Dutch song for freedom

The 5th of May, the 5th of May
It's Holland's Liberation Day!
Throughout the land from South to North
Flags flutter and glad bells ring forth…

Yesterday in solemn silence we remembered (this too is part of our freedom)
wars and killings throughout the world,
and especially the faces that we knew, now faded forever
Today, we remember and rejoice.
But what is our freedom?
Like Jesting Pilate (who asked.. "what is Truth?")
We do stay for an answer
Some young people told me
"Freedom is to be able to say whatever you think,
Do whatever you want,
Wear whatever clothes you like and watch whatever films you like."
But is it?
Right here close by, people are being beaten
Being shoved inside locked rooms,
There is starvation and mental and physical torture
People are being raped and molested.

So what is our freedom while this continues?
And it is not enough to say
Wir haben es nicht gewusst
We could have, should have, known.
As the Dutch writer Joris Luyendijk reminded us yesterday
Our freedom is now under attack
We are indeed swimming with sharks,
so watch out, watch out, the enemy comes in the night.
Quietly, through corruption, or because of our indifference,
or laziness, our freedom may be stolen.
Joris read out the list of 30 Dutchmen killed,
shot by the Occupying enemy on 12 March 1945.
Several of them betrayed (Na verraad) by their Dutch neigbhours,
sold for 10 guilders; for a handful of silver.
Wir haben es nicht gewusst
But it is too late to say that, when your freedom has gone,
and you can no longer
Sing, fight, weep, pray, laugh, work, and be filled with wonder …
But I have a dream —
a dream that one day, the whole world will be free
I have a dream that all the walls built to keep people out
will be pulled down, like the Berlin Wall,
or the wall in Palestine outside Jerusalem.
No more fences either,
no watch towers with armed guards and snarling dogs.
I have a dream, that one day
All doors will loose their keys
Open to anyone to come or go,
and the little children will play and dance together.
And the old people will tell their stories.
And we shall know
That there is freedom everywhere
And I think the song ends
The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea.