Song of the Week, 2011-015, Blowing in the Wind, Bob Dylan

I can't find the Bob Dylan version, probably because of copyright issue. But this cover version by Peter, Paul and Mary is nice too, so let's make do with it.

I went to the Bob Dylan concert in Hong Kong on Wednesday, it was great! love it. I sat on the 5th row, but when the concert started I just rush to the front and have fun. However he didnt sing this song in the concert, he might get tired of it or something. It is understandable, especially for an artist who look for surpassing his/her past. When everyone ask for it all the time, you just don't want to do it. The freaking attitude of artists... but anyway I am grateful that he made such a beautiful song.

This week's song is specially dedicated to the Chinese Artist, Ai Weiwei.

I was never interested in politics before I entered university. I used to find politics dirty, and thought that it is only a game for those smart-arse politicians. However two quotes changed my perception and attitude towards politics.

"First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me."
--- by Pastor Martin Niemoller

"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing"
--- by Edmund Burke

I do not think that everyone have to take an extremeist stance and fight, however, people should be given space and freedom to express themselves. We also need to think about the reason for people to take extreme action, it could be due to the ineffectiveness of other channels or simply due to supression, and for current Hong Kong, it would be both.

You might think that those people have nothing to do with you, or you might even find them annoying and damaging the so called "harmony" of Hong Kong, then please do enjoy your "harmony". However please bear in mind that "harmony" is only a silent violence. You stop yourself from seeing, hearing and feeling in the name of "harmony". When one day you are "harmonized" and no one is willing to speak out for you and fight alongside with you, please blame no one but yourself.

和諧便是最大的暴力