“The worst thing is that we live in a contaminated moral environment. We feel morally ill because we became used to saying something different from what we thought. Concepts such as love, friendship, compassion, humility or forgiveness lost their depth and dimension.”
― Václav Havel
I must say that I deeply, madly miss Vaclav Havel. He was a compass for me and also for the many Czechs I lived among for so many of those turbulent just post-communist years. I drank beer and discussed so much about life with my Czech friends. But never would one drinking session pass without Havel entering the conversation. Read some of his quotes, suck on each of them, like a lemon drop.
His was one of unwavering commitment to “the word” and the truth in your heart. A call to not be silent when evil is there befor our eyes.
The university students of the West or East or North or South, have always got it right. I applaud this. Whatever issue, whatever country - if the university kids are speaking up - you better listen or you are on the wrong side of history, mister. They represent the heartbeat of a nation, a people. The moral compass that only youth can provide.
There is no bigger issue than this fight, the freedom to say what you want to say. It’s basically the majority of the articles on this substack of mine, the thread that holds them all together. Read this oldish essay by Lessig (such a bright mind, one of my heroes).
So, it is with much anger that I write about the current brown shirts, beating up, arresting our youth. And for what? For saying ENOUGH - there is a genocide going on.
We all should be ashamed. Our policing has become as true as any dictatorship has - a military, with equipment and tactics to match (thank you for training them heil Israel). It doesn’t work for the people. But the voice inside, the moral voice we all have, finds a home in our youth. I find such precious music and comfort in that.
So I say to all those in university. Keep it up. Get out there. Say what you want to say. That freedom is worth fighting for.
Say What You Want To Say.
Say what you need to say
There is no time left, to wait.
Go out into the streets, forget their hate.
Say what you need to say,
Your heart can’t wait.
When they tell you to go shut up.
When they tell you to go home
When they tell you to be a good little boy or girl,
When they tell you go play on your phone,
When they smirk and lie and churl
Raise your voice and be heard, you are not alone.
Say what you want to say.
Teach your tongue to speak
what is in your heart.
Say what you want to say -
loud, soft, fast, bad or in part.
It doesn’t matter how, just say it any way
just say it, say what you want to say.
They don’t want your honest views.
They’ll then always lose.
They don’t want the truth you choose.
They’ll then just get confused.
The only way their evil wins is if
You just hunker and go away.
But no.
Say what you want to say.
It’s your one life and live it straight away.
Say what you want to say
Evil can only be defeated when with it you don’t play.
Go out into the street, don’t let silence reign.
Go out into the markeplaces and have your say
Go out into the public spaces and make it plain
That you’re always going to - say what you want to say.
For me, it's all and only about freedom. For me, without freedom, there is no point in anything. So, take away all the numbers, all the statistics, all the models and predictions. All the promises and threats, all the steel hand in velvet glove coercion, take all of that away. For me, it all boils down to something simple.
I declare that I am a free man.
Say What You Want To Say