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Prism

from Into A Prism by David Rovics

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A heroic man named Edward Snowden exposed the fact that the NSA is, and has been for some time, spying on communications of US citizens and people around the world. And lying to Congress about it. But both Demoblicans and Republicrats in Congress want to lynch him for whistleblowing anyway. There's a name for this: a police state.

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A secretive government had a secret operation
Massacring villages, killing millions, secretly bombing an entire nation
They wiretapped a hotel room, they got caught and a government was deposed
Because of secret documents Daniel Ellsberg exposed

One government came down, and to prevent a repetition of this fact
The next government passed the Freedom of Information Act
Each administration since then hoped it would go away
And then they finally seized the chance on a September day

They passed the Patriot Act before a single Congressman had read it
But don't ask the Executive how they interpret it
Because that itself is secret, never to be revealed
Just like their secret prisons and all the torture sessions they concealed

Then they formed the Prism Program so they wouldn't even have to ask
Compliant corporations to assist them in the task
Of collecting information, every email you ever wrote, every book you ever read
Every call you ever made, everything you ever said

I looked into a prism, what did I see
A police state looking back at me

The Secret Government men lied to Congressional committees
Secret information even a Senator can't see
Secret bureaucrats working with secret corporations enforcing secret laws
Forming secret juries to serve a secret cause

One brave man came forward and then he fled town
And now the Secret Government men mean to hunt him down
Feinstein says he is a traitor, McConnell said so, too
But I'd say if we have a future it's because of the whistle that he blew

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from Into A Prism, released July 2, 2013

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David Rovics Portland, Oregon

Singer/songwriter, writer, podcaster (on Spotify, Substack & Patreon), anarchist, dad, lover of life.

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