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HOLLYWOOD AND THE CIA — Film historian Ed Rampell details Hollywood’s entangled relationship with the CIA and the Pentagon; HOUSES OF THE DEAD: Nancy Kurshan exposes the cruel human rights offenses taking place inside America’s vast gulag of Control Unit Prisons; BROTHERHOOD OF SUMMER: David Macaray charts the history of the most powerful union in the US: the Baseball Players Association; TAR SANDS COME TO AMERICA: Steve Horn explains how the Keystone Pipeline debates have diverted attention from Big Oil’s other plans to transport Alberta’s oil into the US. PLUS: Jeffrey St. Clair on CONSTITUTIONAL ENTROPY; Mike Whitney on HOW THE BANKS TARGETED BLACKS; Chris Floyd on THE RISE OF BRITAIN’S TEA PARTY; Kristin Kolb on THE NEEDLE AND THE DAMAGE DONE; Kim Nicolini on the FILMS OF WILLIAM FRIEDKIN; and Lee Ballinger on POETS VS. THE ONE PERCENT.

December 30, 2003

Whatever Happened to Peace on Earth?

by WILLIE NELSON

Willie wrote this song on Christmas, 2003, and will perform it for the first time at the Kucinich for President fundraising concert in Austin, Texas, on Jan. 3, 2004.

There’s so many things going on in the world Babies dying Mothers crying How much oil is one human life worth And what ever happened to peace on earth

We believe everything that they tell us They’re gonna’ kill us So we gotta’ kill them first But I remember a commandment Thou shall not kill How much is that soldier’s life worth And whatever happened to peace on earth

(Bridge) And the bewildered herd is still believing Everything we’ve been told from our birth Hell they won’t lie to me Not on my own damn TV But how much is a liar’s word worth And whatever happened to peace on earth

So I guess it’s just Do unto others before they do it to you Let’s just kill em’ all and let God sort em’ out Is this what God wants us to do

(Repeat Bridge) And the bewildered herd is still believing Everything we’ve been told from our birth Hell they won’t lie to me Not on my own damn TV But how much is a liar’s word worth And whatever happened to peace on earth

Now you probably won’t hear this on your radio Probably not on your local TV But if there’s a time, and if you’re ever so inclined You can always hear it from me How much is one picker’s word worth And whatever happened to peace on earth

But don’t confuse caring for weakness You can’t put that label on me The truth is my weapon of mass protection And I believe truth sets you free