Monday, April 9, 2012

What Must Be Said --- Gunter Grass

Why have I been silent, silent for so long?,
        Our generals have gamed it out,
        Confident the west will survive.
We people have not even been considered.

     What is this right to “preventive war”?
  A war that could erase the Iranian people.
Dominated by it’s neighbor, pulsing with righteousness
     Smug in the fact that it is they, not Iran,
                  Who have the Bomb.

Why have I so far avoided to identify Israel by it’s name?,
       Israel and it’s ever increasing nuclear arsenal,
       Beyond reproach, Uncontrolled, uninspected.

                   We all know these things
Yet we all remain silent, fearful of being labeled:
                           anti-Semitic
                           hateful
                           worse

Considering Germany’s past these labels stick
So we call is “business”, “reparation” take your pick,
          As we deliver yet another submarine.
As we provide to Israel the means to deliver annihilation.
                       I say what must be said.

        Why did I stay silent until now?
        Because I’m German, of course.
   I’m tainted by a stain I cannot wash out
 I’m silent because I want so badly to make it right
To put my sins in the past and leave them silently there.

      Why did I wait to say it until now?
And write these words with the last of my ink?
 Declaring that Israel threatens world peace?
  Because it is true and it must be said,
         Tomorrow will be too late.

We Germans now carry a new burden of sin on our shoulders
                    Through the weapons we have sold
     We are helping to carry out this foreseeable tragedy
           No excuse will remove our stain of complicity.

                 It must be said. I won’t be silent
              I’ve had enough of the hypocrisy;
               Please shed the silence with me,
        The consequences are all too predictable.

 It’s time to demand free and permanent control
              of BOTH Israel’s nuclear arsenal
                  AND Iran’s nuclear facilities
          enforced with international supervision.

It’s the only way, in a land convulsed with insanity,
        Israelis, Palestinians, everybody, will survive.
                   And we too, will survive.

— © http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Gunter Grass reads every mind of human who want peace in Middle-east: praise the peace process.

Now in the Middle East Israel deem to set itself above all others in the region. It prefers to rule by the fear of fang and claw that is nuclear obliteration, rather than to work and strive towards keeping the peace in the region through equality, brotherhood and respect for one’s neighbor.

Grass is saying about israel being a threat to iran and a threat to world peace.

Why do all commentators abusing Grass and want him under their propaganda against middle-east.

Why don't you ask for international inspections in the Israel which undoubtedly does possess these weapons?.

Independent said...

Robert Fisk: Must we stand idly by while world leaders spout this codswallop?