In the Streets of Charlottesville

This is the place Heather died
Gave it all to stem the tides
Of anger and hate racing ‘cross the land
As men arrived with guns in hand
Yeah, here’s where they came with rage in their hearts
Here’s where they came to tear us apart
Dressed for war, spoiled for fights
Waving flags righter than right
In the streets of Charlottesville

Statues stood and glorified
Whips and chains of Dixie pride
All more troubling now becuz
They mixed it up with swastikas
After millions paid the ultimate cost
We won’t bring back the holocaust
A classic case of us versus them
Can’t we just live as women and men
In the streets of Charlottesville

Stay home and pray or call hate out?
Join the fray, shout down the shouts?
A stand for peace could still transpire
In pouring gas onto a fire
When leaders lack accountability
Or even common civility
There’s always someone else to blame
And the bully pulpit fanned the flames
In the streets of Charlottesville

Opening wounds we hoped to ignore
Our oldest issues came to fore
Festering here, simmering there
Time to come clean, clear the air
Here’s our chance to realize
We all hold our secret lies
Judge brothers for this, sisters for that
Time to take ourselves to the mat
In the streets of Charlottesville

Over and over again we make our battlefields
Have we had enough pain to drop the swords and shields?
Can’t fight hate with hate or fear with fear
Love’s the only way our children will see all their years

Time's upon us we knew would come
When free speech marches with a gun
Amendments beg us what to do
To reconcile numbers one and two
The man on the screen plays to our fears
Says you’ll lose what you hold dear
Are you left or are you right?
You must see life as black or white
In the streets of Charlottesville

Draw lines here, draw lines there
'Til what’s left are maps of despair
Time we get all blood is red
Time we say enough's been shed
Together we can turn the page
On hate, on anger, on rage
Now we choose our destiny
Unity through diversity
In the streets of Charlottesville...

Words and Music Copyright © 2017 Jeff Burger