"The New Black", artisti palestinesi e sudafricani contro l'apartheid

Uniti contro l’apartheid. La band sudafricana The Mavrix e il musicista palestinese Mohammed Omar hanno prodotto un videoclip, “The New Black”; la canzone è tratta dall’ultimo album del gruppo, “Pura Vida”, uscito a giugno. La canzone, scritta e composta da Jeremy Karodia e Ayub Mayet, è ispirata a “Mornings in Jenin“, libro della scrittrice di origine palestinese Susan Abulhawa, ed è stata concepita a seguito dell’Operazione Piombo Fuso. La collaborazione tra gli artisti sudafricani e palestinesi nasce per la “somiglianza tra le due lotte”, dicono i membri di The Mavrix, e per “esprimere la nostra solidarietà” come popolo che ha “sopportato e lottato contro la stessa oppressione” a cui sono sottoposti i palestinesi.

LYRICS:

Chorus: Did I hear you speak? Did you hear the children plead?
In the deathly cold of night, with no warmth nor food in sight
Did I heard it said won’t you please end the blockade?
Free up the food and free up the aid, oh please end this blockade.

So do not forgive my rudeness, I am described as uncouth and even shameless
You can think me useless, peddling untruth and aimless
I am an interruption of your dinner conversation, a constant irritation and consternation
As opposed to a sovereign nation with a history going back forty generation
Violence, brutality and expulsion signed off in a convoluted human hand
To a land with no people for a people with no land.
In an even stranger twist, an unholy tryst, a superpowers’ black list…
I am no victim I am a terrorist!
So do not forgive my insolence, just answer my questions
Because I am losing patience and this is my time to be your conscience

Chorus: Did I hear you speak? Did you hear the children plead?
In the deathly cold of night, with no warmth nor food in sight
Did I heard it said won’t you please end the blockade?
Free up the food and free up the aid, oh please end this blockade.

So do not forgive my frustration, aggravation and anger
Because the humiliation of the occupation is fraught with danger
It’s par for the course on a sunny day in Augusta or a massacre on an aid flotilla
The memories fade of Sabra and Chatila and a little boy called Mohammed al Durrah
Bombed and blasted into a surreal Stone Age setting seething in strife a nation grieves
For a shrinking shriveling landscape shattered and shaped by the subversion of thieves
In an even stranger twist, the oppressor cries victim and is accepted, lauded and applauded,
In a flurry of sniveling propaganda and hatred!!!
So do not forgive my insolence, just answer my questions
Because I am losing patience and this is my time to be your conscience

Chorus: Did I hear you speak? Did you hear the children plead?
In the deathly cold of night, with no warmth nor food in sight
Did I heard it said won’t you please end the blockade?
Free up the food and free up the aid, oh please end this blockade.

Did I hear you speak? Did you hear the children scream?
When white phosphorous weapons incinerated heaven, and left a nation to bleed
Where was Obama, when the devil came to Gaza?
Did I hear you plead? Show mercy, mercy please.
So do not forgive my sarcasm, my irreverence or cynicism
Because all antagonism or criticism of God’s chosen is forbidden
As visions and hallucinations of peace is spat out from the belly of an M16
Blackhawks & bulldozers batter and betray all reason, deadly and obscene
Conspiracies of conventional and chemical carnage, bearing a simple message
Resistance in action will be met by the glory of western civilization.
Without oration or ovation I beg the question, what’s the price of my forgiveness, Jack?
What the heck? I’ll survive another attack ‘cos you ain’t cuttin’ me no slack
There ain’t no goin’ back, my freedom is on track
Because Palestinian is the new black!

Chorus: Did I hear you speak? Did you hear the children plead?
In the deathly cold of night, with no warmth nor food in sight
Did I heard it said won’t you please end the blockade?
Free up the food and free up the aid, oh please end the blockade.