Have you every felt shame for what was done in your country's name

I would like to post some lyrics from an Irish singer songwriter "Damien Dempsey".

These lyrics made me think how much so much wrong has been done by so many in our various countries names and is still being done today. This song really made me think of all the military, economic and political control that is still trying to be exerted even today by nations over other nations in our names, whether it be Russia, China, The U.S., The European Union - we all have to take responsibility for our own countries shame and effect a change in this world.

These lyrics are from a song called Colony and was written by Damien expressing the tragedies that have occurred throughout history through colonisation.

Colonisation is. for anyone who isn't 100% sure of the definition, colonization, extension of political and economic control over an area by a state whose nationals have occupied the area and usually possess organizational or technological superiority over the native population. It may consist simply in a migration of nationals to the territory, or it may be the formal assumption of control over the territory by military or civil representatives of the dominant power.

What I love about these lyrics are absolute truth that is contained in these words. That our constant struggle against our fellow man is nothing but a fallacy that is continued to be perpetrated to this day - the colonisers may be different as the ages change but the result of the game is the same.

While we continue to sit in our mind bubble of nations rather then see our fellow man as our brothers and sisters then this tragedy will continue to play out in the never ending loop of history. Its time for us all to wake up and see the truth - nations are imaginary lines and mindsets that spill real blood and tears.

P.S Mods - I wasn't sure where to post this so feel free to move it to where you feel it sits best.

"Colony by Damien Dempsey"

I look to the east, I look to the west
To the north and the south, and I'm not too impressed

Time after time
After crime after crime

They raped, robbed, pillaged, enslaved and murdered
Jesus Christ was their god and they done it in his name

So he could take the blame if it's not all a game
With bible in one hand and a sword in the other

They came to purify my land of my Gaelic Irish mothers
And fathers, and sisters and brothers

With our own ancient customs, laws, music, art
Way of life and culture

Tribal in structure
We had a civilisation
When they were still neanderthal nations

We suffer with the Native American, the Indian in Asia
Aboriginal Australia
The African people with their history so deep

And our children still weep and our lives are still cheap
You came from Germany, from France, from England
And from Spain

From Belgium and from Portugal
You all done much the same

You took what was not yours
Went against your own bible
You broke your own laws
Just to out do the rival

But did you ever apologize
For the hundreds and millions of lives
You destroyed and terrorised

Or have you never realized
Did you never feel shame
For what was done in your country's name

And find out who's to blame and why they were so inhumane
And still they teach you in your school
About those glorious days of rule
And how it's your destiny to be
Superior to me

But if you've any kind of mind
You'll see that all human kind
Are the children of this earth

And your hate for them will chew you up and spit you out
You'll never kill our will to be free, to be free
You'll never kill our will to be free, to be free
You'll never kill our will to be free, to be free
Inside our minds we hold, hold the key"

If I'm following ya ...

The way Native American Indians were treated on reservations.
I'm pretty sure that was done 'in the name of the country'
(i.e. ... for the good of the country). That was shameful.

reply to post by FlyersFan


I'm pretty much saying that what was done in the past was shameful but these things are still happening today which is just as shameful.

Whether it be Afghanistan, Georgia, The Congo and so on - the list is endless - today like long ago we still seem to see our own national cultures as somehow superior to others - whether that be systems of government, religion or economics and we will pursue any ends to get our superiority through to those we believe to be inferior.

Until we see our fellow man and woman as our brothers and sisters with a right to free will and to choose their own destiny whether we like it or not then we will never be free.

Often what would deemed to be acceptable in our culture would be deemed unacceptable in another but rather then accept these differences we pursue military, economic and political means to force our will upon others.

The lyrics of the song I think bring home the need for us all to wise up and think about what actions are being carried out in our names by our governments and whether those actions are merely the result of a superiority complex or actions that are genuinely meant to help our fellow brothers and sisters in the world.

In most cases I think this is not the actual reality.

Yes I am but no I am not. I am not represented by those psychopaths in Washington or their corporate buddies. I don't have to apologize to every person on earth for what they have done. Now I do realize if I went to another country I would be hated for being an American but thats not my fault. Maybe one day the people that are responsible will actually have to pay the bill for what they have done but that is a fairy tale isn't it.

reply to post by jkm1864


I don't think you have to feel shame for being an American or any other country of the world. I do think however, we have to be responsible for what in the most cases are the actions taken by our politicians in our countries and that bring shame upon our countries.

We are all too often turn a blind eye to our politicians actions - we should protest more, take to the streets more and not let the politicians in any of our countries perpetrate the crimes we let them away with both in our own states and beyond.

These people are responsible for crimes against humanity whether the deaths be caused by war, economics or politics.

[edit on 7-5-2009 by count66]

No I havent!!

But then again I am not from America, Israel or England!!

Tiocaidh ar la!!

Like everything else, you have to weigh both the good with the bad.

Focus on the negative and "shameful" things and you have enough material to write a thousand songs, but it's the positive things that allow and give you the privilege to even write and compose these songs.

So enjoy the music while you still can.

As a little kid I was ashamed to be a white american because of all those movies we had to watch about the Indians.

As an adult, nothing has changed.