Words & Music:  Paul Spencer, 2004

"Every era of social change and every branch of the movement has its own terminology and catchphrases but when you strip away all the sloganeering, the quasi-religious dogma, and the odd incidental campaigns we adopt in the short-term as we go along, we're all fighting for the same thing. Freedom is only one part of it too: but all the words we invent to describe our broad idealistic vision get twisted around by those in power and lose their proper meanings." - Paul

Remember when democracy meant freedom?
It used to mean equality and liberty
And even things like peace and love and sharing were implied
Now it means a ballot box to vote for thugs in suits
But I'm still holding onto it, remembering the roots
And all the dreams it signified

Anarchy was once a word for freedom
They didn't want a government to serve 'em or to lead 'em
And together was the nicest way to be
Now it means a riot, burning cars and looting shops
Or lots of punks and hippies getting trampled by the cops
But still the word means peace to me

Communist once meant you stood for freedom:
Complete emancipation by the careful use of reason
And of course by revolution in the end
Now it means authority and total state control
I use it still the old way but the autocrats who stole it
Make it tricky to defend

It seems to me that drugs were once for freedom
For learning and adventure: trip for fun not 'cause you need 'em
And they made you see the world a different way
Now it's crack and junk supplied by gangsters to the poor
But I still choose my headstate, sometimes sober
Sometimes more inclined to twist and float away

At one time national sovereignty meant freedom
It meant throwing off the tyranny of empires
It meant freedom to return to more anarchic days of old
Now it's civil war as small dictators fight for power
But I think underneath a seed of new life waits to flower
Yes, in spite of what we're told

It's better when we all just work for freedom
All the queer anarchosocialist
Disabled coloured vegan pagan female libertarians and me
We're trying to spread ideas not just a slogan or a name
And deep and complex arguments are harder to defame
For all the bigots on TV

It's better when we all just work for freedom!