Civil Wrongs: Musical Series for Houston Area Progressives

[emilynghiem]

I'm inviting new friends to join USMB and KPFT
I met at an open mic for Sanders supporters and Houston Area Progressives.

I dug up my Civil Wrongs rock songs, and will post and
dedicate them to all my Progressive friends I want to see succeed in working with public radio
to raise millions to buy out property for nonprofit educational outreach and campus development.

Here is the list of songs I would like to produce first:
CIVIL WRONGS and CONSTITUTIONAL EDUCATION:

* LYRICS: Rights for the Workers http://www.rightsfortheworkers.org/
* VOCALS MP3: RIGHTS FOR THE WORKERS
http://www.emilynghiem.com.istemp.com/mp3/Civil-Wrongs/rightsfortheworkers.mp3
(see also www.campusplan.org for federal plans for converting public housing into
sustainable community campus sites managed by democratically elected councils)

LYRICS: Unconstitutional http://www.houstonprogressive.org/legalization.html
VOCALS WMA: Unconstitutional (Windows Media
http://www.emilynghiem.com.istemp.com/mp3/CivilWrongs/unconstitutional.wma

Civil Rap: Bill of Rights set to Suzanne Vega/Tom’s Diner
VOCALS WMA: CIVIL RAP (Windows Media)
http://www.emilynghiem.com.istemp.com/mp3/CivilWrongs/CivilRap.wma

CIVIL RAP
(The Bill of Rights, set to the tune of "Tom's Diner"
originally by Suzanne Vega and later re-mixed by D.N.A.)

CHORUS I (repeat with variation):

Congress shall not,
Congress shall not,
Congress shall not make a law.

Doot doot DO doot, doot de DO doot,
Congress shall not make a law.

VERSE I:

Congress shall not make a law,
That would establish a religion,
Or disrupt the peaceful exercise
Of your religious freedom;
Or abridge the right to free speech,
Or the freedom of the press;
Or stop the people from assembling
To petition for redress.

REPEAT CHORUS (with variation):

VERSE II:

The Bill of Rights
Would not suffice
Without the next amendment,
Which protects the right to bear arms
From the government's infringement,
To counteract the forces
That defend our country's freedom.
(If you'll learn your rights ahead of time,
The cops won't have to read 'em!)

REPEAT CHORUS (repeat with variation):

VERSES III and IV

No soldier shall be quartered
In a time of war or peace
Without consent of the homeowner
Or the holder of the lease.

What's more, the right to safety
In our persons, houses, and effects
Shall not be breached without a warrant
By police or by the feds.

CHORUS (repeat):

Congress shall not, Congress shall not,
Congress shall not make a law.
Doot doot DO doot, doot de DO doot,
Congress shall not make a law.

VERSES V -- VI:

No one shall be deprived of rights
Without due process of the laws,
Compelled to self-incriminate,
Tried more than once for the same cause,

Or be deprived of private property
Without just compensation,
Or denied a public trial with help
To face the accusation.

VERSES VII -- VIII:

The right to trial by jury
Is preserved in suits at hand
Involving more than twenty dollars . . .
. . . No fact being re-examined . . .

Except by common law
Or in accordance with the rules.
No bails or fines shall be extreme,
No punishment unfairly cruel.

CHORUS III (repeat)

VERSES IX and X:

No rights shall be disparaged
By the laws' enumeration,
Nor the power retained by states
Or by the people of the nation,

Such as the right to happiness,
To life, and liberty
To practice equal voice in government
And true democracy.

REPEAT CHORUS:
Congress shall not, Congress shall not,
Congress shall not make a law.
Doot doot DO doot, doot de DO doot,
Congress shall not make a law.
The U.S. Congress shall make no laws . . .PERIOD!!!

LYRICS: Call this Democracy? [In the Style of Avril Lavigne/Complicated]
http://www.houstonprogressive.org
* VOCALS WMA: Call this Democracy? by Emily Nghiem
http://www.emilynghiem.com.istemp.com/mp3/CivilWrongs/callthisdemocracy.wma

LYRICS: I’m a Civilian [in the style of Survivor by Destiny’s Child]
http://www.houstonprogressive.org
* VOCALS WMA: I’m a Civilian? by Emily Nghiem
http://www.emilynghiem.com.istemp.com/mp3/CivilWrongs/imacivilian.wma

LYRICS: Democracy Calls [in the style of Pussycat Dolls]
http://www.houstonprogressive.org/democalls.html
* VOCALS WMA: Democracy Calls by Emily Nghiem
http://www.emilynghiem.com.istemp.com/mp3/CivilWrongs/democracycalls.wma

Judgment Call: The Last Commandment
[18.8 MB] Written/Narrated by Emily Nghiem, Illustrated by Cynthia Villa
http://www.emilynghiem.com.istemp.com/fa/JudgmentCall2011.AVI
Presented at MALI Festival in Austin and Unitarian Fellowship of Houston

 

[emilynghiem]

* LYRICS: Rights for the Workers http://www.rightsfortheworkers.org/
* VOCALS MP3: RIGHTS FOR THE WORKERS
http://www.emilynghiem.com.istemp.com/mp3/Civil-Wrongs/rightsfortheworkers.mp3
(see also www.campusplan.org for federal plans for converting public housing into
sustainable community campus sites managed by democratically elected councils)

[Crowd chants]
NO JUSTICE!
NO PEACE!
NO JUSTICE!
NO PEACE! NO DUH!

Back in 1995, I was volunteering time
In a Black historic church community
Defending local plans
To build a campus on the land*
To break the cycle of crime and poverty
[*APV Campus Plan]

But the City caved to pressure
From downtown redevelopers
SMASHING landmarks on the site
Hijacking public funds
Packing bigger corporate guns
To evict the residents too poor to fight!

Cuz there ain't no rights for the victims
Of lawyers who lie and cheat
When you can't afford
To appeal in Court
While they're committing perjury
They sacrificed
Our Bill of Rights
Due process and consent
And so there ain't no rights for the victims
Of fraud within the government

Ten years later, met a neighbor
Who's exposing sweatshop labor
While he teaches civil rights and history
He fought to stop his school
From signing contracts that abuse
Foreign workers sold to slavery overseas.

When they tried to kick him out
And put his doctorate in doubt,
He sued to complete his PhD.
They wouldn't give his grades
Though his tuition had been paid,
The rising cost of exercising his "free speech"

He said, there ain't no rights for the workers
Exploited by unfair trade
They don't have a choice
We're their only voice
As consumers for a living wage
We've got to fight
For equal rights
Cuz freedom's never free
Or else there won't be rights for the workers
Under corporate slavery

[Crowd chants] No Justice!
No Peace! (No Peace!)
No Justice! No Peace!
No Justice! No Joke!

Putting two and two together
I said, can't we find a better way
To take these civil wrongs and make them right?
Can we expand our campus plans
And demand a second chance
To restore democracy that was denied*
[*Democracy Denied by Lenwood Johnson]

Turning factories into schools
We could end global abuse
With safer jobs and housing on the site
No workers would be sold
If they're legally enrolled
On a campus to protect their equal rights

Can we fight for the rights of the workers
Quit buying into slavery
Give the kids a place
Where they can learn and play
Instead of living in a factory
Replace sweatshops
With student jobs
Turn prisons into schools
Can we stand for the rights of the workers
Against corporate abuse

Can't we fight for the rights of the workers
Exploited by unfair trade
They don't have a choice
We're their only voice
As consumers for a living wage
Without fair trade
How can we save
Our own economy
Unless we fight for the rights of the workers
And stop global slavery

 

[emilynghiem]

LYRICS: Unconstitutional http://www.houstonprogressive.org/legalization.html
VOCALS WMA: Unconstitutional (Windows Media
http://www.emilynghiem.com.istemp.com/mp3/CivilWrongs/unconstitutional.wma

"UNCONSTITUTIONAL"
In the style of my favorite EMF song "Unbelievable"

You can't lock a person in prison
Saying weed's against the law
Then claim religious freedom exists
By the First Amendment clause

The Declaration of Jefferson
Was written down on hemp
To guarantee my government
Respects my -- CONSENT

You can't dictate
Your moral codes then separate
The church and state - It's
UNCONSTITUTIONAL

Conservatives hate abortion
While liberals can't stand guns
They both demand the right
The freedom to choose
The poison they want
We can't speak of
Creation
God or Prayer in schools, but
It's okay
To bow and pray
To Judges
Who make rules

You can't dictate
Religious rules then separate
The church and state - It's
UNCONSTITUTIONAL

Fencing off Texas
Wasting my taxes
Policing the borders
Harassing poor workers
Oppressing fellow Mexicans
Less than equal citizens
Is it wrong to be Christian
To love
the world
and everyone equally
To live by Grace
and Charity
The price we pay
for Liberty

(Who made up these laws?
They're unconstitutional!)

You ban a couple from marriage
Making love against the law
Despite the right to assemble in peace
By the First Amendment clause

I'm a Conscientious Objector
I won't fund the wars you start,
State executions, BATF, or
Erotic modern art

You can't dictate
Where taxes go, then separate
The church and state
(Both sides want their way)
You can't mandate
Immoral codes, then separate
The church and state - It's
UNCONSTITUTIONAL

It's so unconstitutional
Unconstitutional
It's Unconstitutional*

 

[emilynghiem]

LYRICS: I’m a Civilian [in the style of Survivor by Destiny’s Child]
http://www.houstonprogressive.org/civiliansong.html
* VOCALS WMA: I’m a Civilian? by Emily Nghiem
http://www.emilynghiem.com.istemp.com/mp3/CivilWrongs/imacivilian.wma

Whether I'm a widow, or a child of four
You know it breaks my heart
To hear you talk of war
I could be Iraqi, or a Palestinian
Native Pakistani, or a proud American


Whether I am Vietnamese, or in Afghanistan
Living as a refugee beneath the Taliban
We're all the same,
I fear for my children
Before you start a war,
Just think who you're killing

I'm a civilian, that's who you're killing
Women and children, dead by the millions
Why bomb our schools, and blow up our buildings
The world better wake up, we ain't gonna take it


I'm a civilian, I'm not a target
Can't feed my children, sold on the market
I'm tired of running, starving and dying
While global funding, goes into fighting

While city governments
Spend several thousand
To kick low-income residents
From public housing


Swimming in a paper chase,
Rewriting their rules
We don't have printed books
To keep our children in schools.

Hey! All you feminists still out there bitchin'
Look at those of us - don't even have a kitchen

All you politicians take your power for granted
Funding 'civil wars' when you could save the planet


Think of civilians,
That's who you're killing
Women and children,
Oppressed by the millions.

You shut down our schools,
And fill up our prisons
You better wake up,
We ain't gonna take it

I'm a civilian, I'm not a target
Can't my kids from guns on the market
I'm tired of starving, struggling and dying
While public funding, goes into fighting

[SPOKEN:]
I pray for global peace, no violence in the streets
No gangs compete, to beat the big Commander-in-Chief
(Ain't paying for that)
Ain't gonna fund your greedy war machine
(Ain't paying for that)
Gotta keep my family fed, and my laundry clean
(I'm tired of that)
Why should I pay for your bureaucracy
(Ain't paying for that)
While I donate time to the charities
(I'm tired of that)
To fix the problems of government
I'm tired of paying double taxes for that!

Think of civilians, that's who you're killing, women and children, oppressed by the millions.
You shut down our schools, and fill up our prisons
The world better wake up, We ain't gonna take it
I'm a civilian, I'm not a target, Can't my kids from guns on the market
I'm tired of starving, struggling and dying, While public funding, goes into fighting

I'm a civilian, that's who you're killing, Women and children, dead by the millions
Why bomb our schools, and blow up our buildings, You better wake up, we ain't gonna take it
I'm a civilian, I'm not a target, Can't feed my children, sold on the market
I'm tired of running, starving and dying, While global funding, goes into fighting.
-- Dedicated to Marla Rusicka of CIVIC

 

[emilynghiem]

• HYPOCRITES [in the style of NIN/Heresy] http://www.houstonprogressive.org/hypocrisy.html
• VOCALS wma (sample only for future production) http://www.emilynghiem.com.istemp.com/mp3/Civil-Wrongs/hypocritesvocals.wma

We bought the Black vote
And sold it as democracy
We court Latinos
And pimp the poor minorities

Why point our fingers
Blinded by hypocrisy?
Make war with George Bush
Demanding peace across the sea!

If Democrats
Gave half-a rat's ass
We'd quit our fake campaigns
And make real change


We won't ban weapons
So any fool can use a gun,
But with abortion
We'll stop you from choosing one!

We blame poor Muslims
For problems in the Middle East,
While Corporations
Destroy the Planet, out of Greed!

Republicans!
Put down your guns!
Stop your hate campaigns
Create real change!

Hey Green Party
And Tea Party:
Team up and unite
The Left and Right!

• OBAMA GANGSTA STYLE [in the style of Gangnam Style/PSY] Obama Gangsta Style - Lyrics for Video Contest
• 
  
• Rules Don’t Apply [in the style of Fool Such as I] Rules Don't Apply (Equal Inclusion Music Video Contest)
  VOCALS MP3: [Sorry Dude but the] Rules Don’t Apply
• http://www.emilynghiem.com.istemp.com/mp3/Civil-Wrongs/rulesdontapply.mp3
• 
  
• What Does the Law Say? [in the style of Ylvis/What Does the Fox Say] http://www.whatdoesthelawsay.org
• Karaoke Track MP3: What Does the Law Say http://www.emilynghiem.com.istemp.com/mp3/Civil-Wrongs/karaoketrackWDTLS.mp3

(Inspired by friends at USMB and What Does the Fox Say? by Ylvis)

"What Does the Law Say?"

Roe V Wade - Free Choice claimed
Government - Could not invade.
Freedom of - Reli- gion,
We recite by Amendment One.

Equal Protec - tion of the Laws,
That's the Fourteenth Amendment Clause.
But there's one law - nobody knows:
What DOES that law say?

[Nancy Pelosi]: Ring, ding ding ding, Ding ge-ring ge-ding
[Harry Reid]: Ge-ring, ding ding ding, Ding ge-ring ge-ding
[John Boehner/Ted Cruz]: Ge-ring, ding ding ding, Ding ge-ring ge-ding

What does FOX say?

[NRA headliner and rifles shooting stacks of ACA full of holes]:
Wa-pow pow-pow! Pow, pow-pow!
Pow-pow pow-pow! Pow, pow-pow!!!
Wa-pow pow-pow! Pow, pow-pow!!

What's the Czar say?
[President frowning, shaking head]:
Racis' Haters hafta go!
That Tea Party's gotta go!
Right-wing Crazies gotta go!

What does Rush say?
[preaching on radio mic]:
States have rights! That man's delusional!
Health care choices should be optional!
That whole bill's Unconstitutional!

(That's what I say!)

High Court ruled - it's a tax
That's not how that law got passed
Congress stalled - on the Hill
Government is standing still

The Feds shut down - the benefits
And the protests of our Vets
while Aliens - have equal voice
Whatever happened to free
Choi-o-o-o-oice ... Choi-o-o-o-oice ...
Choi-o-oice ... and a Government that
Repre-se-e-ents ... Citize-e-ens ...
by Conse-e-e-e-ent ...

What does the Law say?

[First Amendment]
Gov'rnment can't mandate religion
Or abridge your right-to petition
Your free speech, or free - press
Or due pro-cess
[Fifth Amendment]

[Origination Clause]
Congress can't impose taxation
Without representation
States can't enforce discrimination
By race, class or creed
[Fourteenth Amendment]

[Thirteenth Amendment]
No unwilling servitude!
Unless punishment is due!
Rich or poor, it's no excuse
For abuses!
[Code of Ethics for Govt Service]

[Second Amendment]
Right to arms can't be infringed
For law-abiding citizens
Or rights reserved - to the States
That make our country great...

Lord of all our laws - Guiding humanity
Remind us of the truth - Come out of hiding
Shine from the clouds - Show your heav'nly face
Shower us with Grace - What would you say

Through our Founding Fathers - rising from their graves
Make us one with God - as equal children:
Equal Justice - Equal rights and Freedom under Law

 

[Damaged Eagle]

*****SMILE*****