There’s been a lot written about South Africa’s Black Tuesday and the steamrolling of the Secrecy Bill.
Of course it will “protect the state” - by making it a criminal offence for the media to investigate and report on government fraud and corruption.
When I see 229 votes in favour of it, I wonder if there are 229 MPs with something to hide.
But few have said it better than Jed James, a musician who wrote and recorded the song Black Tuesday in two days:
These are the lyrics:
IT’S A BLACK DAY
FOR A TUESDAY
YOU CAN’T TAKE AWAY
MY FREEDOM!
I WON’T HIDE AWAY
I JUST GOTTA SAY
I WON’T GIVE YOU
MY FREEDOM!
WHAT ARE WE LIVING FOR?
WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR?
WHAT ARE WE DYING FOR?
THIS IS MY RIGHT
WHAT ARE YOU HATING FOR?
WHAT ARE YOU CHANGING FOR?
WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE
A SECOND APARTHEID?
WHEN WE BLEED, IT’S THE SAME COLOUR
WHEN WE BREATHE, IT’S THE SAME AIR
17 YEARS OF FREEDOM
BLOWN OUT THE WATER
GONE WITH THE WIND
RAINBOW NATION
BUT IT’S RAINING
AND WE’RE FALLING
THIS CAN’T BE RIGHT
WE HAVE ALL BEEN
VICTIMS OF HATE
CAN’T WE JUST LET
LOVE CHANGE EVERYTHING
WHAT ARE WE LIVING FOR?
WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR?
WHAT ARE WE DYING FOR?
THIS IS MY RIGHT
WHAT ARE YOU HATING FOR?
WHAT ARE YOU CHANGING FOR?
WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE
A SECOND APARTHEID?
WHEN WE BLEED, IT’S THE SAME COLOUR
WHEN WE BREATHE, IT’S THE SAME AIR
17 YEARS OF FREEDOM
BLOWN OUT THE WATER
GONE WITH THE WIND
ALL THAT WE WORKED FOR
ALL THAT WE FOUGHT FOR
REMEMBER
WAS TO BRING US TOGETHER
WHAT ARE WE HERE FOR?
WHAT DO WE LIVE FOR?
ITS ALL FOR LOVE!
WHEN WE BLEED, IT’S THE SAME COLOUR
WHEN WE BREATHE, IT’S THE SAME AIR
17 YEARS OF FREEDOM
BLOWN OUT THE WATER
GONE WITH THE WIND

December 1st, 2011
Sharon Gill
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