History Repeats

The details change. The song remains the same.

The moral equivilent of a serial killer
And his CIA friends
Call the shots from the White House
But now that we own the media too
Those stories just aren't run

That sure was easy wasn't it?
More crack--more panic--more cops--more jails
You see emergency--total war
You see a black face--you see a crackhead
You see a black face--you see Willie Horton with a knife
You see Willie Horton with a knife
You see one Willie Horton you've seen them all

Just like Rome
We fell asleep when we got spoiled
Ignore human rights in the rest of the world
Ya might just lose your own

--excerpts from Jello Biafra, "Full Metal Jackoff", 1989

The architect of the Willie Horton ad is a prime mover in the "Swift Boat Liars for the Truth" ad. Which is why this has been on my mind.