I was going to tell you about the beautiful mornings Amsterdam has been greeting me with, of late. But I can’t.. because these words echo in my head:
" I woke up on that morning with my dead son in my arms...
and I couldn't even look at him as my eyes were so swollen,
I had to force them open with my fingers."
–
It’s been 20 years. Dec. 2nd, 1984… they call it “the worst industrial accident in the world’s history.” I call it – a crime against humanity. And 20 years later, neither Union Carbide or its owner Dow Chemical, have stepped forward to take responsibility for the fact that 27 tons of some of the deadliest chemicals imaginable leaked out and poisoned 100,000 people. 3,000 died in one night. And the survivors not only had to bear the pain and trauma, they were also left with horrendous cancers and mutations that continue to blow my mind.
So I ask myself, was I ever taught about Union Carbide in school? In those pathetic high school courses they called Western Civilization or US History 1 and 2? Nothing. Somehow the fact that Dow and Carbide are American companies doesn’t count. Somehow the fact that the tens of thousands who died weren’t American, or European, makes it unimportant. The fucking world stops every 9/11, but you don’t hear shit on 12/2, unless you check out public or alternative news sources.
Of course, the CEO and other officials of Union Carbide have been called to face charges of manslaughter, negligence, and you name it, in the highest Indian Court. But they refuse to come to court, or set foot in the country where their factory was the source of so much death. They have been declared fugitives by the Indian government, but the US State Department has refused to hand them over.
If I’m the Indian government, I know when a crime has been committed against my country. Some call it terrorism. And according to recent history, they should send their army into the US and drag these untouchables back to India, into court, to face the charges for one of the worst crimes in the history of the world. – Come to think of it, according to the Bush doctrine, they can bomb the shit out of the US and “smoke out” the bastards.
OH… and of course DOW has made their statements, in that ooooh so corporate-robotic way. They threw some money at the problem and well, it’s a wonder they can sleep at night.
Today’s Sounds: Dead Prez – Lets get free