> >Israeli Protest Song Banned from Army Radio >by Richard Silverstein on October 15, 2012 >in Mideast Peace >There was once a time when Israeli songs like A Matter of Habit were routinely >written, aired and became hits. These were songs of political commentary or >protest, songs of hope and idealism. They represented the aspirations of >Israel’s secular liberal (generally Ashkenazi) elite. But that was long ago. > >Which is why the popularity of A Matter of Habit is so extraordinary in >today’s political context. The song, sung by Izhar Ashdot and written by Alona >Kimche, speaks of how an Israeli soldier begins slowly to become degraded to >his own humanity and that of the Palestinians among whom he patrols. It’s not >only a powerful political and social statement, it has those infectious pop >“hooks” that are the mark of a lasting hit. As we used to say way back in the >1960s when such music was popular here: it’s got a message and you can dance >to it. >The song’s popularity will no doubt be amplified by a ban that Galey Tzahal, >Israeli armed forces radio, slapped on the song for “degrading” the IDF. I’m >always amazed that whenever the misdeeds of the IDF are documented and >criticized that doing so somehow in itself becomes an inhuman or degrading >act. So goes the logic of the oppressor who never knows or understands his own >power and oppressive acts. >Here’s a peek into the mind of the military oppressors: >The radio station announced that “Due to the song’s contents, which debase IDF >soldiers, the station commander decided that there is no room on Army Radio to >publicly celebrate a song that denigrates and denounces those that have >sacrificed their life for the defense of the country.” >>The statement continued, “the artist Izhar Ashdot is held in high esteem by >>Army Radio. In this specific case however, we believe with the artistic >>leeway afforded to artists by this station, Army Radio, as a station of >>soldiers, where many soldiers perform their military serve, should avoid >>celebrating a song that demonizes those soldiers.” >It appears that the soldiers of the IDF are so fragile that they cannot >withstand even a bit of scrutiny or introspection without collapsing into a >morass of self-doubt and moral paralysis. God forbid that any such soldier >should question himself or his comrades. The entire military order might >collapse leaving Israel defenseless before the massing hordes of Arab enemies. >Here are the lyrics translated into English: >Chorus: Learning to kill is a matter of a push >>It begins with something small, then it comes easier >>Patrolling all night in the Nablus casbah >>Hey, what here is ours and what’s yours >>The beginning is an experiment >>A rifle butt banging on the door >>Fearful children, a terrified family >>Then a closure, there’s already danger >>Death lies in wait around every corner >>You cock your weapon and your arm trembles >>Your finger tightens around the trigger >>Your heart goes crazy, beats in fright >>It knows that the next one will be a lot easier. >>They aren’t men or women >>They’re only things and shadow >>Learning to kill is a matter of routine. >>Chorus >>Portents from heaven fall upon the streets >>There’s no chance of life going on >>The end is near >>Prophecies of terror >>Like the cries of ravens >>Lock the shutters >>Seal yourself in your homes >>We’re but a handful >>And they are so many >>A tiny country consumed by enemies >>In their hearts there’s only hatred, evil intent and darkness >>Learning to fear is a matter of habit. >>Learning cruelty is a matter of a push >>It begins with something small, and then gets easier >>Every boy is a man thirsting for conquests >>Hands behind the head, feet spread apart >>It’s a time of danger, a time of terror >>A solder who weakens isn’t worthy of mercy >>Your cousin is like an animal >>He’s used to seeing blood. >>He doesn’t feel any pain >>He’s not a human being. >>A field uniform, a jock itch, fragility and routine. >>The distance between stupidity and evil is short. >>The land of Israel is ours and ours alone >>Learning cruelty is a matter of habit. >>Little boy, little boy stop >>Little boy, little boy come back >>Come to me sweetheart >>Come to me my baby >>The skies are threatening and it’s gloomy outside >>Your tin soldiers are still here under your bed >>Come on home little boy >>Come home >>Come home. >>Learning to love is a matter of tenderness >>With a careful step >>And a gentle cloud >>We hesitate and melt >>Become soft and round >>Learning to love is a matter of habit. >>Being a human being is a matter of a push >>Conceived like a fetus and then it’s delivered >>For a moment to be only here, only today >>And to be on the other side of the checkpoint >>But our heart’s already become coarsened >>Our skin thickened >>Deaf and blind in a bubble of this existence >>In wonder we’ll watch the falling angel >>To be a human being is a matter of habit. >The images in the video don’t just represent the lyrics, they expand upon them >visually and reinforce them. They’re a work of art in themselves. The last >image, as Ashdot sings of a falling angel and being a human being, shows the >bruised back of a tortured Palestinian prisoner. It’s an ironic twist on the >lyrics that brings home the message that we Israelis have become these >torturers, but we must strive to be human beings instead. >That such a song, summoning Israelis to return to their innate humanity and >turn away from the brutes they’ve become, should be censored by Israeli media >is the crowning commentary on what latter-day Israel has become. Interesting >also that the song has 460 “Dislikes” and only 330 “Likes.” It’s apparently >hit a very raw nerve. >For those seeking similar wonderful Israeli songs of protest, read my posts on >David Broza’s B’Libi and Chava Alberstein’s Chad Gadya > > > >-- >"Hatred ever kills, love never dies-- such is the vast difference between the >two. What is obtained by love is retained for all time. What is obtained by >hatred proves a burden in reality, for it increases hatred." M. K. Gandhi > The love of one's country is a splendid thing. But why should love stop >at the border? Pablo Casals > Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every >rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and >are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is >not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the >genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children....This is not a way of >life at all in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is >humanity hanging from a cross of iron. *** Dwight D. Eisenhower farewell >speech to the American people. > __. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:[email protected]?subject=laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laamn/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laamn/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
