8 YEARS/NO MORE WAR

8 years ago today were the 9/11 attacks. i witnessed this 10 miles away from the roof of the former balantine ale factory on raymond boulevard in newark, nj (at this time it was an independent chemical distributor selling materials for hair care products). jen was working in linden, nj at the time. we had not yet officially met.

about a month later i remember going to new york city to see a performance by joe strummer & the mescaleros. before the show i was wandering around union square reading placards made by the newly formed NOT IN OUR NAME group. as i was and am punk, this made a great impression on me as a voice of sanity and reason in an insane and evil world.

if anything since that day the world has gotten more insane and evil. the rastafarian concept of babylon is here (as in babylon is the place we are living in) and it is thriving. and we are witnessing this country fall apart before our very eyes.

the mescaleros opened their set with a long and tremendously moving instrumental version of the traditional song minstrel boy, a song which had been on their previous (and best) album 'global a go go'. coincidentally, a bagpipe version of this song was performed at the funeral of firefighters and police officers killed in the world trade center attack.

FISKADORO SAY: STARE DOWN THE MOUNTAINS & END THE WARS!

and to paraphrase the bad brains - lets leave this babylon.

-rich kimball