Yankee Doodle

The Book of RocknRoll

Act I-Legitimate Threats of Dirty, Rotten Pirates

Across the river of Salem Alakhem lies a nation of unimaginable strength and powera place where innovation and creativity runs free without inhibitions. And thru the forests of Treble Clef a King sits in his Inspiration Room preparing for the daily travails of running the most powerful kingdomthe Kingdom of RocknRoll. The King of Rock has an easy jobfor the most part. He reigns over Free Will and Novelty, over Imagination and Ingenuity. He reigns over Musicthe worlds most valuable resource and the power that guides the Imagination of his kingdom. But in all his success as King he has neglected to share Music with the world. My kingdom is the most secure, he would say, Why would I fear a foolish attack on my sovereignty? Only an imbecile would try to do so. It is his arrogance that makes him an easy target. And, as a result, he is unsuspecting on the inevitable attempt to steal the Music. Sire! Sire, come quickly! Who here has interrupted my meditations with such Supreme Emergency? A youthful man steps forward and kneels before his King. It is me, your highness. Please forgive my sense of urgency but I have an important letter that seeks your immediate attention. The King nods for me; his transcribe Jeremiah, to read it. Captain Thomas Hobbes sent a threatening lettera proclamation that says: Dear Walzer Rock, The King of RocknRoll, We come from the land of the ice and snow, From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow. The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands, To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming!

On we sweep with threshing oar, our only goal will be the [eastern] shore. We come from the land of the ice and snow, From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow. How soft your fields so green, can whisper tales of gore, Of how we calmed the tides of war. We are your overlords. Ice and Snow? The nation of Hobbes!! How can this be? Is it true? Has that dirty pirate taken our Music? Or is this just an act of deception? questioned the King. Hobbes is a militant nation on RocknRolls northern border. A nation run by generals, the life of a Hobbesian is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short due to incessant military action for mandatory acts of aggression. The current General, Francis Hobbes, has been bound by international law and uses more overt tactics in the form of structural violence. King Rock began to tremble from shock. Have we heard any rumblings? Please update me on our fronts! All quiet on the western front, Sire. And the northern and southern as well, I said. But the Eastern? A Drummer Boy sent word this morning that a ship has been sighted about 186 kilometers from the eastern Delta near the Sea Le Bien or Le Mal (Good and Evil). Theyll be here by dusk tomorrow. The blustery winds may help buy us some time I said. Thanks, Jeremiah. King Rock stood in front of the window with a look of consternation on his weary face. Now send word to the Minister of Peace and the Secretary of War with haste. We need to meet in the Hall of Fame immediately. We must not rest until the Music fills our souls again! May lightening guide my footsteps. But may I ask why the Minister of Peace, my Lord? It seems as if there is only one solution.

War is always judged twice, my son. First with a reference to the reasons states have for fighting, secondly with reference to the means they adopt (Walzer p. 21). The means must be balanced to the threat or act of war. And both means and ends must be Just. That is why we need Minister Zinn here to approach the strategy with Honor and Morality. And as the sovereign of this nation I will face judgment as well. My decisions must be moral or else I will be the demise of my people and punished by international law. With War and Peace as my counsel we shall do what is Just. I understand, I said and swift of foot, I went to spread the alarm and gather the advisors.
Act II-Following the Tradition and Moral Code

Gentlemen, we have been offended. Pirates have stolen our most precious resource---our Music. They have occupied the isle of Music and are resisting negotiations. General Francis Hobbes would like for us to believe that they are not providing aid to the Pirates. But how can we ignore the fact that Captain Thomas Hobbes of the royal family is the mastermind behind this? Although they seem to be running outside of the law of their land, they still pose a serious threat to our sovereignty the King said with as much fury as a Siren waiting for her next ship. We do not negotiate with Pirates, stated the Secretary of War, Mahan, they are acting apart from their nation; they dont have to play by the rules. Conventional methods of negotiations are merely a waste of time. There indirect approaches and use of terror tactics are notorious. So our response will have to be clever. Youre very right, Mahan. These particular Pirates are convinced that their intentions are Just because they are liberating themselves from the oppressive fingertip of the modern world. They hate our nation and everything that it represents. Captain Hobbes functions by no moral code and has broken those permitted by international law, but he is a vigilante. Out of necessity he will use whatever means he can said the King. Sire, I dont think you have to fear Francis Hobbes as he is restricted to violence of a structural kind. Ive heard of the Captains practices. But, he feels as if he has been violated because we have something He wants. You requested my presence to judge the facts and judge the

morality of our response based on the elements of the Tradition. So, I am here. Shall it be Peace, Gentlemen, or shall it be War (Zinn p. 14) said the Minister. There is no time for peace the threat is imminent. Here is the ultimate tyranny: those who resist aggression are forced to imitate, and perhaps even to exceed, the brutality of the aggressor, (Walzer p. 32) said the King. The Minister shook his head. No act has been committed yet, they have only threatened to take the island. And, since no act has been committed we are only obligated to discuss a course for self-defense. It would be criminal for us to fight in the same manner, using the same guerilla tactics. Perhaps some Music will help me resort to Reason and Conviction instead of reacting in the heat of the moment. Jeremiah, have the Queen play her Bohemian Rhapsody, ordered the King. Jeremiah nods his head and Music filled the room: Is this the real life or is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality. Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see. As the song Rocked on, the King stared out at his Kingdom and prayed to the Stars for Clarity and Wisdom. After the song ended and brief moment of Silence, the King returned to the debate with a renewed inspiration. Aggression might not involve actual violence, but the Pirates threat is physically coercive since he intends on commandeering our Music and by association our livelihood. This type of aggression is a singular and undifferentiated crime because, in all its forms, it challenges rights that are worth dying for (Walzer p. 53) asserted the King. Their endangering our Music is a direct act of hostility. Resistance is paramount to protect our rights and lifestyles. And resistance is necessary to prevent further disruptions of the Peace. We are victims in this situation. It is our duty, nay obligation to defend. The Kings army is prepared to defend, your Highness, said Secretary Mahan.

I believe international law will support that our reason is Just and in accordance with the Tradition said Minister Zinn. The receipt of this wrongdoing is only a day away. Self-defense is an honorable and valid reason and you clearly have men who want to fight to protect this precious resource. So, Gentlemen, we have chosen a War of Self-Defense. The room fell grateful-dead silent. War. Most of the men vaguely remember the last war. But, this impending attack warranted War. The King of RocknRoll wasnt battling normal humans or even normal Hobbesians. He was declaring a war on Pirates--contaminated, one-legged, eyepatch-wearing Pirates. We enter into this War with the goal of restoring Peace. Mahan, whats the appropriate response? asked the King. In accordance with the Tradition, we must be honorable in our means of battle. But we must act swiftly. The Pirates have a fleet of nine ships. We must greet them with the same method. Therefore, sea-power is the only logical strategy to defeat these unwashed miscreants. Our steel ships have the power to overpower their meager, wooden-shipped fleet. But, there are confidential documents stating that one ship holds weapons of mass destruction. If they destroy our Music, they destroy the food of our Souls. We have already started evacuating citizens to remove them from any imminent danger. We are the thinkers and makers of those evil weapons. We threaten evil in order not to do it, and then doing of it would be so terrible that the threat seems in comparison to be morally defensible (Walzer p. 274). Mass destruction leads to unthinkable consequences. We have such weapons which are not justified methods for this battle. Although having them is a threat in itself, we are still honoring the Tradition. And, if the circumstance requires the use of these weapons, we would be compelled to use them. But, we are getting ahead of ourselves, said the King. The King, being a rational man, knew that using destructive weapons will only lead to more destruction-- until the Music becomes the main collateral damage of War. Whats fighting if the thing we are fighting for is annihilated?

Why cant we share the Music, I said, if thats what they wantwe could share it. Maybe we could even sell it to them. Then we wouldnt have to proceed. People wouldnt have to die. It has been considered and banned from further discussion. It is of greater use to have something that no one else has. Besides, your King has decided this and what he decides we must follow, said Secretary Mahan. Jeremiah has a point, Sire. So much of our great nations landscape is defined by the means to protect the Music. Weve constructed fences and bridges, built ships, developed the navy and military, and prepared our people to defend the gifts that Music brings us. If we were truly innovative we would be able to look beyond the political artifacts that only masks our nations shortcomingsour fear of globalizing Music and come up with alternatives. We appear to the world as cowardshighly prepared and militarized but cowards nonetheless. Instead of sending missiles and fleets, we could be visionaries and live up to our nations reputation by practicing nonviolent resistance-the most fearless thing I know. We could get people to consider possibility and even maybe Reason with the Pirates and put an end to their terrorism, the Minister pleaded to the King. RocknRoll is not prepared to compete with the world for Music. If we give of it freely we will exacerbate it. We will begin wasting Music and lose our competitive edge over other nations. But, if this will restore Peace, we will reopen negotiations after we take care of the Pirates, said the King reluctantly. Thats very wise, Sire. Music has brought Peace to RocknRoll and it has the potential to bring Peace to the world. Pray-tell, what shall we do about our present circumstancethe circumstance that seems to blind us from posing an Imaginative response? the Minister inquired with slight disdain. We have enough ships to double the number of the Pirates? the King questioned with a renewed enthusiasm. It was now almost daybreak and the Hobbesians would arrive by nightfall. Yes, Sire, said Secretary Mahan.

Then it is settled. We have enough ships to surround the island entirely. Well take one fleet and go North on the Salem Alakhem surrounding the Pirates blocking them in with the ships on two sides and land on two. Well have ground troops prepared to fight with Honor and Dignity hidden by the forests of TreblenBass Clef. We must force them to surrender. Our presence will threaten them into submission. And, we can still preserve the Music. And when they do, they will be treated with respect to the Tradition and international law. Minister, is this an appropriate response? Yes, my King. Violence is most clearly justified when those whose own lives are at stake make the decision on whether the prize is worth dying for (Zinn p. 128).We would be failing our people if we did not try to protect our interests and livelihood. Our Kingdom supports you in your decision and will entrust in you their futures, proclaimed Minister Zinn. Come; let us rest our weary minds. We must prepare for the day ahead, so said the King. War it is. So the King declared. The Pirates have violated the sovereignty of RocknRoll by threatening to use force to take over the island of Music-the source of innovation. With this decision comes immense responsibility. The King has chosen war and ended peace. He has abided by the Tradition and in self-defense, has prepared to defend Music to the best of his navys abilities. He has prepared to wage his War fairly and proportionately. He has removed his citizens from harms way and has a trained army prepared to fight for him and for Music. The King of RocknRoll is ready to restore peace once more.
Act III-Going into Battle to Find Peace Do you hear them, Sire? Minister Zinn says with trepidation and regret, Its Music. But its Music

that weighs heavily on my heart. It is not the Tintinnabulum of Joy. It is not a symphony of Love and Peace that has filled the streets of Rocknroll for centuries. It is the martial beat to which men march to when headed into battlea battle that ends thirty years of Peace. The King of RocknRoll places his hand on the Ministers shoulder and says, We must prepare for war to prevent war. We know Peace and we know War. We prefer Peace but War is

inevitable. It is a hell we must avoid, but these actions are necessary in order to prevent it down the road. The King takes a deep breath and positions himself in front of the multitudes. With his hands raised he calms their chanting We will..We will rock you! As the crowd grows silent waiting for the words of encouragementthe King of RocknRoll proudly begins his speech: Today, the King said with authority, today, we go to War. Hobbesian Pirates have offended our great nation with a threat of aggression on the isle of Music. Today, the weight of this war falls on my shoulders. It was the Kings decision and so it shall be the Kings responsibility. What is done is my doing and I shall pay the price whatever it may be. Today I come to you for judgment and for your permission to proceed with the mission. I act as your sovereign; I will not lead you astray. Today, your Musical Maestro has acted with conviction and has followed the moral code. There is no doubt that we will be victorious because Good always triumphs over Evil. Today, our strategy is forced surrender. And through their public submission, we will limit the attempts of other attacks on our sovereignty. We will deter those dirty, rotten Pirates. Today, we stand strong and united and prepared to do what is necessary to restore Peace. On this day we go to war, but this day will be remembered as the day we Rocked harder than we ever had before. And, for those about to Rock, we salute you! Your voice is the treble; your heart is the bass. Let the beating of your hearts be the rhythm that guides your movement. So it is written. So it shall come to pass.

Bibliography Walzer, M. (1977). Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations. New York. HarperCollins. Zinn, H. (2002). The Power of Nonviolence: Writings by Advocates of Peace. Boston: Beacon. Lyrics from Queen, Led Zeppelin: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/q/queen/bohemian+rhapsody_20112599.html http://www.lyricsfreak.com/l/led+zeppelin/immigrant+song_20082032.html