Willie Nelson

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Gil Garcia brings the great feel of folk songs to his performance of “A Peaceful Solution.” His accomplished style disguises significant complexity in a deceptively simple form.

The parenthetical use of the image of the world at the beginning and end of this video struck me powerfully. Gil Garcia did not make any changes to the lyrics of “A Peaceful Solution” to reference this image of the world.

The sense that Gil Garcia conveys to me in this video is the persistent suggestion of a larger context. I cannot shake the feeling of deeper issues brooding just below the surface.

Peace is so much not just an end in itself.

The promise of peace reveals at its core the capacity for the human race to achieve true greatness of spirit. Conflict and violence do much to rob people of the chance to grow into their potential.

We have all known individuals who occasionally surprise and impress us with what they are able to accomplish. Imagine this human capacity unleashed all across the planet.

Peace is of the spirit.

Think about how you feel when you are at peace. That feeling certainly seems to encompass something more than mere physical reality.

True and lasting peace can only radiate from the spirit. To say that we are on a peaceful journey is to say we are on a spiritual journey as well.

These are the feelings Gil Garcia invokes in me. He puts me in touch with something greater both on this planet and beyond.

People must identify peace as something both capable of transforming our planet and also part of our connection to the great unknown that embraces us all.

* * * * Artist’s Statement * * * * *

I was born in a small California coastal town. I remember a childhood during the turbulent 1960’s filled with the freedom to explore the world around me and go play with my friends, go fishing etc…without adult supervision.

It fostered independence and free thinking.

As I became older in the late 1960’s my young mother started living a hippie lifestyle. This was my first introduction to the anti-war movement back then. I had an uncle I loved very much serving in Vietnam. So as a child I was marching down main street with my mother shouting “Vietnam no! We won’t go!!”

As a child I discovered all kinds of great rock music that was changing the world and changing the way people thought. It was a truly great time for rock music. I became very influenced by a lot of that music and learned guitar in 1974. This brings me to current day.

After the terrible events of 9/11/01 I sensed a nation united in its need to bring those responsible to swift justice. Instead what happened was our commander in chief played upon our fears and marched this country into a war we had no business starting.

Then the administration kept on promoting more fear in order to erode our civil rights.

So even I started becoming afraid to speak out especially after hearing about ordinary Americans were being spied upon. After a while it started to feel like Orwell’s book 1984 with a surveillance society and a constant unwinnable war with an enemy you never saw.

I had my first child in 2004 and suddenly realized that fear was permeating all aspects of people’s lives now. To the point where children cannot play freely and explore anymore for fear of something happening to them.

So I see children now who are constantly monitored and scheduled and it makes me sad to think they will not know true freedom. It’s not a world I want for my children so I decided to speak out with music.

My hope is that we can eventually wake up from this state of fear and start living normal and safe lives once again enjoying the freedoms we hold dear as Americans.

My YouTube Channel Covers + Originals):
http://www.youtube.com/gilsmusic

MySpace (featuring only original music):
http://www.myspace.com/gilacousticmusic

Masters Of War International protest video the I organized:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldyk1LgQ5-w

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