Fighting A Monster

Jay R. Crook, Ph.D. Salem-News.com

Artists express their discontent with the monsters found in corporate greed at the expense of the middle and lower class, the consistent attack on human rights and freedom, the misuse of the military in imperialistic wars, and of course in the tragedy of Palestine

From left to right, Jay R. Crook, Agron Belica, a.k.a. "Ace", and Paul Lapierre, a.k.a "Sibylline"

(BOSTON) - Aldin Entertainment’s most recent production, Fighting a Monster, continues the focus on societal and political ills: from the monsters of corruption of governmental institutions and “1984”-style “big brother”-spying on the daily communications of an unsuspecting citizenry, fear-mongering to ensure obedience, the transformation of America from a democracy to a corporate oligarchy, the hypocritical posturings of politicians and faux statesmen, to the monster of the genetic manipulation of our food supplies. (Does anyone remember the saga of asbestos, hailed as a boon to mankind for decades before people began dying in large numbers from its toxicity?).

Paul Lapierre, a.k.a. "Sibylline"

More monsters are found in corporate greed, the enrichment of the haves at the expense of the middle class and the have-nots, the attack on human rights and freedom, the misuse of the military in imperialistic wars, and of course in the tragedy of Palestine. The song ends with a question: is there a solution, a way to reverse these trends and slay these monsters?

The mellifluous voice of Paul Lapierre delivers the pithy lyrics with the versatile Ace on the chorus. The song is bracketed between two interviews about the effects of Zionism. The first is with Ken O’Keefe who focuses on the tragic consequences of extreme Zionism racism. The second, at the end of the song, is with Gilad Atzmon, and points out the deleterious effects of Zionism on world Jewry and reminds us that not all Jews support extreme Zionist ambitions.

Editor's note: Monstrous criminals lurking within religious organizations commit the worst offenses against innocent youths. In Nobel Prize Nominee Kevin Annett, whose persistence revealed the Genocide of Native American children in Canada, we see a modern-day monster slayer whose role in bringing down the last Pope is world-changing.

Fighting a Monster by Sibylline feat. Ace/A.E.M.G.

Ken O'Keefe intro Ken O'Keefe intro/Gilad Atzmon outro
Music Produced by Rey Topol/JB
Video Production: Lisa Spaulding & Louis Narcisi
Project Organized by Siraj Davis/CCTJP
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Dr. Jay R. Crook spent his formative years in the New York metropolitan area, where a chance acquaintance awakened his interest in Islamic culture and civilization, and he soon embraced Islam. After military service and saving some money, he ventured to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to study and ultimately, spent most of his working life in the Middle East, especially in Iran and Saudi Arabia.

He received his Ph.D. in 1978 in the Doctoral Program of Persian Literature for Foreigners at Tehran University. His doctoral thesis was A Comparison of the Quranic Stories of Surabadi With the Bible. Subsequent to leaving Iran in 1980, he worked as an English teacher in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia before retiring in 1997. He now resides in Arizona and has translated several books from Persian into English, including Kashifi’s The Royal Book of Spiritual Chivalry and Ghazzali’s The Alchemy of Happiness.

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