6.01.2008

eyes on the prize

After a huge organizing and strategy meeting with the War Resisters Support Campaign, I am thinking of the lyrics to a song from the US civil rights movement. Most recently, Bruce Springsteen recorded it as part of "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions".

"The Seeger Sessions" is a tribute to legendary folk singer and activist Pete Seeger, and to people's movements in general. Springsteen took some standard (and, frankly, dusty) folk tunes and cranked them full of rootsy rythmn. The results bubble with the sounds of gospel, country, Irish, mountain and blues music.

Eyes On The Prize is also the title of an amazing documentary about the civil rights movement, created by activist producer Henry Hampton.

Anyway, these are the lines going through my head.
The only thing that I did wrong
Was stayin' in the wilderness too long
(Keep your eyes on the prize... hold on)

The only thing that we did right
Was the day we started to fight
(Keep your eyes on the prize... hold on)

Note the shift from the singular I to the plural we.

For the past year, it has been my honour and privilege to be part of this we. We are so close to winning this fight. This will be a win for war resistance - a win for Canada - a win for peace.

More soon. Get ready to help us.

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