Propagandhi - The State-Lottery lyrics

rate me

Now the real prospects for authentic democracy depend

on something else. They depend on how the people in

the rich and priveliged societies learn some other

lessons. For example the lessons that are being taught

right now like the Mayans in Chiapas,

Mexico. They are among the most impoverished and oppressed

sectors in the continent. But unlike us they retain

a vibrant tradition of liberty and democracy.

A tradition that we've allowed to slip out of our hands

or has been stolen from us.

And unless people here in the rich and privileged society,

unless they can recapture and revitalize that tradition,

the prospects for democracy are indeed dim.

Does it seem strange to you?

The confetti. The balloons.

The mile-wide grins and the victory dance to welcome

in the heir to a state of

(utter and complete) disrepair?

Because it sure seems strange to me: they're acting

like they won the fucking lottery!

I mean, shouldn't they feel terror at the task that

lies ahead: to feed and house the people that this

system's left for dead. And could I have hit the nail

much harder on the head? It's profits before lives.

They are motivated by greed.

First they taught us to depend on their nation-states

to mend our tired minds, our broken bones, our bleeding limbs.

But now they've sold off all the splints and contracted

out the tourniquets and if we jump through hoops then

we might just survive. Is this what we deserve?

To scrub the palace floors?

To fight amongst ourselves?

As we scramble for the crumbs they spit out,

frothing at the mouth about the scapegoats that they've

chosen for us. With every racist pointed finger I can

hear the goose-steps getting closer.

They no longer represent us so is it not our obligation

to confront this tyranny?