Flobots - Anne Braden lyrics

What I've realized since is that it's a very painful process but it is not destructive. It's the world deliberation. And what really happened in the sixties was that this country took just the first step toward admitting that it had been wrong on race, and creativity burst out in all directions. From the color of the faces in Sunday's songs To the hatred they raised all the youngsters on Once upon a time in this country long ago She knew there was something wrong Because the song said yellow, red, black, and white Everyone precious in the path of Christ But what about the daughter of the woman cleaning their house Wasn't she a child they were singing about? And if Jesus loves us black or white skin Why didn't her white mother invite them in? When did it become a room for no blacks to step in? How did she already know not to ask the question? Left lasting impressions Adolescence's comforts gone She never thought things would ever change But she always knew there was something wrong She always knew there was something wrong She always knew there was something wrong Years later she found herself Mississippi-bound To help stop the legalized lynching Of Mr. Willie McGee But they couldn't stop it So they thought that they'd talk to the governor About what happened And say we're tired of being used As an excuse to k** black men But the cops wouldn't let 'em past and These women they struck 'em as uppity So they hauled 'em all off to jail And they called it protective custody Then from her cell she heard her jailers Grumbling about outsiders And when she called him out And said she was from the south they shouted "Why is a nice southern lady Making trouble for the governor?" She said, "I guess I'm not your type of lady And I guess I'm not your type of southerner. But before you call me traitor Well it's plainest just to say I was a child in Mississippi But I'm ashamed of it today" She always knew there was something wrong She always knew there was something wrong She always knew there was something wrong She always knew there was something wrong And, all of a sudden, I realized I was on the other side Imagine the world that you're standing within All of your neighbors and family and friends How would you cope facing the fact The flesh on your hand was tainted with sin? She faced it every day People she saw on a regular basis People she loved in several cases People she knew were incredibly racist It was painful But she never stopped loving them Never stopped calling their name And she never stopped being a southern woman And she never stopped fighting for change And she saw that her struggle was in the tradition Of ancestors never aware of her It continues today, the soul of a southerner Born of the other America She always knew there was something wrong She always knew there was something wrong She always knew there was something wrong She always knew there was something wrong What you win in the immediate battles is little compared to the effort you put into it but if you see that as a part of this total movement to build a new world, you know what could be. You do have a choice. You don't have to be a part of the world of the lynchers. You can join the other America. There is an other America.