[Barbara Jordan]
We are a people in a quandary about the present
We are a people in search of our future
We are a people in search of a national community
We are a people trying not only to solve the problems of the present, unemployment, inflation, but we are attempting on a larger scale to fulfill the promise of America
We are attempting to fulfill our national purpose, to create and sustain a society in which all of us are equal
[Mega Ran]
I've never been afraid of the beast
Never was thug, wasn't raised by the streets
Never seen the back seat of a police cruiser
Accused of blazing the heat
They say teachers can't teach us
And the preachers can't reach us
Start impeaching our leaders-
While I'm seen as elitist
And them leaches from FEMA
Keeping them secrets between them
Keep the forty acres, man
All that we're seeking is freedom
You want peace? Well, you're dreaming
Sick of people deceiving
Bush said "Mission Accomplished!" two years ago
We believed him
While we still in Iraq
Getting k**ed in attacks
When I turn on the news
It's more soldiers we lose
And I ain't mad about Kanye comments
I'm more mad they call Kanye "conscious"
And just remember, everything that shine ain't spotless
And most cats that talk is only out here trying to line they pockets, so
Put your papers up, ain't nobody saving us
Good enough ain't enough
Now it's time to raise it up
And if you work all your life at a nine-to-five
On time every day
You can shuck and jive
But, um
Psst-
You still ain't good enough
n***a, you still ain't good enough
You can save all your money
You can give it away
You can pray
You can slave
But at the end of the day, listen:
I said you still ain't good enough
n***a, you still ain't good enough
Walk through the million dollar metal detectors
Then I listen to uncertified professors give lectures
You can tell this ain't no private school
Cause these is probably the same books my mama used
And her mama used
But when you poor, you gotta do what you gotta do
And with a diploma, man, anything is possible!
Sorry 'bout that, man, they lied to you
Cause them books ain't gonna provide for you
But thanks to the NCLB
They can't fail me
So I ain't gotta listen to a thing they tell me
The nerds calling me stupid
But I'ma be in summer school chilling with all of the cool kids
And I know that it's eating you alive
That I've got a vehicle and make
More in a week than my teachers do
I'ma get back on my deen
I'ma leave the block alone
Soon as I can walk up in the bank
And not be denied a loan
And if you work all your life at a nine-to-five
On time every day
You can shuck and jive
But, um
Psst-
You still ain't good enough
n***a, you still ain't good enough
You can save all your money
You can give it away
You can pray
You can slave
But at the end of the day, listen:
I said you still ain't good enough
n***a, you still ain't good enough
[Jesse Jackson]
All this talk about qualifications...
"What do blacks know about foreign policy?"
It's an insult!
I was three years old, I came into my consciousness
My Daddy was coming home from the war
Foreign policy
If he was so dumb
How did he get over there and get back?
If he didn't know foreign policy
Why did they give him a gun?
And when they gave it to him
He knew which way to shoot?
We know foreign policy
When you buy Honda and Toyota
That's foreign policy
Russian Vodka
That's foreign policy
Panasonic and Sony
That's foreign policy
Mercedes Benz
That's foreign policy
As a matter of fact
We came here on a foreign policy