Protected

Protected under this banner Protected under this roof Protected by a vow of silence Protected by the truth Protected from the mayhem Protected from the law Protected from what our ears have heard And from whatever our eyes saw To some, I’m just an afterthought By some, I’m pre-selected Dumb, humble and weak — I struggle to speak It’s a good thing I’m protected Now, protection ain’t no guarantee From the hazards of the land You can live in a place where you think you are free Under laws you wouldn’t understand And you don’t have to wear no uniform You don’t have to fight any fight O, thank the Lord you’re so protected and warm All thru the stormy night To some, it’s just an afterthought By others, it’s dissected Our leadership reigns And they go to great to great pains To ensure that we stay protected So if I sound ungrateful Or if I sound unsure Or even if I’m hateful, It’s no offense to you and yours ‘Cause everybody seeks protection The tolling of safety’s bell And we’d give up our lives to keep away from the knives Even if it means the paradise of hell To God, we may be an afterthought (We sure are to those we’ve elected) In our armored suits And our futile pursuits, We stand quasi-resolute With T-shirts crying that we’re protected