From the recordings Somewhere to Begin and Fertile Ground
This song was written in response to hearing the stories told by U.S. citizens who travelled to Iraq to bring food and medicine and bear witness to the suffering sustained by our foreign policy. At the time of this song’s writing (1999), there were 5,000 to 6,000 children dying each month as a direct result of UN/US imposed economic sanctions. What is worth the cost of these children dying? The song remains a protest of war and questions our rational for it’s engagement.
Lyrics
Is It For Freedom?
Rulers of the nations as you fuss and fight
Over who owns this or that and who has the right
To design, build, sell and store and fire
All the bombs and guns to defend your holy empire
There are children hungry, children sick and dying
There are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers crying
They’re only pawns in your play of power and corruption
Slowly starve them, your new weapon of mass destruction
And prove to me, America, that you care
And prove to me, America, you’re aware
Who’s dying for your freedom in this land
Who pays the cost for the liberties you demand
Is it for freedom, or our comfort and convenience
Is it to profit for big business we pledge our allegiance
Are we prisoners in the land of the brave and the bold?
Held by indifference or hearts grown hard and cold (refrain)
Children of the world, you have the right
To sing and dance, run and play, let your dreams take flight
As the innocent die you rulers carry the shame
And if we stand idly by we share in the blame
And oh, America, do we care
Oh, America, are we aware
Who’s dying for our comfort in this land
Who pays the cost for the convenience we demand?
Children of the world, you have the right
To sing and dance, run and play, let your dreams take flight
© 1999 Sara Thomsen