i was standing on the stop 

thinking of humanity 

when you came along so righteous with a new national hate 

so convincing is the ardor of war and of men 

it's harder to breathe than to believe you're a friend 



you stick me in the back with a sideways smile 

unity's the front of a gang mentality 

you're trying to burn the ashes 

but they won't catch fire 

while reason is coagulating in the mire 



as the final poor man's carcass washes up on my shore 

i don't know much but i know that wars begets more war 



are you willing to wait? 

for another watergate? 

this national uproar's got me in surrender 

fear is the sender 



cuz the whole wide world is watching 

but no one's doin anything 

the whole wide world is watching 

we justify the enemy 



how unpopular it seems to be persuasive for peace 

i got a mind full of destruction- 

but it's only for me 

like a wedding vow i speak the word: equality 

but alas i feel that everyone is stronger than me 



you know that i was born against the O.I.A. 

(opression, ignorance, & authority) 

but that is nothing new if you've heard what i say 



as the mahatma sheds a tear, buried so deep underground 

we continue to uphold the men who keep us down 



are you willing to die 

for a president-sized lie? 

for a man you've never met? 

why ask why? 

we stick our brother 

while the whole wide world is watching 



all we are 

and dreams to be 

come to pass, 

it won't, you'll see 

should the land we claim to be 

chain the world so we are free 

though i try to see 

i'm blinded by the light in front of me 

are we doomed to stumble on and to repeat? 

well so it seems