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This article cross-posted from Consortium News
Last Thursday, I took part in a panel discussion on "Targeting Iran: Sanctions and War" at California State University, Fresno. The panel discussion took place against the backdrop of all-too-familiar warnings to Iran that it has one "last chance" to stop doing what the CIA and pretty much all serious intelligence agencies say it is not doing -- namely, working on a nuclear weapon.
That's right; one "last chance" to stop doing what it is NOT doing. This unconscionably surreal -- and transparently provocative -- demand threatened to cast an unrelenting pall over the event, so I made a lame attempt to inject some light humor in order to head off confusion and despair.
Since the West's rhetoric about Iran virtually cries out for parody -- not to mention correction -- I decided to begin my short presentation with an adaptation of "It Ain't Necessarily So" from Porgy and Bess.
First, I needed to expose non-Gershwin fans to the song's tune and cadence, so I began with one of the original verses and asked the audience to sing along. (You may wish to do likewise):
Oh Jonah he lived in de whale,
Oh Jonah he lived in de whale.
Fo' he made his home in
Dat fish's abdomen,
Oh Jonah he lived in de whale.
Well, it ain't necessarily so;
Well, it ain't necessarily so.
Fo' he made his home in
Dat fish's abdomen,
But that ain't necessarily so.
After that warm-up came the unveiling of three Iran-related verses composed earlier that day during the long drive from the Bay area to Fresno. (Please do sing along):
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