think on it this way. You nor I can take these cads down. One of our candidates, however, can. And so people pour that passion into a candidate, instead of onto the rocks.

[maggrwaggr]

59. Good point, Will. I think people feel helpless ...

I know I do, and have. People know that they can vote. People know they can send money to a candidate. People know they can promote said candidate.

Therefore they get really excited about what they CAN do.

I just hope we don't let up and let these guys off the hook just by beating them in an election (soundly!). They need to go to jail.

[Room101]

43. Checking in and fighting the battle .........................

Tom Paine style if you know what I mean:)My father delt with worse, my mothers family delt with worse. I will not fold I will not give.

[WillyT]

44. I'm There !!! --- Way Ta Go Will !!!

Beautiful words.

O8)

[Nlighten1]

46. Where do I sign up?

As long as the form doesn't say anything about god (maybe a Freedom god) you have yourself a recruit.

[Darranar]

48. Wow...

That's all I can say. Excellent post. One of the best I've ever read.

[CWebster]

49. I don't call for no gd army

no gd army.

[Postman]

50. WE must liberate ourselves with the WFD (weapon of fascsist destruction)..

the VOTE. Don't let them pull another Florida !!! Touch-screen voting WITH A PAPER TRAIL PRINTOUT and nothing less.

[bobthedrummer]

51. Count me as an irregular trooper

eom

[MadHound]

52. "Come, we go chant down Babylon one more time" Bob Marley

Agreed Will, once more into the breach. Our grandfathers and great-grandfathers had to throw off the yoke of unbridled capitalism during the Gilded Age. And now it is our turn.

Do what you can, when you can, but let us all do something to bring our nation back into the firm grip of we the people. Remember, the few, no matter how powerful, can never stand against the many. Our cause is just, our fury righteous. All that is left is a matter of time.

So come we go chant down Babylon one more time.

[zeemike]

53. So then

We agree on almost everything. Particularly on the fact that most Christians do not follow the teachings of Jesus. In fact many of the actions that they take are the direct opposite of what Jesus preached.
But when it comes to war of any kind you louse me. You must remember what Jesus said about the end times that we should not be troubled by these events because these were things that had to come about.
And the whole purpose of this learning experience is to learn the art of war no more. And I long for the time when people no longer declare war on anything, even war itself.

[redwitch]

55. Sir, Yes sir

:luvya: WillPitt

"And lend your voices
only to sounds of freedom
No longer lend yourself
to that which
you wish to be free from
Fill your lives with love and bravery
and you shall lead
a life uncommon". -Jewel

[Character Assassin]

56. 'Twas ever thus

There is nothing new under the sun.

[ElementaryPenguin]

57. Beautiful, Will. Let's take it to the streets!! We need to march now!!

I don't believe we have the luxury of waiting for the 2004 election! These monstrous BFEE/PNAC ghouls need to be stopped before they start another war and/or go nuclear!!

[lapislzi]

60. Gotta kick this, o thou argent-tongued Celt

go on with yer blarney, son. The fire warms us all.

:kick:

[goobergunch]

61. This deserves a kick

:kick:

[Quahog]

64. So, Will, if you're going to lash yourself to rotten wood...

... dammit, why don't you run for public office?

This country would be a better place if we could have voices like yours front and center in the public arena. I want to see you read this on the floor of the senate, and have it become part of the congressional record.

Will Pitt for SOMETHING in '04!!!

[goobergunch]

68. If Kerry becomes President...

I want Will Pitt to run for his seat.

[goobergunch]

69. MASSACHUSETTS LAW (because I can't edit my post)

Chapter 54: Section 139 Senatorial vacancies

Section 139. Upon failure to choose a senator in congress or upon a vacancy in said office, the vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term of the following biennial state election provided said vacancy occurs not less than seventy days prior to the date of the primaries for nominating candidates to be voted for at such election, otherwise at the biennial state election next following. Pending such election the governor shall make a temporary appointment to fill the vacancy, and the person so appointed shall serve until the election and qualification of the person duly elected to fill such vacancy.

http://www.state.ma.us/legis/laws/mgl/54-139.htm

[hunter]

65. A message to George W. Bush from Benjamin Franklin--

"Convert the brave honest Officers of your Navy into pimping Tide-waiters and Colony Officers of the Customs. Let those who in Time of War fought gallantly in Defence of the Commerce of their Countrymen, in Peace be taught to prey upon it. Let them learn to be corrupted by great and real Smugglers, but (to shew their Diligence) scour with armed Boats every Bay, Harbour, River, Creek, Cove or Nook throughout the Coast of your Colonies, stop and detain every Coaster, every Wood-boat, every Fisherman, tumble their Cargoes, and even their Ballast, inside out and upside down; and if a Penn'orth of Pins is found un-entered, let the Whole be seized and confiscated. Thus shall the Trade of your Colonists suffer more from their Friends in Time of Peace, than it did from their Enemies in War. Then let these Boats Crews land upon every Farm in their Way, rob the Orchards, steal the Pigs and Poultry, and insult the Inhabitants. If the injured and exasperated Farmers, unable to procure other Justice, should attack the Agressors, drub them and burn their Boats, you are to call this High Treason and Rebellion, order Fleets and Armies into their Country, and threaten to carry all the Offenders three thousand Miles to be hang'd, drawn and quartered. O! this will work admirably!"

The Public Advertiser, September 11, 1773

[DinahMoeHum]

66. One more reporting, Suuhh!!!

n/t

:kick::kick::kick:

[mcar]

67. I'm in

Beautiful and moving. Thanks, Will :)