A question about the changed lines in the charity version of LAPOE (you can find the video at
u2place.net). Instead of "Lay down your guns / All you daughters of Zion / All you Abraham Sons" he sings "Lay down your guns / All you K-marters / All you Americans."
I have to admit this really hit me by surprise. Unless he starts doing this live for the 3rd leg (no one reported it at the Toronto show) it seems aimed at Katrina. From what I've read some of the people "looting" did so to stay alive due to lack of supplies and some of the "militias" imposed order and gave up their weapons etc when official authorities arrived. So it made me think it was more of a general "you Americans should stop shooting each other" appeal in the lines of Elevation mid-late Leg 1 BTBS (Bowling for Columbineness rap "at the k-mart") rather than the current context.
But if it isn't based in the current context, it seems strange. I honestly am confused.
FYI - In case you care, which you really shouldn't unless you know me, I don't have really a strong stance on gun control. To sum it up, I think ideally people just wouldn't have handguns as they exist solely to kill people (unlike hunting rifles, etc) and the social freedom just doesn't justify the cost. On the other hand communities that have a strong amount of gun ownership tend to have less crime (studies domestic and international) so perhaps its a bit of a Pandora's Box thing (given how many firearms legal and otherwise are in the US, our large and porous borders, etc). I do support bans on civilian ownership of automatic machine guns, grenades, etc but I think most people do.
Anyways my point is I'm not trying to push an opinion. If you want to respond to this part, fair game (if you don't thats great too), but take it in off-topic banter.
[Edited on 2005-9-13 by Carl]
