9-11 We have an Emergency (2002)

9-11
We have an emergency
Boom!
the crash, the fire, broken glass
boom!
another crash, buildings collapse
remember, remember?
a year ago
we must rally against so called terrorists
blindly wage war against others for patriotism
the president said we must rally against evil
it's us against them
because we are one

Boom!
9-11
we have an emergency
bloody race riots on inner-city streets
for it's justice they seek
boom!
another storefront looted
remember, remember?
ten years ago
desperate wanderers search for equality
blindly wage bricks into glass
trying to take back what they felt was owed
it was us against them
where we still one?

Boom!
9-11
we have an emergency
another civil rights leader shot down
boom!
police shoot at protesters
remember, remember?
Three decades ago, Medgar, Malcolm and Martin slain
and police waging attack dogs against demonstrators
fighting for the right to be called American
it was us against them
where we still one?

Boom!
9-11
we have an emergency
a church bombing in Birmingham
boom!
four little girls die in an act of hate
remember, remember?
Three generations ago
when small black churches lit up the southern night sky
where pipe bombs waged through church cellars
where four black angels went to heaven for a better life
it was us against them
where we still one?

Boom!
9-11
we have an emergency
a crack of a whip
boom!
the overseer raping the women of an enslaved people
remember, remember?
140 years ago
the slave auction that separated families
the war they waged to keep blacks enslaved
for the rights to be considered a man?
it was us against them
where we still one?

Boom!
9-11
we have an emergency
41 shots and plungers
Boom!
COINTELPRO
Boom!
Assata!
Boom!
Lumumba!
Boom!
Emitt Till
Boom!
John Brown
Boom!
Crispus Attucks
Boom!
400 years of being enslaved, brutalized, separated,
whipped, stabbed, beaten, raped, shot and murdered
for being ageist them...for trying to be one
remember, remember?
9-11
we have an emergency
America forgot about the terrorists of 9/10