"Cold As It Gets." Dedicated to Mark Potok, Mike Lawlor, Dannell Malloy, Eric Holder, Harry Reid and all those who seem determined -- by their actions and appetites -- to start the next civil war.
Courtesy of a reader of Claire Wolfe's blog, my attention was drawn to this haunting song by Patsy Griffin, "Cold As It Gets." I had never heard it before. It struck me forcibly that someone living today, a child perhaps, will be softly singing this sometime in the near future, her hands cradling a rifle, squatting in a sniper's hide, waiting for her target to present itself -- someone responsible for setting in motion the events that took her loved ones in the next American civil war. So I'd like to dedicate this to Mark Potok, Mike Lawlor, Dannell Malloy, Eric Holder, Harry Reid and all those who seem determined -- by their actions and appetites -- to start that civil war. It is by their hands that their futures -- and all of ours -- will be written. I pray that they understand that before it is too late. But that's not the way to bet.
"Cold As It Gets"
by Patty Griffin
To the end of the Earth, I'll search for your face
For the one who laid all of our beauty to waste
Threw our hope into Hell and our children into the fire
I am the one who crawled through the wire
I am the one who crawled through the wire
There's a million sad stories on the side of the road
Strange how we all just got used to the blood
Millions of stories that'll never be told
Silent and froze in the mud
Silent and froze in the mud
I know a cold as cold as it gets
I know a darkness that's darker than cold
A wind that blows as cold as it gets
Blew out the light of my soul
Blew out the light of my soul
I dream in my sleep, I dream in my days
Of some sunny street not so far away
Where up in a window a curtain will sway
And you and I'll meet down below
You and I'll meet down below
I know a cold as cold as it gets
I fight a war, I may never see won
I live only to see you live to regret
Everything that you done
Everything that you done
Everything that you done
9 comments:
This should be the theme song for threepers. No quarter!
wildbill
Wow. That should be on the playlist of every threeper. It says it all.
This song, and it's lyrics, made me tear up, I'm not ashamed to say. First some trivia. This 50 year old woman, Patty Griffin, is currently living in Austin Texas with, (hold on to your hat), Robert Plant. That's right. The former leader singer from the 70's rock band Led Zeppelin.
Now for what the song, and it's message, caused me to envision.
It's dark out in the heartland. American Patriot warriors are huddled under infra-red blocking tent structures. Some cleaning rifles, counting rounds of ammo. Others opening cans of soup that they will eat cold because the heat signature of a warming fire will give their position to the drones overhead. Others are out at picket positions, watching and waiting for ground incursions by government soldiers. One pair are scanning the skies with a large parabolic dish microphone, hoping to pick up the propeller sounds of those drones and warn the rest.
The squad leaders are in a tent studying a map under a dim red flashlight, planning the day's edition of their fourth generation warfare against the ones who have caused this war. In a nearby cave, a young adult is softly serenading the children with a guitar and this song, so they will remember why they are here, out in the forest....at war.
This effected me so much that I've decided to drop the anonymous nature of my posts to SSI.
I am Greg Canty from San Antonio Texas, and I pray, in tears, that it doesn't come to the scenario I just described above.
I had the same reaction as Greg did - a deep sadness and some tears.
But I thought of my Father, a WWII veteran of North Africa, Sicily and the Italian campaign. A gentler, more loving man I've never known. He gave up his dreams for this country, and many of his friends gave their limbs and some their sanity - and many their lives.
I hope we can do justice to their memories and all those others, including the ones I met in my short time in VietNam.
I hope we are worthy of them by taking this haunting song to heart.
I am now a Three Percenter, heart and soul, and will take whatever comes to keep the sacrifice of all the men and women who have died for America from being forgotten.
Great song Mike. Nails it to the wall.
On the other hand no one blows out my Soul but God Almighty. I tried a couple times through foolishness in my youth and he let me know it wasn't time (thank you Lord).
Anon1957-
Me, too. Young & dumb, I thought I was nine feet tall & bulletproof. I'm not. I've proven that time and again.
Once, I believe it was Christ himself who told me it wasn't my time yet. I got all the bellls & whistles that time, the tunnel of light, quiet feeling of absolute peace, Presence of The Lord...
I was so stupid back then. Thanks be to God, He's taught me a LOT since. He's certainly changed my worldview & my politics, as well as my willingness to stand & fight.
I don't know how many bought at least the single on itunes. I did.
I can envision millions of riflemen across this country quietly singing this hunkered down behind the scope.
And to Greg Canty, thank you for your message and like you I hope it doesn't come to this, but hope is not a strategy and the enemy within is pushing us ever faster to the cliff. At some point we will stop and turn and face them. When that happens we will sing...
"To the end of the Earth, I'll search for your face
For the one who laid all of our beauty to waste..."
And when she's done, she can make a soap dish.
Dang...that leaves chills down the back and brought out things that shouldn't have to be thought.
Like Greg, I hope and pray it does not come to it...but if it does...I'll be one there.
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