It's Not My Concern

I found a case of CDs that I haven't ripped into iTunes. Among them are a number of old favorites I haven't seen in a number of years. One gem: Fun Boy Three. And my favorite song from them: The More I See.

The more that I see, the less I believe
The barbed wire fences have replaced all the trees
The houses of God are full of sinners every week
Praying for forgiveness for those they leave to bleed

And they keep telling me, it's not my concern
But when petrol bombs fly, when cars overturn
When your see children cry because the cities are burning
Who's gonna show concern

Belfast's only half an hour away (Belfast)
Close your eyes but it won't go away (Belfast)
Belfast's only half an hour away (Belfast)
Belfast's only half an hour away (Belfast)

But the more that I see, the less I believe
Like countries split in two through religion, tradition, and greed
The devil's passed his hand those who have soultions
And those like me too ignorant to find my own conclusions

Is that what they're telling me, it's not my concern
But when I see children crying 'cause that's all they can do
They are crying for help and they're looking at you
What are you supposed to do?

Belfast's only half an hour away (Belfast)
Close your eyes but it won't go away (Belfast)
Belfast's only half an hour away (Belfast)
Belfast's only half an hour away (Belfast)

The governing powers are confused, the armies becoming bemused
Another bomb becomes defused and the terrorists aren't amused
Paisley is getting his shirt off, Sein Fien are going insane
They strike to divide the countryside but the borderline remains

Another attack leaves a widow in black, grieving for brereaved
Another kid with a brick gets shot in the back and gets left on the pavement to bleed
And they keep telling me, it's not my concern
It's not my concern, it's not my concern

Belfast's only half an hour away (Belfast)
Close your eyes but it won't go away (Belfast)
Belfast's only half an hour away (Belfast)
Belfast's only half an hour away (Belfast's only half an hour away)

Does anybody know any jokes?
Does anybody know any jokes?
Does anybody know any jokes?       

In the swim of the blogosphere, it seems impossible not to concern yourself with terrorist events. But there's certainly no question of us being told it's not our concern. How far is America from its metaphorical Belfast?

I'm finishing up the last chapters of the Cheney biography and my love for the guy remains steady. He is in the unenviable position of being an invisible goalie. And so there hasn't been a follow-on tragedy, but nobody we know can take credit for defensive acts we can't know.

What do we concern ourselves with? What business is it of ours?