Sunday, November 06, 2016

This Machine Kills Fascists


Use it wisely.





Dear Mrs. Roosevelt
Words and Music by Woody Guthrie

Dear Mrs. Roosevelt, don't hang your head and cry;
His mortal clay is laid away, but his good work fills the sky; 
This world was lucky to see him born.

He's born in a money family on that Hudson's rocky shore;
Outrun every kid a-growin' up 'round Hyde Park just for fun;
This world was lucky to see him born.

He went away to grade school and wrote back to his folks;
He drew such funny pictures and always pulling a joke;
This world was lucky to see him born.

He went on up towards Harvard, he read his books of law;
He loved his trees and horses, loved everything he saw;
This world was lucky to see him born.

He got struck down by fever and it settled in his leg;
He loved the folks that wished him well as everybody did;
This world was lucky to see him born.

He took his office on a crippled leg, he said to one and all:
"You money changin' racket boys have sure 'nuff got to fall;"
This world was lucky to see him born,

In senate walls and congress halls he used his gift of tongue
To get you thieves and liars told and put you on the run;
This world was lucky to see him born,

I voted for him for lots o' jobs, I'd vote his name again;
He tried to find an honest job for every idle man;
This world was lucky to see him born,

He helped to build my union hall, he learned me how to talk;
I could see he was a cripple but he learned my soul to walk;
This world was lucky to see him born.

You Nazis and you fascists tried to boss this world by hate;
He fought my war the union way and the hate gang all got beat;
This world was lucky to see him born.

I sent him 'cross that ocean to Yalta and to Tehran;
He didn't like Churchill very much and told him man to man;
This world was lucky to see him born.

He said he didn't like DeGaulle, nor no Chiang Kai Shek;
Shook hands with Joseph Stalin, says: "There's a man I like!"
This world was lucky to see him born.

I was torpedoed on my merchant ship the day he took command;
He was hated by my captain, but loved by all ships hands;
This world was lucky to see him born.

I was a Gl in my army camp that day he passed away,
And over my shoulder talkin' I could hear some soldier say:
"This world was lucky to see him born."

I guess this world was lucky just to see him born;
I know this world was lucky just to see him born;
This world was lucky to see him born.

10 comments:

proverbialleadballoon said...

All you fascists bound to lose!

RUKidding said...

Use your head & your heart at the polling booth. And stay in reality-land.

Mr.Shemp said...

It's ALWAYS a good time to quote Woody Guthrie. Probably my favorite album from the last quarter of the 20th Century was the "Mermaid Avenue" project with Billy Bragg and Wilco bringing to life some of Woody's writing that never made it to music. Incredible stuff.

Not sure if you've caught this yet, Drifty - but Jay Rosen at PressThink.org just posted a great article a few days ago: "Speaking truth to audience power". Worth a read.

D. said...

The world was, indeed, lucky to see him born.

Although I was brought short by the mention of Stalin.

But the song was probably written before all the horrors of Stalin were exposed.

And Roosevelt did a great deal of good (or should I say a great Deal) thoough not perfectly. One works with what one has.

I voted absentee.

Robt said...

I realize that when America got Franklin, Germany got Hitler, Span got FRanco and Japan got Ito.

What a difference a vote makes.

It is not a sports game folks.
When McCain's (then) campaign manager Steve Schmidt explains, now on the MSNBC. That Fascism rises when democracy is weak.
Time for conservatives and lazy voters to get to the gym and slug down a V-8.

Pagan in repose said...

Here in Oregon through the beautification of mail-in voting, a wonderment of ease and efficiency, I cast my vote more than three weeks ago. I wish the rest of the country would use it.

Trump is not capable of running the country, only of destroying what is left of our republic.

Do we continue this elusive experiment in governing or do we end it?

jim said...

Gooberdämmerung: Twilight Of The Douchebags.

Remarkable that so many could despise & dread globalism - all the while having their lives massively enriched & kept safe by the rise of globalism.

If war is a failure of diplomacy, fascism is a failure of society.

Lasting immunity from such failures is now a live issue. Neither goal has been feasible prior to a period within living memory.

For fascists, Trump's not a mighty messiah - he's a Hail Mary play.

Robt said...

But if you end this Republic.
What will happen to the poor hedge fund managers. With no money to fund hedgedly?

Who will bail out the Wall Street Banks?

Are you that selfish not to consider the pensions, healthcare our "representatives" who earn these just deserves. and 60 day work years our majority in Congress has to endure, to rule by a small Government that is not big enough to defend the Constitution?

But there is this guy who says only he can FIX it.

Pagan in repose said...

Well, on second thought, more like a game of monopoly than a Republic, but hey, we still get to vote…

Rev.Paperboy said...

Old Man Trump
Words by Woody Guthrie, Music by Ryan Harvey

I suppose that Old Man Trump knows just how much racial hate
He stirred up in that bloodpot of human hearts
When he drawed that color line
Here at his Beach Haven family project

Beach Haven ain't my home!
No, I just can't pay this rent!
My money's down the drain,
And my soul is badly bent!
Beach Haven is Trump’s Tower
Where no black folks come to roam,
No, no, Old Man Trump!
Old Beach Haven ain't my home!

I'm calling out my welcome to you and your man both
Welcoming you here to Beach Haven
To love in any way you please and to have some kind of a decent place
To have your kids raised up in.

Beach Haven ain't my home!
No, I just can't pay this rent!
My money's down the drain,
And my soul is badly bent!
Beach Haven is Trump’s Tower
Where no black folks come to roam,
No, no, Old Man Trump!
Old Beach Haven ain't my home!