Thursday

fifth of November

I took this photo, originally posted by me on ...Image via Wikipedia
fifth of November from V for Vendetta
- Alan Moore


V: Good evening, London.

 Allow me first to apologize for this interruption.

 I do, like many of you,
 appreciate the comforts of every day routine-
 the security of the familiar,
 the tranquility of repetition.


 I enjoy them as much as any bloke.

 But in the spirit of commemoration,
 thereby those important events of the past usually associated with someone's death or the end of some awful bloody struggle,
 a celebration of a nice holiday,
 I thought we could mark this November the 5th,
 a day that is sadly no longer remembered,
 by taking some time out of our daily lives to sit down and have a little chat.


 There are of course those who do not want us to speak.

 I suspect even now, orders are being shouted into telephones,
 and men with guns will soon be on their way.


 Why?

 Because while the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation,
 words will always retain their power.


 Words offer the means to meaning,
 and for those who will listen,
 the enunciation of truth.


 And the truth is,
 there is something terribly wrong with this country,
 isn't there?


 Cruelty and injustice,
 intolerance and oppression.


 And where once you had the freedom to object,
 to think and speak as you saw fit,
 you now have censors and systems of surveillance coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission.


 How did this happen?

Who's to blame?

 Well certainly there are those more responsible than others,
 and they will be held accountable,
 but again truth be told,
 if you're looking for the guilty,
 you need only look into a mirror.


 I know why you did it.

 I know you were afraid.

 Who wouldn't be?

 War,
 terror,
 disease.


 There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense.

 Fear got the best of you,
 and in your panic you turned to the now high chancellor,
 Adam Sutler.


 He promised you order,
 he promised you peace,
 and all he demanded in return was your silent,
 obedient consent.


 Last night I sought to end that silence.

 Last night I destroyed the Old Bailey,
 to remind this country of what it has forgotten.


 More than four hundred years ago a great citizen wished to embed the fifth of November forever in our memory.

 His hope was to remind the world that fairness,
 justice, and freedom are more than words,
 they are perspectives.


 So if you've seen nothing,
 if the crimes of this government remain unknown to you then I would suggest you allow the fifth of November to pass unmarked.


 But if you see what I see,
 if you feel as I feel,
 and if you would seek as I seek,
 then I ask you to stand beside me one year from tonight,
 outside the gates of Parliament,
 and together we shall give them a fifth of November that shall never,
 ever be forgot.

..
.ero


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13 comments:

stregata said...

Loved this - and I should watch that movie again...

Momza said...

Powerful words. We need to remember who has the power. I think we've forgotten.

bARE-eYED sUN said...

it actually pretty good, Stregata.

of course, we're a little biased - we love graphic novels in general, an Alan Moore's writing in particular.

his oevre includes many wonderful novels: The Watchmen, From Hell, Brought to Light (illustrated by Bill Sinkiewicz, this rarity is probably his most revealing work},
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen . . .to mention a few.

of his work, V for Vendtta certainly belongs towards the top of the stack.

unfortunately, V for Vendetta, though fine as far as movies go, does not draw Moore's blessings, Hollywood NEVER does.

we, however accept it for what it is, his concept (and David LLoyd's) another's adaptation.

Alan Moores concept was not only relevant during the Thatcher years when it was written, AND during the Bush years when it was filmed, but remains relevant today and always:
freedom should not be exchanged
for comfort nor for security.

we'd do well to heed.

..
.ero

Barry said...

I saw the movie but never read the graphic novel. I understand Alan Moore was so unhappy with the movie version he demanded his name be removed from the credits.

I thought it was a pretty powerful movie, so if that was the watered down version, it must have been one heck of a comic!

A Cuban In London said...

This is powerful stuff, mate. Really powerful. Many thanks.

Greetings from London.

bARE-eYED sUN said...

you ARE right Momza,

someone, or something very powerful must exist that puts good people in our path such that even in devastation they would sooth our brow, and or make us smile.

you are one such person . . .

and have you met Barry? he has a comment later in this comment list.
he's another treasure.

you can do alot worse than visit his blog,
wethinx you'll luvitt! :-)

btw, its a wonderful thing that you're attempting for Fort Hood children, with your blog.

we've emailed you our request,
and will follow up.

we'll also try to plug your effort in our own small way.

..
.ero

bARE-eYED sUN said...

you ARE right Momza,

someone, or something very powerful must exist that puts good people in our path such that even in devastation they would sooth our brow, and or make us smile.

you are one such person . . .

and have you met Barry? he has a comment later in this comment list.
he's another treasure.

you can do alot worse than visit his blog,
wethinx you'll luvitt! :-)

btw, its a wonderful thing that you're attempting for Fort Hood children, with your blog.

we've emailed you our request,
and will follow up.

we'll also try to plug your effort in our own small way.

..
.ero

bARE-eYED sUN said...

yep, Barry,
V for Vendettta really is alot more powerful than the movie.

and A.Moore never liked a film version of his work, in an interview he once commented that he wrote comicbooks, if he'd meant them to be movies he would've written screenplays.

he's certainly different than most, he even refuses to get paid/royalties from the movie versions. its usually his co-creators, the artists that sell THEIR rights, and he doesn't obstruct, but he DOES make as much of a stink over the films as anyone is willing to bear.

you know, Barry, our bet is that you'd love one of his novels in particular: FROM HELL, not the movie {though that's fine as well} but the graphic novel.

its thick as a brick and over half of its pages are dedicated to his research papers on the project.

these are more interesting than the story, if you can believe it.

thanks for stopping, friend.

..
.ero

bARE-eYED sUN said...

sure is, Cuban,
Alan Moore can be that way.
:-)

btw, your columns are powerful as well,
that is why we like to stop by, every now and then.

especially on sundays, btw.

you certainly have a wide range in musical taste. we do love the exposure.

hmmmm have you ever read/or considered reading THE WATCHMEN - - -the book, not the silly movie (okay, its not THAT silly if you're a fan of the spandex & mask mythos)

but the book,
whatever you're definition of literature may be, we're certain that THE WATCHMEN will come damn close. we believe that it was Barthes that classified literature as writing that engages the reader for its meaning - - - over and over,

yep, Watchmen does do this.

..
.ero

Alicia Abatilli said...

TE leo, más no te comento en inglés temo "meter la pata", ja, ja.
Abrazos. Interensante cada post tuyo.
Alicia

Marga Fuentes said...

V for Vendetta, is considered by many as the best work of Alan Moore.
It's very interesting that you published this story, Ero, and I thank you very much. Look for his work, now I want to read further.
A hug and a kiss for you, and please forgive my poor English.

bARE-eYED sUN said...

Marga!

how wonderful! i've been wondering where you've been. :-)

we both agree about V for Vendetta.

AND your English is perfect!

muchos besos y abrazos desde NYC

..
.ero

bARE-eYED sUN said...

Alicia,

alegria de tenerte de visita.

ojala yo pudiese "meter las patas" dentro de la poesia. no te imaginas el mucho gusto que da leer tu blog.

que facilidad de palabras! amiga.

amor y hermanidad,

..
.ero