Written by Sting & Andy Summers…
Once that youve decided on a killing
First you make a stone of your heart
And if you find that your hands are still willing
Then you can turn a murder into art
There really isnt any need for bloodshed
You just do it with a little more finesse
If you can slip a tablet into someones coffee
Then it avoids an awful lot of mess
Its murder by numbers, one, two, three
Its as easy to learn as your abc
Murder by numbers, one, two, three
Its as easy to learn as your abc
Now if you have a taste for this experience
And youre flushed with your very first success
Then you must try a twosome or a threesome
And youll find your conscience bothers you much less
Because murder is like anything you take to
Its a habit-forming need for more and more
You can bump off every member of your family
And anybody else you find a bore
Because its murder by numbers, one, two, three
Its as easy to learn as your abc
Murder by numbers, one, two, three
Its as easy to learn as your abc
Now you can join the ranks of the illustrious
In history’s great dark hall of fame
All our greatest killers were industrious
At least the ones that we all know by name
But you can reach the top of your profession
If you become the leader of the land
For murder is the sport of the elected
And you dont need to lift a finger of your hand
Because its murder by numbers, one, two, three
Its as easy to learn as your abc
Murder by numbers, one, two, three
Its as easy to learn as your a, b, c, d, e
The problem, I believe, with many Castro apologists–like Sting–is that they really don’t know. We know because we are Cuban Americans or have close friends who are Cuban Americans. That’s why we get so frustrated with the complicitous MSM. But can you imagine someone like Sting who probably gets most of his Cuba information from the MSM. Remember, even though many human rights organizations like, “Reporters without Frontiers,” “Of Human Rights” and “Amnesty International” have documented abuses inside Cuba, most people don’t read these reports. They read Reuters, Associated Press, The New York Times [that has subsidiaries around the world], they see pro-Castro Hollywood movies like “The Godfather II”, etc.. This is what they know about Cuba. To them, we Cuban Americans are just a bunch of wacky rightwingers, and Castro–as the propaganda goes– has helped the poor and the disenfranchised. He is in favor of the downtrodden and he stopped racism and appartheid in pre-1959 Cuba, they believe. That’s the common perception.
Yes, there have been many Cuban authors who have denounced Castro: Reinaldo Arenas, Daina Chaviano, Zoe Valdes, Guillermo Cabrera-Infante, Carlos Eire, Luis Garcia, Humberto Fontova, etc… but against the tidal wave of Hollywood, Reuters, Associated Press, NYT’s, Washington Post, CBS, CNN, ABC, Time Magazine, Newsweek, Vanityfair, Steven Spielberg, and most of the honchos in Hollywood that’s a drop in the bucket.
The problem that we Cuban Americans have had is that we have not had the platform to get our message across. The Internet is interesting because it’s a great equalizer. It has given us a space that didn’t exist before–thanks to the proliferation of blogs like Babalu, but we still have a long road ahead of us. There are many “Stings” out there who are so damned misinformed!
I don’t know Ray…Sting has always been more socially-conscious than the average celebrity, and certainly more than the average person. He has praised Amnesty International as Marc mentioned in one of his posts. In other words, I think Sting knows a lot more than we give him credit for. If anyone out there knows where to look other than to the MSM, it’s him.
Bottom line…people like Sting are more prone to excuse fidel’s wrongdoings because of his “revolution for the poor” in Cuba. Basically, they are hypocrites.
Folks,
There is also the possibility that Sting and company really are out to make a statement in support of the Cuban people. I think we have to wait and see how the performance goes. I really believe that it’s very possible that they’ll take the stage as a call to release policitcal prisoners and call for true democratic change in Cuba. As the Police are famed musicians, Fidel certainly can’t arrest or torture these folks so, they’re at an advantage. I am hopeful that their intentions are honorable and dedicated to the Cuban people as opposed to the dictatorship. I think we should give them the benefit of the doubt.
That said, has anyone ever read anything that would lead them to think these folks have pro-Castro views?
Best,
-Anatasio
The third picture from the top is the execution of Cornelio Rojas as it appears in Bohemia magazine in 1959.
There was also a film of the execution. Some time around the time of the execution my father took me took me to the move to see some Cantinfla’s movie. I was five at the time. Before the movie started they play the film of the execution. Remember, this was a general audience matinee for families with their kids! I can’t comment on how despicable it was.
As a result of this horrible experience, my father decided no to take me to the movie again. He passed away in 1964. I never had the opportunity to go to the matinee with him again after that day.
By the way, Herry, I forgot to congrat you for the great job that you did in the presentation/poster. This MUST get into Sting’s hands. I am sure that some one can take care of making this happen. Together with the explanation of who are the people on those pictures. Remember he is an ignorant of our history so it must be explained the way that you will do to a third grade kid.
Kudos, Henry, for putting images to Sting’s hypocritical lyrics. He was educated at a Teacher’s College and taught school for two years before becoming a rocker. Sting therefore is well aware of the meaning of tyranny and dictatorship, terms that he selectively does not apply to Fidel Castro.
Here is another one of his songs that he can dedicate, when they perform in Cuba, to the work of the Cuban State Security political police:
Every breath you take
And every move you make
Every bond you break
every step you take
I’ll be watching you
Every single day
And every word you say
Every game you play
every night you stay
I’ll be watching you
YouTube it!
It’s a propaganda war. You take propaganda to propaganda wars. Expertly prepared and delivered over and over again, and always customized to “connect” with your intended targets even if you have to concede a few points along the way so they don’t turn you off (you can take it back later). If you don’t do this the message fails and you loose. End of Story.
You don’t take dribble to a propaganda war and then get frustrated when no-one hears you, even if that dribble is “the truth.” As Goebbels would tell you, truth has nothing to do with propaganda. The castro brothers read more than mein campf when in prison and they learned the lesson very well.
The last time I heard coherent, polished, professional and focused propaganda from the Cuban-American exile community was during Jorge Mas Canosa’s era. He got it. castro was not happy. It helped that he had charisma and always remained cool and composed – a rare quality for a Cuban-American apparently. I still have a VHS video of his debate with alarcon. Jorge made alarcon look like an idiot on national TV.
There is a lot we need to learn from our Jewish brothers and sisters on how to win a war of ideas in our era.
PS: No-one likes contrarians. Counter-Revolutionaires are contrarians.
Step one should be to reclaim the title “Revolutionary.” You can’t call yourself a revolutionary after being in power for 50 years. They are the establishment. Make them own it.
PPS: Design a symbol for a new revolution. Something viral. Write a song to it. A symbol to be always followed by the words “Viva La Revolucion.” A symbol that would change the context with one stroke. Make it something Santana would want to wear to the Oscars. That would be the start of something interesting. Imagine changing the context of all the “Viva la Revolucion” signs already printed all over Cuba by just adding a simple logo?
Crazy. I know.
I’m willing to give anyone the benefit of the doubt, as long as they’ve earned it.
In Humberto Fontova’s book “Fidel”, he describes a Havana “Music Bridges Over Troubled Waters” post-concert private reception to meet fidel. According to Fontova, at the reception Andy Summers of The Police held a copy of castro’s History Will Absolve Me and nervously asked fidel to sign his copy of the book.
I don’t know about Sting’s personal feelings on fidel. But if they’re anything near Summers’ views, forget about any pleas for freedom for the Cuban people.
By the way, this would be a perfect opportunity for the Estefan’s-who probably have access to Sting–to put their money where their mouth is and have a heart-to-heart talk with Sting and lay down the facts. If they really do so much for us–besides giving Che lover Santana a job on their new CD–they should talk to Sting and see if they can get him to speak up for human rights in the middle of this proposed concert.
Robert,
Ouch! I had no idea. Thanks for bringing that to everyone’s attention.
-Anatasio