Roger Waters on Gaza: We Shall Overcome
Roger Waters of Pink Floyd fame was moved to record this version of We Shall Overcome after the act of Israeli piracy off Gaza’s coast. The piece and the accompanying images are moving, and remind us all to stand together in the face of Israeli oppression, occupation, and now piracy. In the words of Desmond Tutu, “In the world, you have very bad people…and they look like they are going to win. All of them–all of them–have bitten the dust.”
In his own words:
“Over the new year 2009-2010, an international group of 1500 men and women from 42 nations went to Egypt to join a Freedom March to Gaza. They did this to protest the current blockade of Gaza. To protest the fact that the people of Gaza live in a virtual prison. To protest the fact that a year after the terror attack by Israeli armed forces destroyed most of their homes, hospitals, schools, and other public buildings, they have no possibility to rebuild because their borders are closed. The would be Freedom Marchers wanted to peacefully draw attention to the predicament of the Palestinian population of Gaza. The Egyptian government, (funded to the tune of $2.1 billion a year, by us, the US tax payers), would not allow the marchers to approach Gaza. How lame is that? And how predictable! I live in the USA and during this time Dec 25th 2009-Jan3rd 2010 I saw no reference to Gaza or the Freedom March or the multi national protesters gathered there. Anyway I was moved, in the circumstances, to record a new version of ” We shall overcome”. It seems appropriate.
Roger Waters
Many thanks to G.E Smith: lead guitar and Thor Jonsson, drum programming and whatever. Thanks guys!!!
PS. 3rd June 2010
And now piracy!!!!!!!
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06/15/2010 at 3:56 pm
My dear, can you imagine that a country is suspicious of ‘goods’ being brought into another entity that has declared they want to destroy that country?
I am, totally, against the collective punishment Israel is placing upon the PEOPLE of Gaza – however, can you not at all imagine that one can be suspicious when the leaders of that country has declared eternal war against us?
Oh, and this was NOT a ship meant to bring you relief. It was a political game of the Turks (who were refused to become part of the EU and are now seeking to become ‘leaders’ in the Arab world).
Don’t let political tricks play you like that. Start to recognize that ONLY when people meet people (and not in show-cases like this Turkish theater) there can ever be a chance to reach peace and thus justice to all based on a common value of equality.
06/17/2010 at 6:08 pm
Many Thanks to Roger Waters for his passionate “We Shall Overcome” How sweet for Riger to show such big love to a people so willing to give it back manifold in big love of their own. We all make love by helping those who are unfairly persecuted. The laws of grace dont require much of us in the way of effort if we depend on our hearts to show us the way. A good heart is obediant to the needs and will of others and always kind to such strangers as the Samaritan of modern days, Roger Waters is abundantly kind and his big love is flying freely these days without hesitation, You have to love love, Bless you Roger, I’m really feeling it now, brother. Peace but lets have some justice with that peace, is what this is and it’s beautiful! Thanks to Gaza Moms the world over for knowing a good thing when they see it.
06/28/2010 at 8:39 am
Nice blog, please keep it up for the better of Palestian people.