Injustice

A quote from Martin Luther King while he was incarcerated in the Bimingham jail.

Injustice

Democratic capitalism is a system built on the idea that everyone contributes to a better world because everyone benefits from doing so. People that contribute more, benefit more and everyone gets a fair go! People are treated equally on merit and there is justice for all!

Well that is the theory, and it remains a fine theory, but its implementation is somewhat problematic. There are various ways in which the system breaks down and almost all of us have been the victim of injustice from time to time. Some of us much more so than others.

Injustice is a corrosion that eats away at the fabric of society. When a citizen is constantly deprived of justice he loses faith in the system and no longer has any interest in participating in it. At that point he becomes an outlaw and is likely to wind up in jail. If sufficient numbers of citizens lose faith in the system it begins to break down and the nation is then ripe for revolution.

Universal justice is the grease that keeps the wheels of society turning. It keeps the people contributing to the good which makes the world a wonderful place. Self interested people at the top of the tree may think themselves beyond the need to worry about justice but, as Martin Luther King could see, they are adversely impacted by the injustice they mete out to the masses. Not only are their profits reduced and their comfort and safety in public reduced but eventually they are at risk of being murdered by revolutionaries.

Veni Emmanuel

This ancient tune is best known as the Christmas Carol: "O come, O come, Emmanuel" which is widely performed at Yuletide and loved to this day. It is rather unusual for a Christmas Carol in that it is in a minor key and its tone is dark and depressing, the call to "Rejoice!" notwithstanding. It is also very old for a hymn, dating back to a 15th century French plainsong chant.

Furthermore the meter is extremely odd, (thanks to its plainsong origin), so odd in fact that most transcriptions don't even bother putting in bar lines. I have done this however and my results may raise a few eyebrows. I'm not certain, but this might be the first time I have had to employ the meter of 1/4...

I chose the theme of injustice to suit this tune which, to my ears, speaks of a steady grinding oppression. When I came to list the varieties of injustice that I observe around me I found that there were far more than I expected and no doubt I have not covered them all!

Yes, there are too many verses! I do not suggest that all these verses should be sung in one go. The first verse should be used on every occasion and 3 or 4 others should be selected according to which areas of injustice the priest is trying to highlight.

Music: Anon "Veni Emmanuel", 15th century
Arrangement: JH Arnold 20th century, tweaked by Warren Mars 2020
Words: Warren Mars, 2020

This world in which we live, which we designed, was made with care and should be fair and just.
Yet still we find we cop a raw deal, our aspirations ground into the dust.
Unfair! Unfair! Society must fix this faulty system which we need to trust.

The people from an outcast group who find each time they are not given a fair go.
By prejudice their essay is denied, despite the worthy merit that they show.
Biased! Biased! Without a doubt each person should be judged on how they reap and sow.

The man espousing doctrine that was fine when he was young, finds his career destroyed,
By bullies of a fashionable group, with no respect for what has gone before.
So rude! So thick! Intolerance is written on the faces of the thought police.

A woman finds corruption at her work and blows the whistle, doing what is right.
She finds her honest effort goes for naught, and she is sacked for putting up a fight.
Awake! Awake! It's for the good of all corruption must be brought into the light.

A worker slaves for years to climb the tree and for the business always does what's best,
But sees himself passed over for a nong, inferior but always better dressed.
It's wrong! It's wrong. The company will not be better off employing this great pest.

A woman takes a mortgage that is high to buy a house her fam'ly think is sweet,
Then interest rates climb skyward overnight, and she is throwen out onto the street.
Despair! Despair! A person's home should not be at the mercy of the rich elite.

In court a man's defence is disallowed while his opponent leads a pack of lies.
The judge does not allow him a fair trial, and scourges him the better to chastise.
Unjust! Unjust! A judge is not a god! To give the law free rein is most unwise.

A government elected by the people of this nation has the right to rule.
But petty politics can block their way, and make the lawful leader look a fool.
Disgrace! Disgrace! The people's will above the stench of the political cesspool.

The man who lets a woman in his house, to share their lives was always his intent.
After two years the lawyers take his house and leave behind a tragic malcontent.
"The thief!", "The thief!", he screams with all his might, "She never even put in half a cent!"

A woman that has lived a healthy life is cancer struck and taken far too soon.
Her dad meanwhile, still smokes at eighty five, and goes to bed as drunk as a baboon.
Bad luck! Bad luck! Try as you might there's no accounting for the luck beneath the moon.

The vocal score with chords is provided here.
I have also provided an SATB arrangement for choirs here.

Finally, I have provided a recording of my computer synthesizer playing the SATB arrangement. There is no singing and the synthesizer is very ordinary. Nevertheless the parts are all there and one can sing along with it or use it get an idea of how it should sound with your choir.