Outro Songtext
von Masakari

When I first joined the army, we were told that racism no longer
Existed in the military. A legacy of inequality and discrimination
Was suddenly washed away by something called the Equal Opportunity
Program. We would sit through mandatory classes and every unit had
This EO representative to ensure that no elements of racism could
Resurface. And the army seemed firmly dedicated to smashing any
Hint of racism. And then, September 11th happened, and I began to
Hear new words like "towelhead" and "camel jockey" and, the most
Disturbing, "sand nigger." And these words did not initially come
From my fellow soldiers, but from my superiors: my platoon sergeant
My company first sergeant, battalion commander. All the way up the
Chain of command, these terms, these viciously racist terms were
Suddenly acceptable. I noticed that most, the most overt racism
Came from veterans of the first Gulf War. And those are the words
They used when they were incinerating civilian convoys. Those are
The words they used when this government deliberately targeted
Civilian infrastructure, bombing water supplies, knowing that it
Would kill hundreds of thousands of children. Those were the words
The American people used when they allowed this
Government to sanction Iraq. This is something


That many people forget. And we can′t forget
And I was guarding this prisoner, and my job was to make sure he kept
Standing up, but something was wrong with his leg. He was, he was
Injured, and he kept, like, stu-like, falling to the ground. Uh, and
My, the sergeant in charge would come and tell me to get him up off
His feet, so I'd have to pick him up and put him against the wall
And, he kept going down, I′d just have to keep pulling him up and
Putting him against the wall. And my sergeant came along and, and he
Was upset with me for not, you know, making him continue to stand
Uh, he picked him up and slammed him against the wall several times
Um, and then he left, and, and when the man went down on the ground
Again, I noticed blood pouring down from under the sandbag. Uh
And so I let him sit, and when I noticed my sergeant coming again
I would tell him quickly to stand up. And I realized that I was
Supposed to be guarding my unit from this detainee. And at that
Point I realized I was guarding the detainee from my unit. And I
Tried hard to be proud of my service, but all I could feel was shame
The racism could no longer mask the reality of the occupation
These were people. These were human beings. I've since been plagued
By guilt any time I see an elderly man, like the one who couldn't
Walk, who we rolled onto a stretcher, and told the Iraqi police to
Take him away. I feel guilt any time I see a mother with her
Children, like the one who cried hysterically and screamed that we
Were worse than Saddam as we forced her from her home. I feel guilt
Any time I see a young girl, like the one I grabbed by the arm and
Dragged into the street. We are told we are fighting terrorists
The real terrorist is me, and the real terrorism is this occupation
Racism within the military has long been an important tool to justify
The destruction and occupation of another country. It has long been
Used to justify the killing, subjugation and torture of another
People. Racism is a vital weapon employed by this government
It is a more important weapon than a rifle, a tank, a bomber
Or a battleship. It is more destructive than an artillery shell
Or a bunker buster or a Tomahawk missile. While all those
Weapons are created and owned by this government, they are
Harmless without people willing to use them. Those who send us
To war do not have to pull a trigger or lob a mortar round. They
Do not have to fight the war, they merely have to sell the war
They need a technical war machine, they need soldiers who are willing
To kill and be killed without question. They can spend millions on
A single bomb. But that bomb only becomes a weapon when the ranks of
The military are willing to follow orders to use it. They can send
Every last soldier anywhere on Earth, but there will only be a war
If soldiers are willing to fight. And the ruling class, the
Billionaires who profit from human suffering, care only about
Expanding their wealth, controlling the world economy, understand
That their power lies only in their ability to convince us that war
Oppression and exploitation is in our interest. They understand that
The wealth, their wealth is dependent on their ability to convince
The working class to die to control the market of another country
And convincing us to kill and die is based on their ability to make
Us think that we are somehow superior. Soldiers, sailors, marines
Airmen have nothing to gain from this occupation. The vast majority
Of people living in the U.S. have nothing to gain from this
Occupation. In fact, not only do we have nothing to gain, but we
Suffer more because of it. We lose limbs, endure trauma and give
Our lives. Our families have to watch flag draped coffins lowered
Into the earth. Millions in this country without health care
Jobs or access to education must watch this government squander
Over $450 million a day on this occupation. Poor and working
People in this country are sent to kill poor and working people
In another country to make the rich richer. And without racism
Soldiers would realize that they have more in common with the
Iraqi people than they do with the billionaires who send us to war