Satiric War Protest

The satirical approach to war protest has a long history. Humor has tremendous utility in matters of life and death, right and wrong. Doesn't it? It possesses a quality that often buffers the pain.

Satire can often be safe. It's certainly a more gentle way to make a point, that when stated directly would be sure to elicit overly defensive responses. That's when done well.

The video below gave me thorough delight, but I was trying to figure out why. A YouTube review of The Flight of the Conchords shows that none of their other songs reference war. Musically gifted comedians, their work nevertheless is typical entertainment.

In atmospheres of political repression, satire is often the only way to be heard. It China for 5000 years there's usually been an atmosphere of political repression, so to speak. As a result, deft forms of opposition are an art form in China. In an area where professors are actually losing their positions for not taking loyalty oaths, we mustn't delude ourselves into believing that one's livelihood is safe voicing serious political opposition.

Concluding that this is a protest song would be a stretch but for the crescendo that builds around military hardware. You be the judge.