If I Look Beyond the Choices Given

(22 April 2011)

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                    Am             C                      G                     Am
Some people say I have a choice between coal and oil and gas
            Am            F                             D             Em
And the Fukushima nightmare spreading radioactive trash
       Am                 C                            FM7                  FM7
The Ranger mine is leaking, plants can't safely store their waste
       Am                       F                   G                   Am
Self-destruction's the desire when self-hatred we can't face.
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Others say I have a choice of new technology
Of solar this and solar that, making most of wind and sea
I've nothing against clever machines if they keep the Earth healthy
But corporations' costly projects still sell us dependency.
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So if I look beyond the choices given, the time to act is now
Only reducing our consumption demonstrates effective power
An unpopular solution because it's simple and it's free
We're scared to lose destructive jobs, have faith in true economy
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Some people say I have a choice between the dictator's regime
And the freedom of democracy, but is all really as it seems?
I cannot help but notice that the most destructive empire's
A parliamentary democracy equipped with guns for hire.
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If I look beyond the choices given I can plainly see
True cooperation's based on conscious self-autonomy
We're scared that if we lose control, we'll lose our freedom too
But I never will obey; I'll never tell you what to do.
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Some people say I have a choice between chaos and the law
That law brings peace and more police bring an end to bloody war
But there's a war against the people, there's a war against the heart
And bureaucratic rules and threats keep us submissive and apart.
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So if I look beyond the choices given, my soul speaks loud and true
That my conscience is the voice of love, trusting others to love too
You may say that I'm naive but I'm creating what is true
When I stand against the insane fear that divides me from you.
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But if you're lost in fear and desperate greed and want to bring about my end
They say I must use violence or I have failed to defend
But if I look beyond the choices given, the violence stands unmasked
As an endless, powerless cycle, a future driven by the past.
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So if I choose to face my fear of death and defend nonviolently
I'll be strategic and courageous while keeping my humanity
Some people say I am not god, but who else could I be?
But god and fear of being god, along with all I see.