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ISKRA LYRICS
"Bring the War Home (Split with Against Empire)" (2006 Split album)
1. Sweating Walls
2. Oka
3. Irons
4. My Country Tis of Thy People You're Dying
1. Sweating Walls
2. Oka
In March 1990 at Kanesatake
An absence of justice for the Mohawk people
Forced the hand of a peaceful community
To raise their fists in angry defiance
plan for progress by the township of Oka
Its mayor and council approved destruction of first nation's land
A plot hatched in secret in the 1950's
and the area was taken without restitution
A barricade was raised on the roadway by the first nation's people of Kanesatake
To halt the construction crews who intended to destroy their sacred lands
For the expansion of an existing golf course reserved for the privileged
A grotesque misuse of illegally obtained land
There was no due process in negotiations
The community's pleas were ignored
An order to cease and desist blocking construction
Was met by their unified refusal
The businesses and politicians of Oka
Cried for police intervention
Racists across the country protested
and demanded police intervention
so the barricade was approached and watched by officers
Called from surrounding areas in Quebec
They blocked food and supplies to the entire town
But the people of Kanesatake had reinforcements of their own
Members of a militant resistance group called the Warriors joined their cause
And brought weapons, trained soldiers and fierce determination
The town's plight inspired cooperation
Food was smuggled to them by the Micmac
Solidarity with the first nations was evident across the country
500 protestors rallied at St.. Paul in support
1000 people gathered at a park near Kanesatake to bolster morale
At the first sign of light on July 11th
The signal was sent and the police advanced
They fired weapons and launched smoke grenades
In a display of aggression to disband the resisters
4400 or more officers
2629 of them were troops
1144 military vehicles
Surrounded the community of Kahnasatake
On Sept. 1 without warning the police and military overran the barricade
The protestors mobilized to stop them and rioting ensued
Open fighting on the street with military, police and soldiers
Put an end to the barricade but far from ended this dispute
The remaining protestors retreated to a treatment center
Eventually the last protestors would be subdued
The Warriors escaped under radar in planes to fight another day
And so the military finally withdrew
But still many people were arrested in the aftermath We must not forget so their justice is served too
3. Irons
bound to destruction here we exist
too comfortable, too numb, too weak to resist
in our quest for knowledge we came to insanity
killing the earth for power and vanity
Murder came to us along the way
we questioned not those to blame
very clean he looked, yet grim
Seven bloodhounds followed him
fat from the life-source of their prey
Murder fed them day by day
one by one, and two by two
he tossed them human hearts to chew
next came Fraud, with his false smile
all were fooled by his tactful guile
we nurtured his existence accepted deceit
his clever mind wove our defeat
and the children, too innocent to know
round his feet played to and fro
we showed little care, there was no alarm
turned our backs and let them starve
clothed with the bible, as with light
and in the shadows of the night
like a serpent, next, Hypocrisy
the age old creed of the so called free
and many more destructions played
in this ghastly masquerade
their vile qualities in clever disguise
all respectable to common eyes
last came the cowardly leaders of the state
before their thrones we lay
those leaders bred a ghastly birth
and laid dead all life upon the earth
Hope lurked within this darkening hell
but for those who listened death befell
still She called for all to hear
in hope that truth would overcome fear
rise like lions after slumber
in unvanquishable number
shake your chains to earth like dew
which in sleep had befallen you
’ye are many ---- they are few.‘
what is freedom? ---- ye can tell
that which slavery is too well----
for its very name has grown
to an echo of your own.
it is to work and have such pay
as just keeps life from day to day
in your limbs as in a cell
for the tyrants use to dwell
so that you for them are made
loom, and plow, and sword, and spade,
with or without your own will bent
to their defense and nourishment.
4. My Country Tis of Thy People You're Dying
now that your eyes have finally opened
are you wondering how they must feel?
those who you’ve called colorful, noble and proud
in your school propaganda books and spoken aloud
you never learned how they were starved in their splendor
you asked for my comment, here I will render
now that the long-houses breed superstition
you force us to send our children away
to schools where they’re taught to despise their traditions
you forbid them their languages, then further you say
that American history really began
When Europe set sail, then stress
that the nation of leeches that conquered this land
are the ones more civilized than all of the rest
and yet where in your history books is the tale
of the genocide basic to this country’s birth
of the preachers who lied, how the bill of rights failed
how a nation of patriots returned to their earth?
hear how the bargain was made for the west:
children dying of exposure in zero degrees
blankets for your land, so the treaties attest
blankets for land is a bargain indeed
and yet a few of the conquered have somehow survived
their blood runs the redder though genes have paled
from the Grand Canyon’s caverns to craven sad hills
the wounded, the losers,the robbed sing their tale
the past it just crumbled, the future just threatens
our life blood shut up in your chemical tanks
and now here you come, bill of sale in your hands
and surprise in your eyes that we’re lacking in thanks
for the blessings of civilization you’ve brought us
the lessons you’ve taught us,the ruins that you’ve wrought us --
see what our trust in America’s brought us
my country ‘tis of thy people you’re dying
the pride of the sires receives charity
we’re harmless and safe behind their laws
my life’s to be known as your “heritage”
even the graves have been robbed
our own chosen way is a novelty
hands on our hearts
we salute your victory
choke on your blue, white and scarlet hypocrisy
blind, ignorant nations is all that we see
that the eagles of war
whose wings lent you glory
they were never no more
than carrion crows
they pushed the wrens from their nests
and stole their eggs
a historical whitewash-- re-writing their story
the mockingbird sings it, it’s all that he knows
“what can I do?” say a powerless few
with a lump in your throat and a tear in your eye
their destruction is profiting you
their poverty’s profiting you
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