We are a nation of cowards,
A collection of hypocrites.
We will stand and fight,
But not on our own soil.
We will bleed and die,
For our rights and freedoms.
Yet we will deny liberty,
To those we do not like.
Who will take a stand,
For those not of our blood?
Who will hold the line,
In the name of another creed?
Will you take up the sword,
Stained with innocent blood?
Will you take up the scales,
And judge your fellow man?
It is easier to hate,
Easier to let slip the hounds.
No safe haven for the dove,
In a nation of falconers.
I have wept crimson tears,
For the dead of my enemy.
I refuse to see guilt,
written on the flesh of children.
Who will stand with me,
Who will hear the call?
There is no freedom for us,
If we take it from others.
A contest entry
- Speaking of Society by Cupcrazy.
450 points, ended March 23, 2007, 15 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 15 of 15
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I would have to say speak for yourself on this subject as there are many in our nation whom are proud Patriots that would defend their country to no end. Though being that I read your homepage you may be talking of England? Though I know some very patriotic people there also. Actually there are atleast a few million that already have fought on this soil as if they hadn't you more than likely wouldn't be writing this. So whom exactly are you calling Cowards? Have you stood up for your country? Have you served in the armed forces? Regardless either way our colors don't run and if you are an American you are because of that and the men and women that died for your rights and liberties. "If you are ashamed to stand by your colors, you had better seek another flag." Ken IBT
Have a great day
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I wouldn't mind so much if America where currently fighting for it's freedom on American soil. The poem was aimed at the cowards who quite happily fight on other people's soil, destroy other people's countries and do it in the name of freedom so they can sit on their sofas at home and be happy and content they are fighting the good fight.
It's a moral highground built from the bodies of innocents who have died in Vietnam, Somalia and Iraq. -
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I guess you haven't looked at the greater picture...in Iraq if I recall their dictator killed hundreds of thousands of his own people by horrific means, his own people by mustard gas....I guess this is OK? No one should stand and help these people?( That would be cowardess) There were mass graves where he dug them and just bulldozed them over without proper burials or any kind of respect to them as human beings...flash back Hitler...millions of Jewish people and he was part Jewish. The other countries you talk of as such Samalia is run by a war lord whom steals the aid sent by America and other countries in the UN and uses it for profit...another war torn area...and just slaughters people by cutting them up in bits and pieces..but that is OK? I don't always agree to fighting wars, especially those in other countries...though being a Patriot whom believes all should be free and shouldn't live under a continuous threat on a minute to minute basis. Someone has to help the innocent. Yes it may not be our battle, but if you lived but a mere fraction in one of theses areas you would change your views quite quickly. You would want someone to help. It is easy to judge others from sitting in your chair as you are safe and free, but being in the others place and walking in their shoes is reality...It may be true that there are cowards in our country, but the men and women of our countries services are far from that. It wasn't their decision, though they all volunteered to serve their country, We, they are only following orders and do it as if we were on our own soil protecting YOU and the rest of our people. Do you not feel safe in your home or in your daily routines? Are your children able to go out and play without fear? I believe we should all be free and enjoy life without the threats of the real COWARDS the ones whom prey on the innocent. The ones whom use fear to their advantage. The ones whom intentionally kill thousands for shits and giggles and use this as a bargaining tool. Those are COWARDS.....have a great day, Ken IBT
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I'm glad you mentioned that mustard gas. That atrocity was two decades ago, it was commited using mustard gas that America conveniantly supplied the main components for. Since Saddam was America's puppy back then, America never made a big fuss about it. Now, two decades later when Saddam doesn't do as he's told anymore, it's dragged up as an excuse to go to war.
The 'big picture' my friend is that governments are content to ignore atrocity and evil untill such a time as they can profit from it. Saddam was a bad man, aye, but what of the South American regimes? What of Darfur and Zimbabwe? Your moral highground is built on a mountain of corpses sacrified by your governemnt for economic and politcal gain wrapped up in a thin coating of moral superiority as justification.
Patriotism is the last refuge of those who blindly kill for a government that nop longer cares for the principles and morals those soldiers fight and die for. -
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And one more thing all those countries you continue to speak of were at war long before America intervened trying to help them. America also supports countries with billions of dollars and billions in aide, food, clothing, water, medical supplies...what is the gain in countries such as Samalia? If America is so Evil then why is it so many have called upon her in a time of need? What did we get out of world war II? If I'm correct England wouldn't be were it is today if it weren't for America as after the war we helped rebuild your economy. When has another country come to the aide of America during her times of Need? All the things that have happened on our soil mostly by mother nature, though we continue to help ourself. I think you need a better look at history and stop pointing your finger as it is easily done and no facts to back it.
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Check your own dacts if you will. Britian had sunk or diasabled the German surface fleet by 1941, we had beaten the Luftwaffe and stopped any German hopes of invasion in 1940, we held off the Germans in North Africa by 1941, forcing Germany to launch it's doomed attack through russia to secure oil from that direction.
We could never of invaded Europe without American help and although American equipment was of great use, Britain saved herself. -
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Facts; Furthermore, your statement dismisses the fact that the US through the Destroyers for Bases agreement in 1940 and the Lend Lease Act in 1941 provided war materials to the Allies prior to joining the war.
Moreover, there is really no doubt that had the US not joined the war both Britain and the Soviet Union would have lost.
Prior to Operation Barbarossa in June of 1941, the Nazi invasion of Russia, Britain was a defeated nation fighting a defensive war. The rapidness and totality of the UK's defeat on the European Continent culminating with the Battle of Dunkirk proves this point.
Had the Japanese not bombed Pearl Harbor bringing the US into the war, there really is no doubt that the Nazis would have regroup after the harsh Russian winter of 1941-1942 and secured a victory leaving the UK as the lone opponent against Germany. Inevitably, this would have either forced the UK to capitulate to the Nazis or paved the road for a full scale invasion of the UK homeland.
Even if the Nazis did not conquer Russia in 1942, not having the US in the war would have extended World War II by at least a couple of years allowing Germany time to perfect its Wunder Waffens (wonder weapons), and product V2 rockets in sufficient quantities to wreak further havoc on the UK.
And let's not also forgot that, by their own admission, the only Allied general the Nazis truly feared was George S. Patton -
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Interesting collection of fallacies.
It is true Britain was unprepared and suffered disasters initialy, culminating in the loss of the BEF and the defeat in Norway, you forgot about that one.
However you make a few leaps of false logic. Britain had destroyed the German surface fleet before 1941 and with the breaking of German codes, combined with new technologies and tactics, the U-Boat threat was diminished by 1942 and after '43 was never really a concern.
The British had retreated across North Africa but Rommel had found, even after gaining Tobruk, that he could not press an advantage into Egypt. The British garriosns at Gibraltar and malta, combined with the suez canal route, kept that theatre from threat.
The end result of a war without American involvement would of been a stalemate with Germany holding europe and Britain arranginga seperate peace. This is of course a bad thing.
However, as I have stated, Amnerica saved France it diod not save Britain.
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So you still have gone around all the issues presented and only picked out those in which you have some knowledge of. Big deal you still have had America as your Ali so my question is if America is so bad, so Evil then why do you live here?
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I don't, I live in England.
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It's apparent that you are anti-American so why do you live here, or claim to live here, Aye? You have pointed out so many things but have gone around the inevitable. I don't believe it was America that killed the hundreds of thousands of the Iraqi people...do you think that America is the only place Iraq got it's weapons from? So if you were to buy a gun in America and decided to go out and kill someone, I suppose that would be America's fault too? Also I believe the Brits were there long before America if you were to read up on your history as they were there for the oil and had a flag there and basically it was under British rule until a time where they finally backed out of there. Also if I remember correctly Saddam was our ali until he decided to invade Kuwait just to show his use of power going after Arab oil. You are quick to point fingers, but the bottom line is the leaders of those countries were in control and made the decisions to kill on their own without conscience...I noticed you failed to answer any of the questions I have brought up. There are no excuse to go to war, but if you can't see that Saddam killed hundreds of thousands of his own people and that alone was good enough reason for another country to put a stop to it as so many other countries such as yours and all of Europe stood by and watched and did nothing..somebody had to step up to the plate..So America is the bad guy for stopping another Hitler...have a great day, go home as you aren't an American and your words have shown this.
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Very nice piece that conveys your opinions clearly and with emotion. Great write. Bunny
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I guess some poeple just forget...
9/11 by the Numbers
Death, destruction, charity, salvation, war, money, real estate, spouses, babies, and other September 11 statistics.
The initial numbers are indelible: 8:46 a.m. and 9:02 a.m. Time the burning towers stood: 56 minutes and 102 minutes. Time they took to fall: 12 seconds. From there, they ripple out.
Total number killed in attacks (official figure as of 9/5/02): 2,819
Number of firefighters and paramedics killed: 343
Number of NYPD officers: 23
Number of Port Authority police officers: 37
Number of WTC companies that lost people: 60
Number of employees who died in Tower One: 1,402
Number of employees who died in Tower Two: 614
Number of employees lost at Cantor Fitzgerald: 658
Number of U.S. troops killed in Operation Enduring Freedom: 22
Number of nations whose citizens were killed in attacks: 115
Ratio of men to women who died: 3:1
Age of the greatest number who died: between 35 and 39
Bodies found "intact": 289
Body parts found: 19,858
Number of families who got no remains: 1,717
Estimated units of blood donated to the New York Blood Center: 36,000
Total units of donated blood actually used: 258
Number of people who lost a spouse or partner in the attacks: 1,609
Estimated number of children who lost a parent: 3,051
Percentage of Americans who knew someone hurt or killed in the attacks: 20
FDNY retirements, January–July 2001: 274
FDNY retirements, January–July 2002: 661
Number of firefighters on leave for respiratory problems by January 2002: 300
Number of funerals attended by Rudy Giuliani in 2001: 200
Number of FDNY vehicles destroyed: 98
Tons of debris removed from site: 1,506,124
Days fires continued to burn after the attack: 99
Jobs lost in New York owing to the attacks: 146,100
Days the New York Stock Exchange was closed: 6
Point drop in the Dow Jones industrial average when the NYSE reopened: 684.81
Days after 9/11 that the U.S. began bombing Afghanistan: 26
Total number of hate crimes reported to the Council on American-Islamic Relations nationwide since 9/11: 1,714
Economic loss to New York in month following the attacks: $105 billion
Estimated cost of cleanup: $600 million
Total FEMA money spent on the emergency: $970 million
Estimated amount donated to 9/11 charities: $1.4 billion
Estimated amount of insurance paid worldwide related to 9/11: $40.2 billion
Estimated amount of money needed to overhaul lower-Manhattan subways: $7.5 billion
Amount of money recently granted by U.S. government to overhaul lower-Manhattan subways: $4.55 billion
Estimated amount of money raised for funds dedicated to NYPD and FDNY families: $500 million
Percentage of total charity money raised going to FDNY and NYPD families: 25
Average benefit already received by each FDNY and NYPD widow: $1 million
Percentage increase in law-school applications from 2001 to 2002: 17.9
Percentage increase in Peace Corps applications from 2001 to 2002: 40
Percentage increase in CIA applications from 2001 to 2002: 50
Number of songs Clear Channel Radio considered "inappropriate" to play after 9/11: 150
Number of mentions of 9/11 at the Oscars: 26
Apartments in lower Manhattan eligible for asbestos cleanup: 30,000
Number of apartments whose residents have requested cleanup and testing: 4,110
Number of Americans who changed their 2001 holiday-travel plans from plane to train or car: 1.4 million
Estimated number of New Yorkers suffering from post-traumatic-stress disorder as a result of 9/11: 422,000
http://nymag.com/news/articles/wtc/1year/numbers.htm -
No beating around the bush here... It's quite the same here in Europe, I guess it is a 'privilege' of affluent societies that they exercize with a mindset reflecting the title of your poem. But the ones who direct society, who move and shake the world and send nations to war to fight other nations, live from a different frame of mind still. One that is not caught easily in words, because most know nothing about them and what it is that moves them. Thank you for creating and sharing and good luck in the contest. I hope your words will incite many to think and explore, not just utter the standard reactions (pro or against). Take care,
U
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