Sticks and stones
Battle zones
A single light bulb
On a single thread for the black
Sirens wail
History fails
Rose-colored glass
Begins to age and crack
While the politicians shadowbox
The power ring
In an endless split decision
Never solve anything
From a neighbor's distant land
I heard the strain of the common man
Let it be me
(This is not a fighting song)
Let it be me
(Not a wrong for a wrong)
Let it be me
If the world is night
Shine my life like a light
Well, the world seems spent
And the President
Has no good idea
Of who the masses are
Well, I'm one of them
And I'm among friends
We're trying to see beyond
The fences in our own backyards
I've seen the kingdoms blow
Like ashes in the winds of change
But the power of truth
Is the fuel for the flame
So the darker the ages get
There's a stronger beacon yet
Let it be me . . .
In the kind word you speak
In the turn of the cheek
When your vision stays clear
In the face of your fear
Then you see turning out a light switch
Is their only power
When we stand like spotlights
In a mighty tower
All for one and one for all
Then we sing the common call
Let it be me . . .
~ Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
If you have not planned to do so already, please get out there tomorrow and vote! I chose this song to try to inspire you to do so. We, the common men and women of this country, are the ones who can shine the light. If you've already done your civic duty by mail-in ballot, thank you!
"Let It Be Me" (not to be confused with the Everly Brothers' song of the same name) appeared on the Indigo Girls' fourth album, aptly called Rites of Passage, released in 1992. It was reissued in 2000 with some bonus tracks. While not one of their better-known songs, it fit the bill for my message today. And once again, we are reminded of how so little has changed in the last quarter of a century. The politicians are still shadowboxing, never solving anything. Either that, or the things that do get done quickly become undone with the next administration.
Once again, "thoughts and prayers" are being sent out to the families of those murdered in a Texas church yesterday. Sirens wail. History fails. Rose-colored glass begins to age and crack. Although there is still much to be reported, the last I heard was that half of the victims were children. When will the power ring finally admit that "thoughts and prayers" are not solving the problem? When will the politicians in control stop being owned by the NRA? I want to believe that there are more of us who want stricter gun control than those who don't. I'm one of them and I'm among friends.
This is not a fighting song. I'm just asking you to do one of the few things you can do to stop these tragedies from happening. Vote.
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