I hear talk about Chicago With our gangs and the violence of guns As I travel the rural states of this land The opioid crisis don't walk, no, it runs And the right and the left and the middle Don't want it on their front lawns While the most moneyed politicians Talk and talk while corporate mouths yawn Visit the jails and the prisons From sea to shining sea Visit the courtrooms and laws on the books And tell me that freedom is free When it's sold to the highest bidder When their bank account is kept safe Offshore, upscale, political cronies In these United States The talk I hear over and over Love takes a backseat to loot Money buys power and fascist prestige And the marginalized get the boot I write this song on Veteran's Day With the millions of flags over millions of graves And I wonder - who are the slaves? Those who whitewash the truth away