Reading of Bob Dylan lyrics at ceremony for fallen IDF soldiers sparks outrage
Lyrics of Dylan's anti-war song "Masters of War" read at Remembrance Day ceremony at Oranim Academic College.
By JPOST.COM STAFFBob Dylan performs with his band at the 34th annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, April 25, 2003. (photo credit: REUTERS)
The reading of a Bob Dylan anti-war protest song during Tuesday's Remembrance Day ceremony at Oranim Academic College in Kiryat Tivon has sparked outrage among some students at the institution.The song, "Masters of War," released on Dylan's "Freewheelin' Bob Dylan album that came out in 1963, spoke out against the US and Soviet Union's arms build-up in the early 1960s. Dylan's words against those who send youth to die in war was slammed as incitement by some at the college.Students who attended the ceremony took to Facebook to express their anger at the reciting of the song's lyrics. "It is not right or proper to read a song like this at a ceremony for fallen IDF soldiers and I speak in the name of many students who were really hurt that you decided to end such an important ceremony in this way."Another student at the college wrote: "Dear students, go out in your masses to protest the college's shameful students' organization."Another complainant held that the song advocated the use of violence against generals.The Oranim Student Union issued a clarification following the ceremony: "The Student Union thinks it right to clarify some of the things that were said at the ceremony...this is a song that Bob Dylan wrote nearly six decades ago. The song, clearly, represents anti-war positions and is not a call to violence, partisanship or incitement. The song expresses the feelings of a wide sector of the Israeli society and the feelings of many people in general. It is legitimate in its nature, and we must not interpret it as hostile, violent, needlessly provocative or even as an anti-establishment statement - not against IDF soldiers, not against a certain political party, and not against any public figures...we apologize to those who were hurt by the songs lyrics, but the Union stresses again, the song is merely a crying out against war itself."Oranim Academic College said in response that "the Oranim Student Union organized and produced the Remembrance Day ceremony this year, as it does every year, and the college management respects freedom of speech and does not censor the Union. At the same time, given the great importance of this difficult day for all of us, as part of the continuing work of the college management and the students, we will learn together the needed educational and moral lessons, in an open dialogue that enables everyone expression and safe discussion. Through this framework we will understand the need to find the balance between the desire to hold a meaningful ceremony in a creative manner and the necessity of preserving the right of the mourning public to mark this day without feeling that the memories of the fallen are being hurt."The lyrics of the song "Masters Of War":Come you masters of warYou that build all the guns
You that build the death planesYou that build all the bombsYou that hide behind wallsYou that hide behind desksI just want you to knowI can see through your masks.You that never done nothin'But build to destroyYou play with my worldLike it's your little toyYou put a gun in my handAnd you hide from my eyesAnd you turn and run fartherWhen the fast bullets fly.Like Judas of oldYou lie and deceiveA world war can be wonYou want me to believeBut I see through your eyesAnd I see through your brainLike I see through the waterThat runs down my drain.You fasten all the triggersFor the others to fireThen you set back and watchWhen the death count gets higherYou hide in your mansion'As young people's bloodFlows out of their bodiesAnd is buried in the mud.You've thrown the worst fearThat can ever be hurledFear to bring childrenInto the worldFor threatening my babyUnborn and unnamedYou ain't worth the bloodThat runs in your veins.How much do I knowTo talk out of turnYou might say that I'm youngYou might say I'm unlearnedBut there's one thing I knowThough I'm younger than youThat even Jesus would neverForgive what you do.Let me ask you one questionIs your money that goodWill it buy you forgivenessDo you think that it couldI think you will findWhen your death takes its tollAll the money you madeWill never buy back your soul.And I hope that you dieAnd your death'll come soonI will follow your casketIn the pale afternoonAnd I'll watch while you're loweredDown to your deathbedAnd I'll stand over your grave'Til I'm sure that you're dead.