A Women's Studies Starter: Is It for Freedom?

This song, "Is It for Freedom?" provides us much food for thought, about the state of the world we are in--and the role of every human being to the world. Is it for freedom, song writer and artist Sara Thomsen asks. When we explore the world, considering our relationship to it through the "intersectional" lens of gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, nationality, and so on, we must ask ourselves what it truly means when we do things in the name of freedom, liberty, and emancipation.

Lyrics:

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

CHORUS:
And prove to me America, that you care
And prove to me America, that 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

CHORUS

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

In the next 15 weeks or so, we will journey together. Christan Star and I look forward to exploring this beautiful world of ours with you through women's studies.