29.Dec.2008 Sing for Gaza

The award winning Egyptian director, Youssef Chahine, gave us the amazing movie Le Destin about Ibn Roshd who was one of the great thinkers and philosophers of Andalusia in the 12th century. The movie describes the spread of extremism, fueled by religious figures, and the attack on the development of thought and logic. The movie features a wonderful song “Ally Sotek” and I thought it is fitting to share it here. What else can I say about what is happening in Gaza today? The world watches as another massacre goes on. The blame game continues and the result is written in blood. How long the violence will last no one knows. All I think of is the Palestinian children, robbed of any future. But maybe despair is not the answer. This song is about hope and not giving up. It’s about the love of life, and surely that is no crime. Palestinian children have the right to life and freedom, just like all other children in this world. Why do we keep them in this prison?

The song goes roughly like this:

Raise your voice and sing; songs are still possible

In these days in our lives

Raise your voice and sing; songs are still possible

And even if one day you break; you must stand up like the palms looking to the sky

And no defeat, and no breaking, and no empty dream

Your song among the crowd brings joy to my heart, and heals my wounds

Do you dance?

I dance, in spite of myself

In spite of myself, I dance.

You can watch and listen to it here.