Week 7: Nationalism

For a critical view of this week's topic, I'm turning over the blog for one week to Antiguan calypso maestro King Short Shirt. Some of the references are a bit dated, but I think the message comes through.

"Nationalism"

Did you ever consider
What a place this world would be
If there was no national border?
You could come and go as you please.
You wouldn't need a visa
To go to the USA
Immigration system will see the end of its day!

But such a change would disrupt politicians' plan
Whose aim it is to control their own young
But so they rise up and say stop the border
Like Hitler, who want all we'll get none

Nationalism
Creating divisions among the world's people
If we never had national boundary
You and I could move about as free as a bird in a tree

Politician would never let this happen
They too power-hungry to control people
They like to have soldiers fighting bitterly
To take over a little more territory
Soldier die, leave their family
Suffering in their country
That's how nationalism is killing we!

Russia put troop in Afghanistan
Iraq invading Iran
But this would simply never be
If they were all one country
Take a look at Germany
People of one family
Separated by political boundary

Suriname, Guyana and Venezuela
Won't have no dispute over a border
And the Trinidadian fisher,
Good fishing anywhere 'long Venezuela

Nationalism
Creating divisions among the world's people
If we never had national boundary
All the oil and gasoline would be shared equally

Politician would never let this happen...

India spent 25 million US
To put a rocket up in the sky
Other nation they trying to impress
While their people starting to die
Each nation must be number one
At the expense of its nationals
So who really benefit? I don't understand

Caribbean people wanted federation
Politician wanted their own nation
So it's love for each other, you see, and not for the nation
Is our only way of survival

Nationalism
Creating divisions among the world's people
If we never had national boundary
Cambodia and China would exist peacefully

Politician would never let this happen...

"Ask not what your country can do for you
But what you can do for your country"
That is what one politician said
But with him I must disagree
See what you can do for your fellow man
Regardless where he come from
Politician would have you kill for their preservation

What we need now is one world government
That will stamp out greed, hatred and discontent,
So Reagan, Brezhnev and all you others,
Step aside, make way for higher powers!

Nationalism
Creating divisions among the world's people
If we never had national boundary
All the food in the whole world would be shared out equitably

Politician would never let this happen
They too power-hungry to control people
Britain want to pass a Nationality Bill
So they will have the right to turn out immigrants at will
They gon' work for them for free
Like their forefathers in slavery
That's how nationalism is killing we!