11-11-18
This is undoubtedly one of the most recognized protest songs in American rock-n-roll. It is often misappropriated as a song penned in response to the Vietnam War but was, in fact, a song written in response to the Sunset Strip Riots.
Though its central point of focus has been shifted throughout the generations, this song is just as poignant as ever. Every line could easily relate to today. I suppose there’s strength in knowing that the “good fight” has persisted, but then I come back to the reality that the “good fight” is still going on. I’m already tired, and I haven’t been at it like the teachers and mentors that have shown me what true resilience has looked like. What feels like the same riots, the same protests, the same broken narratives that we were taught in history books is being brought back for another revival tour.
A division is inevitable within a world comprised of billions of different ideas of reality, but the open vitriol rhetoric and legitimate calls to arms are unsettling, to say the least. We live in a country where significant portions of “conservatives” feel a need to arm themselves and prepare for a violent revolution led by a class of people that not only always whine but have been seen as weak in response to global and domestic crisis’. Significant portions of “liberals” believe anyone not adamantly against their opposition is uniformly labeled as fascists and Nazi’s, the same exact people that two years ago were their trusted neighbor, friend…family member.
Here I am, what I would believe to be an average American citizen. I have beliefs and ideologies that would fall on both sides of the aisle, and I am constantly unnerved by the next thing I read in the news—or rather the next thing the news decides to push directly to my permanently attached information device. It’s frustrating. The whole process is extremely frustrating, to say nothing of demeaning, disparaging, and meticulously designed to make one feel exactly like that.
Within the last week, we’ve had our President once again restrict the access of journalist based on an emotional reaction…like a child. I have been emboldened by the response, journalists on both sides of the political divide, have done, speaking truth to power. Their efforts work to make sure this isn’t something that goes unnoticed. However this is hardly the first time, and it doesn’t feel like it’s close to the last. Working on this project brings an interesting challenge, as a response to a song one day can quickly change based on the events going on.
While preparing for today I couldn’t get the image of an army of journalists storming the Whitehouse, fighting for the voice of the public and declaring that their force isn’t just in the power of a tweet, but in the spirit of the democracy that has given them the privilege right to speak truth to power.
Lyrics:
There’s something happening here
But what it is ain’t exactly clear
There’s a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware
I think it’s time we stop
Children, what’s that sound?
Everybody look – what’s going down?
There’s battle lines being drawn
Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind
It’s time we stop
Hey, what’s that sound?
Everybody look – what’s going down?
What a field day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly saying, “hooray for our side”
It’s time we stop
Hey, what’s that sound?
Everybody look – what’s going down?
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you’re always afraid
Step out of line, the men come and take you away
We better stop
Hey, what’s that sound?
Everybody look – what’s going down?
We better stop
Hey, what’s that sound?
Everybody look – what’s going down?
We better stop
Now, what’s that sound?
Everybody look – what’s going down?
We better stop
Children, what’s that sound?
Everybody look – what’s going down?