Odd Videos

For my video, I choose to do Empty Walls by Serj Tankian. Link is displayed below for those who have not seen it as well as a transcript.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSBj4XxYd7k

"Empty Walls"

Your empty walls...
Your empty walls...
Pretentious attention
Dismissive apprehension
Don't waste your time, on coffins today
When we decline, from the confines of our mind
Don't waste your time, on coffins today

Don't you see their bodies burning?
Desolate and full of yearning
Dying of anticipation
Choking from intoxication

Don't you see their bodies burning?
Desolate and full of yearning
Dying of anticipation
Choking from intoxication

I want you
To be
Left behind those empty walls
Taunt you
To see
From behind those empty walls

Those empty walls
When we decline, from the confines of our mind
Don't waste your time, on coffins today

Don't you see their bodies burning?
Desolate and full of yearning
Dying of anticipation
Choking from intoxication

Don't you see their bodies burning?
Desolate and full of yearning
Dying of anticipation
Choking from intoxication

I want you
To be
Left behind those empty walls
Taunt you
To see
From behind those empty walls
Want you to be
Left behind those empty walls
I taunt you
To see
From behind those empty walls

From behind those empty walls
From behind those empty walls
The walls
From behind those empty walls

I loved you
Yesterday, before
You killed my family.

Don't you see their bodies burning?
Desolate and full of yearning
Dying of anticipation
Choking from intoxication

Don't you see their bodies burning?
Desolate and full of yearning
Dying of anticipation
Choking from intoxication

I want you
To be
Left behind those empty walls
Taunt you
To see
From behind those empty walls
Want you to be, left behind those empty walls
Taunt you
To see
From behind those empty walls
From behind those empty walls
From behind those fucking walls
From behind those goddamn walls
Those walls...
Those walls...

In the video, we see a large group of children playing war. Normally this is not of much note, as it is something done in ignorance of what is implied within the word and the actions behind the word. The loss, permanence, pain, change, and fear are largely unseen to children. They act as though they were shot stay down for a minute then jump right back up as if nothing had happened. This case however, shows us children playing war with full knowledge of its toll. This fact is evident in the way they play. Some are shown being executed before their implied families. Others are shown piloting the famed 9/11 plan. Still more are shown in the bouncy house, acting as though it is a prison. This is, as it is intended, appalling. The implication is one no being with the ability process emotion wants to have. It says that, those represented, are malicious killers with no regard for the sanctity of life. And all that from those who are represented as our future, the most pure form that we can be. What is the purpose behind it? It serves as a means to rebel against the increased tensions between America and Iraq/Iran. But who was marginalized (not represented) in that video? Everyone was marginalized. In the video we see kids of both genders and many different ethnicities all partaking of the violence. This is intentional. And it is one of the primary reasons it bothers us. It shows humanity as a completely evil and warmonger thing. That is what makes it an effective form of protest.