The Gypsy Jack Boggle Show is a friend of The Network.
The post below has come from GJB.
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It is not particularly nice to point
out that here in Australia we have situation similar to the one that gave rise
to a previous post which identified the 28 Mexicans killed whilst beingdeported from America in 1948. For sixty five years around the world they have
simply been known as "deportees".
Here in Australia we have similar
deaths, some due to Australian behaviour. Our situation differs in two ways -
nameless refugees are drowned trying to get here and unrecognised applicants
are deported by Australian for frequent torture and death in their originating
lands.
It seems to matter not to Australian
citizens that they are unnamed and unrecognised as individuals.
Sixty five years ago Woodie Guthrie
recognised not only the wrong in the capitalist system practised by his nation
but also the wrong done to each of those individuals killed.
I will conclude this post with a
performance of the song by Guthrie's son Arlo. My previous post was a share
from another American singer, Judy Collins. That post identifies at last the
individual Mexicans killed whilst being deported from America.
What I would like to know is whether
here in Australia anyone has written a song having the resonance of Woodie's
"Deportees"?
In the past Phyl Lobl and I think Fay
White have written songs about the fate of the SIEVX, itself an acronym.
Today more and more refugees are
dying at sea and in offshore concentration camps.
Do any of you folk song writers out
there have the skill, the ability and most importantly the empathy with the
plight of these people to write a song that can resonate around the world as
Guthrie's poem and Hoffman's tune have done?
Please widely share and for those not
familiar with "deportees" please enjoy the following version which
although only 65 years old is established as a folk song of "today's
heritage"or part of the "people's long memory".
Arlo Guthrie, "Deportee"
This video is meant to demonstrate by music + images that the immigration problem isn't new, but has a long history. This video takes no political position.
This video is meant to demonstrate by music + images that the immigration problem isn't new, but has a long history. This video takes no political position.
Gypsy Jack
Listen to Horsham's Community Radio Station 3H 96.5FM
- Sundays 1-4 pm The Gypsy Jack Boggle Show,
Themes: Australian, Celtic, English, World, Long Sets & Ballads, Classical.
- Mondays 8-12 pm Gypsy Jack's Luscious Late Listen
bringing you jazz and late night loving lyrics.
All interspersed with poetry & Good Cheer!
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