Tears in our eyes, our hearts enveloped in sadness
Going through the pain, sharing the grief
Faces of Bali, faces of SIEV-X drowned at sea
Faces of Afghans, faces from Iraq, from Palestine, from Kashmir, from Chechnya, from New York
From every avoidable tragedy
People dying, killed, maimed displaced exiled unwanted refugees
Rejected, demonised, aggrieved, killed, orphaned, widowed, unwanted, unloved, a heart-wrenching human catastrophe.
Guilty of searching for freedom, respect, democracy.
Guilty of running from arbitrary arrests, raids, over zealous security agencies.
Men in suits tell us: it's okay, they are different from "you" and "me"
They are "Them", the "Other", a threat to what makes us "We".
Lies of children overboard, hijacking boats, cells and sleepers and terror in the skies and on the seas.
The green menace, here to convert you, us, me.
Politicians, betray not our sovereignty
Propagate not hatred, take not orders outside your constituency
No to war, No to hate, No to what you monger of fear
Leaders of the "free" world, I speak, I call, my words you must hear.
I speak with the voice of billions, united, your notice, take heed.
Rejecting exploitation, expediency, expendability, suppression, oppression and horrible smears.
A message for you and every sycophant, for all to see and hear
Today, together we stand, joined by our common humanity
United under God, a message of friendship, love, appreciating, respecting our beautiful diversity
Producing goodwill and love, promoting all the values and principles of human decency.
BY KEYSAR TRAD
Presented at multi-faith event at Sydney's St. Vincent's Church.
From Green Left Weekly, January 15, 2003.
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