Deny
Josh Martinez Lyrics

So this is war, more blood poured from the fountain
In the midst of war, there is an overwhelming amount of violence and bloodshed.

As I'm counting on the cold hand
I rely on the support of those who are emotionally detached.

Of those that abstain and demand
Of those who refrain from participating but still expect certain outcomes.

More ground gained from the crosses that we follow into battle
We continue to make progress by fighting for causes we believe in.

I swallow in the whole Earth rattle
I willingly endure the chaos and upheaval of the world.

It was all too real from the moment that I peeled
I faced the harsh reality as soon as I uncovered the truth.

My steel cap back
With my protective armor removed.

And saw the black knife fade into first light
I witnessed the darkness of violence fade away and give way to a new beginning.

Some fat balding man had the clever insight
An influential figure believed that power determines what is right.

That might makes right so under infrared sight
Under intense scrutiny, we continue to advance based on our perceived superiority.

We steadily advance
We continue to move forward with determination.

I raised from my crouched stance
I stood up from a defensive position.

As boards marked the time I danced through lines of dead men
I maneuvered through the battlefield, symbolized by the markers left by fallen soldiers.

Who've been forever left behind and lie with their own kind
Those who have died remain united in death.

But I turn my mind off, desensitizing
I consciously disconnect my emotions to become desensitized to the violence.

I find myself surmising on how I can plant my flag upon the horizon
I contemplate on how I can leave my mark and achieve glory.

So glory finds me and I can be
So that I am recognized and admired.

History's first living soul on the beaches of Normandy
The first living individual to make history on the Normandy beaches.

And slay me a thousand Germans
To kill a significant number of German soldiers.

Cause revenge is burning hot as pistol shot and I can smell bodies
I seek revenge with intense determination and can sense the stench of death.

Rotting on both sides of the divide but the tide of the battle has turned
Dead bodies are decaying on both sides of the conflict, but the situation has shifted in our favor.

The good guys have returned
The side of righteousness has emerged victorious.

So we succeed in the beachhead but success is relative
We achieve victory in establishing a presence on the beach, but the degree of success is subjective.

Relatively high numbers of dead blood stained human remains
There is a significant number of dead bodies, with their blood leaving stains.

But the Nazis fled so we advance into France
The Nazis retreated, allowing us to progress into France.

We meet the underground resistance behind enemy lines, making good distance
We encounter the resistance movement operating covertly in enemy territory, covering good ground.

At the insistence of our leaders
Due to the strong urging of our leaders.

We follow up on every lead, even a tree can be a trap
We thoroughly investigate every possible clue, being cautious even of seemingly harmless things.

But one look at the map showed the Germans were withdrawing
A quick glance at the map revealed that the Germans were retreating.

Citizens were applauding
The local residents were expressing their support and admiration.

As they plotted how to pay back the citizen assassins
They planned their revenge against those who betrayed their own people.

We started liberating towns to the ticker-tape tirades
We began freeing towns amidst celebratory parades and festivities.

Of humans too tired to wage war anymore
The people had grown weary and did not want to continue fighting.

It looked like war had but a few months left before we could all rest
It appeared that the war would soon come to an end, and we would finally find peace.

And go home to our families
Return to the safety and comfort of our loved ones.

But then we heard rumor of a place
However, we received news about a rumored location.

Where an entire human race was taken and laid to waste
A place where an entire population was systematically destroyed.

A camp where crazed experiments take place
A camp where sadistic experiments were conducted.

And rows of corpses overflowed mass graves
There were so many dead bodies that mass graves were overflowing.

There were things to be seen and turn you to burn inside
The atrocities witnessed were deeply disturbing and caused immense internal turmoil.

The soldiers were told to see with their own eyes
The soldiers were instructed to witness the horrors firsthand.

So I went to see it so I could explain without laying blame
I visited the camp to witness and describe the events objectively.

History's made a name of stories so I will call it as I see it
History is shaped by the retelling of stories, so I will state the facts as I witnessed them.

I see fit to record it so the truth cannot be distorted
I believe it is necessary to document the events to prevent the truth from being manipulated.

But I must warn you, truth is cold
I must caution you that the truth can be harsh and difficult to accept.

Souls stolen from right under the skin
Innocent lives were mercilessly taken.

A prison where inmates' fate was wrapped and lay
A place where prisoners were trapped and their destinies sealed.

The feat past the gates and doctors decided
Beyond the gates, doctors determined the prisoners' fate.

Whether you were pesticide-ed or provided with a tattoo used to ID you
Deciding whether to exterminate you or label you with a tattoo for identification purposes.

When death from exposure overcame you
When you succumbed to death due to harsh conditions.

So I walked past the gates and saw plain brick buildings
I entered the camp and observed the simple brick structures.

And then the real world faded
At that moment, the reality of the outside world became insignificant.

"I hated every breath:" the words to express what I saw when Auschwitz fell
"I despised every moment:" the only words that can describe the horrors witnessed when Auschwitz was liberated.

A living hell, you couldn't tell
A place of unimaginable suffering and torment, even though it may not be immediately apparent.

The living dead from the skeletons enveloped in this valley of death
The survivors, who appeared lifeless and emaciated, were surrounded by the remains of those who did not survive.

The stink of charred flesh made my breath catch
The overwhelming odor of burning human flesh left me breathless.

We couldn't match the millions
We could not comprehend the extent of the millions affected.

Of dead civilians to what we had believed to be humans
The number of deceased individuals far surpassed our previous understanding.

"How could this happen?" I asked my captain and for a moment
"How could such atrocities occur?" I questioned my superior, and for a brief moment

This proponent of atonement just shook his head
The person who advocated for making amends could only express his disbelief.

Cause it was best left unsaid
Because the truth was too horrifying to verbalize.

But being Jewish on the other side of the divide meant I knew my history
As a Jewish person on the opposing side, I was well aware of our history.

Without having to face its wrath
Without personally enduring the full extent of its cruelty.

The path of six million goes way beyond the math
The magnitude of the six million lives lost cannot be quantified solely through numbers.

I can't understand the way you feel
I am unable to comprehend your perspective.

See Poland fell first and Jews were the first to feel it
Poland was the first country to be invaded, and the Jewish population was immediately targeted.

Herded into units by perverted Germans who used their loose liberties
The Germans, who exploited their power and authority, forcibly confined the Jews.

To sexually abuse and misuse in full view of the camera
To subject the Jews to sexual abuse and exploitation, which was often recorded.

But it never made the news
However, these atrocities were never publicized.

Cause most Poles agreed that all Jews were infected
Because many Poles held the belief that all Jews were to blame for their misfortunes.

They infested every stock-invested bank
They were believed to have infiltrated and corruptly influenced financial institutions.

And every government think-tank had at least a Jew or two
It was believed that Jewish individuals held positions of power and influence within the government.

So who am I to play the fall guy?
So, as one of the accusers, who am I to take the blame?

When I cast my eye on the neighbor's grass
When I compare my situation to that of my neighbors.

Where it's truly greener on the other side
Where their circumstances are noticeably more favorable.

I must confide that I hate Jews just about as much as the Germans do
I must admit that I harbor the same intense hatred towards Jews as the Germans do.

So when the burning smoke chokes out the air and all I smell is burning hair
So, when the smell of burning hair fills the air amidst the chaos of war.

I'll turn a blind eye and comply
I will choose to ignore the atrocities and remain complicit.

With every single lie that you make us recite so we won't ask any questions
With every lie you force us to believe to prevent us from questioning the truth.

I'm just an average citizen
I am merely an ordinary member of society.

See many Europeans felt that Jews were just pollution
Many Europeans regarded Jews as nothing more than a contaminant.

A problem finally solved by the Final Solution
They believed that the annihilation of Jews was the ultimate solution.

Where Communists, Jews, gypsies, and handicapped queers
Where individuals labeled as Communists, Jews, gypsies, and those with disabilities and non-heteronormative sexualities

All became the target of irrational fears
All became subjects of irrational fears and prejudices.

Fed by the flames of state-sponsored propaganda
Propaganda propagated by the government further fueled these prejudices.

And that's when one man began to expand
This is when one individual started to spread

His theories of inferiority and spread it like a virus
His beliefs regarding the inferiority of certain groups, spreading it widely.

So Jews were enclosed in ghettoes completely frozen from contact
Jews were forcibly confined in ghettos, completely isolated from the outside world.

Beyond that flat where fifteen people slept back to back
Beyond the tiny living spaces where fifteen individuals slept tightly packed.

Where liberty and property were stolen
Where Jews were stripped of their freedoms and possessions.

On the grounds that Jews were the chosen scapegoats
Justifying their mistreatment by blaming Jews as the chosen scapegoats.

So oats were torn and the horns sounded
This led to the tearing apart of families and the sounding of warning signals.

As the hatred rose from town to town the world was astounded
As the hatred towards Jews escalated from one town to another, the international community was taken aback.

That the Nazis would treat some citizens so ruthless
The cruelty with which the Nazis treated their own citizens was shocking.

But without documented proof the accusations were toothless
However, without concrete evidence, the accusations held little weight.

And since the persecuted were Jewish
And since those being persecuted were Jewish

The world watched and did nothing
The world stood by and took no action.

See hate was fanned into obsession
Hatred was fueled and escalated into an obsession.

Obsessed by the extermination of a nation founded by religion
Obsessed with annihilating a nation that was established based on religious beliefs.

So a nation created in fear and xenophobia
A nation established out of fear and prejudice

Proceeded to eliminate sanction by the state
Carried out the systematic extermination aided by governmental support.

But bullets were too expensive and didn't kill fast enough
Using bullets was deemed costly and ineffective in terms of speed.

Plus the mass graves made it hard to deny
Additionally, the existence of mass graves made it difficult to deny the atrocities.

The use of slaves digging their own graves
Where slaves were forced to dig their own graves.

So science was used and compounds were created
Therefore, scientific methods and compounds were employed.

To make the killing less anticipated and more efficient
To make the process of extermination more discreet and effective.

A pesticide called Zyklon B was used
A pesticide named Zyklon B was employed.

To see hundreds of strangers into the gas chambers
To usher hundreds of unfamiliar individuals into the gas chambers.

Which they were told were the showers
They were deceived into believing that these chambers were actually showers.

The children, women, and elderly must have been smelly
The children, women, and elderly who were killed likely had an odor.

Cause immediately upon entry they were all sent to the showers
As soon as they entered, they were immediately sent to their deaths under the pretense of taking showers.

So the world watched and somebody had to know
And yet, the world watched without intervening, even though someone must have been aware.

That six million Jews went to camp and just didn't come home
That six million Jews were brought to these camps and never returned.

As I stare down the tracks
As I gaze upon the railroad tracks

Where trains packed humans in cattle cars behind steel bars
Where trains transported humans crammed into cramped cattle cars, imprisoned behind metal bars.

The motto of this camp attracts my eye, it says: "Arbeit Macht Frei"
The slogan of this camp catches my attention, reading: "Work will set you free".

Meaning "Work will make you free" but all those who died inside
Implying that through labor, their freedom would be attained. However, those who perished inside

Probably never saw the irony
Most likely never realized the true irony of the statement.

This place had an evil feeling as we roamed building to building
As we explored the various buildings, there was an overwhelming sense of malevolence.

Sights before my eyes, each one the less appealing
The scenes before me grew increasingly disturbing.

A room piled to the ceiling with gold filling teeth
A room filled to the brim with gold teeth extracted from victims.

The next filled with shaved human hair
The next room filled with piles of shaved human hair.

Soon to become some German chair and plush sofa
To be utilized for German furniture, such as chairs and sofas, in the near future.

Suffocating stench as I clench my teeth, for what I reached next
The suffocating smell as I grit my teeth, preparing myself for what lied ahead.

I saw ten huge chimneys burning gas, Jews to ashes
I witnessed ten massive chimneys emitting smoke from the burning of Jews into ashes.

A whole section dedicated to storing glasses
An entire area specifically designated for storing confiscated glasses taken from the deceased.

Confiscated from the dead for resale
Taken from the deceased, with the intention of reselling them.

I felt frail and had to leave this hell or be consumed by its spell
I felt overwhelmed and had to escape this hellish place, or else risk being consumed by its horrors.

I've long since left but I consider it my duty
Although I have long since departed, I believe it is my responsibility

To bring this tragedy to the attention of a country
To bring awareness of this tragedy to an entire nation.

Who pats itself on the back for helping in the occupation
A nation that congratulates itself for its involvement in the occupation.

And bring freedom to a federation of the oppressed
And claiming to bring freedom to a collection of oppressed individuals.

But Canada must be undressed
However, Canada must face the truth and confront its own faults.

Its dirty laundry put to rest
Its dark secrets and wrongdoings laid to rest.

Our country frowned on the slaughter, perpetrated
Our country disapproved of the mass killings that were carried out.

A crime so anti-human we were all left exasperated but it faded over time
A crime so inhumane that it left us all feeling frustrated and disheartened, but with time, the impact gradually diminished.

And if you think Denmark smelled rotten soon our feelings weren't forgotten
If you believe that Denmark's actions were morally reprehensible, then our own actions should not be forgotten.

But I will never forget that this nation did nothing
However, I will never forget that our nation stood by and took no action.

And when our government feigned sadness they must have been bluffing
Even the sorrow displayed by our government must have been insincere.

Cause before and during the war all the way into the fifties
Because even prior to and during the war, extending into the fifties

Canada's immigration policy was just as clear as any
Canada's immigration policy was as xenophobic and discriminatory as any other.

One Jew is one Jew too many
Any Jewish individual was deemed undesirable and unwelcome.

So how can we condemn when we had a chance
Therefore, how can we pass judgment when we had the opportunity

To open up our arms and give our home to the survivors?
To show compassion and provide a home for the survivors?

Instead we gave the red carpet to ex-Nazi storm riders
Instead, we welcomed former Nazi sympathizers with open arms.

Whose record checks seemed to have been forgotten
Disregarding their questionable backgrounds during the vetting process.

At the border in the disorder
During the chaotic period at the border.

Why do you think we still keep finding out
Why do you think we continue to discover

The Nazis are our neighbors fifty years later?
That individuals associated with the Nazis are still living in close proximity to us, even fifty years later?

Ask me if I think we should've done more
If you ask me whether I believe we should have taken more action

It's all said and done with now so what the fuck for?
It's all in the past now, so what is the point of dwelling on it?

My task and all I ask is that you never forget
My mission and all I request is that you never forget

Cause those who forget: history will repeat it
Because those who forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat its mistakes.