Union Songs

220 years: intervention or invasion?

A Song by John Tomlinson©John Tomlinson 2008
Inspired by Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the wind."

How many times must a policy fail
before it's tossed in the sea?
How many times must a people be jailed
before they're allowed to be free?

How many times must a politician lie
pretending she just doesn't see?
The answer, my friend, is not blowin' in the wind.
The answer is full autonomy.

How many times will governments try
before they get it half right?
How much blustering will Ministers do
before they stop being up tight?

Yes, 'n' how much trachoma must health workers see
before we restore people's sight?
The answer, my friend, is not blowin' in the wind.
The answer is true humanity.

How much of their land must we take at a time
eroding their dignity?
How much of their welfare will we withhold
pretending there's no poverty?

How many of their kids will we take till we learn
that respect is what sets a people free?
The answer, my friend, is not blowin' in the wind.
The answer is respecting dignity.

How many times will we dismiss it when they say
that too many people have died?
How many generations will we steal till we learn
liberating policies weren't tried?

For how many years will we turn away
ignoring their justice denied?
The answer, my friend, is not blowin' in the wind.
The answer is full autonomy.

The answer, my friend, is not pissin' in the wind.
The answer is for all the world to see.

Notes

Many thanks to John Tomlinson for permission to add this song to the Union Songs website.

Find more of John's work in this collection

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