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Günter Grass: 'What Must Be Said' | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
What must be said | What must be said |
Why have I kept silent, held back so long, | Why have I kept silent, held back so long, |
on something openly practiced in | on something openly practiced in |
war games, at the end of which those of us | war games, at the end of which those of us |
who survive will at best be footnotes? | who survive will at best be footnotes? |
It's the alleged right to a first strike | It's the alleged right to a first strike |
that could destroy an Iranian people | that could destroy an Iranian people |
subjugated by a loudmouth | subjugated by a loudmouth |
and gathered in organized rallies, | and gathered in organized rallies, |
because an atom bomb may be being | because an atom bomb may be being |
developed within his arc of power. | developed within his arc of power. |
Yet why do I hesitate to name | Yet why do I hesitate to name |
that other land in which | that other land in which |
for years—although kept secret— | for years—although kept secret— |
a growing nuclear power has existed | a growing nuclear power has existed |
beyond supervision or verification, | beyond supervision or verification, |
subject to no inspection of any kind? | subject to no inspection of any kind? |
This general silence on the facts, | This general silence on the facts, |
before which my own silence has bowed, | before which my own silence has bowed, |
seems to me a troubling lie, and compels | seems to me a troubling lie, and compels |
me toward a likely punishment | me toward a likely punishment |
the moment it's flouted: | the moment it's flouted: |
the verdict "Anti-semitism" falls easily. | the verdict "Anti-semitism" falls easily. |
But now that my own country, | But now that my own country, |
brought in time after time | brought in time after time |
for questioning about its own crimes, | for questioning about its own crimes, |
profound and beyond compare, | profound and beyond compare, |
is said to be the departure point, | is said to be the departure point, |
(on what is merely business, | (on what is merely business, |
though easily declared an act of reparation) | though easily declared an act of reparation) |
for yet another submarine equipped | for yet another submarine equipped |
to transport nuclear warheads | to transport nuclear warheads |
to Israel, where not a single atom bomb | to Israel, where not a single atom bomb |
has yet been proved to exist, with fear alone | has yet been proved to exist, with fear alone |
the only evidence, I'll say what must be said. | the only evidence, I'll say what must be said. |
But why have I kept silent till now? | But why have I kept silent till now? |
Because I thought my own origins, | Because I thought my own origins, |
Tarnished by a stain that can never be removed, | Tarnished by a stain that can never be removed, |
meant I could not expect Israel, a land | meant I could not expect Israel, a land |
to which I am, and always will be, attached, | to which I am, and always will be, attached, |
to accept this open declaration of the truth. | to accept this open declaration of the truth. |
Why only now, grown old, | Why only now, grown old, |
and with what ink remains, do I say: | and with what ink remains, do I say: |
Israel's atomic power endangers | Israel's atomic power endangers |
an already fragile world peace? | an already fragile world peace? |
Because what must be said | Because what must be said |
may be too late tomorrow; | may be too late tomorrow; |
and because—burdend enough as Germans— | and because—burdend enough as Germans— |
we may be providing material for a crime | we may be providing material for a crime |
that is foreseeable, so that our complicity | that is foreseeable, so that our complicity |
wil not be expunged by any | wil not be expunged by any |
of the usual excuses. | of the usual excuses. |
And granted: I've broken my silence | And granted: I've broken my silence |
because I'm sick of the West's hypocrisy; | because I'm sick of the West's hypocrisy; |
and I hope too that many may be freed | and I hope too that many may be freed |
from their silence, may demand | from their silence, may demand |
that those responsible for the open danger | that those responsible for the open danger |
we face renounce the use of force, | we face renounce the use of force, |
may insist that the governments of | may insist that the governments of |
both Iran and Israel allow an international authority | both Iran and Israel allow an international authority |
free and open inspection of | free and open inspection of |
the nuclear potential and capability of both. | the nuclear potential and capability of both. |
No other course offers help | No other course offers help |
to Israelis and Palestinians alike, | to Israelis and Palestinians alike, |
to all those living side by side in emnity | to all those living side by side in emnity |
in this region occupied by illusions, | in this region occupied by illusions, |
and ultimately, to all of us. | and ultimately, to all of us. |
--Günter Grass | --Günter Grass |
Translated by Breon Mitchell | Translated by Breon Mitchell |