what’s that rotten smell
the stench of morning headlines
someone’s trying to sell a war of ignorance
with newspapers passed out in our schools
and every morning children recite an oath to fools

oh no those are words my lips won’t make
i couldn’t fake blind allegiance 
to a dead ideal while kids follow what I say
i should’ve hit the lights and said
stop
kids you’re writing your own pledges now
and if you need ideas i’ll tell you when i was your age

yes you could see me dancing in the streets
in front of soldiers in battle armor called the state police
i saw my parents standing next to me
and i thought this is what it’s like, to bring your kids up right
and i looked up and smiled

thinking people can’t be mind-controlled 
history knows this
so we’ll teach our children to be skeptical of the government
they’ll question all the lies they’re ever told
they’ll be fearless when they stop worshipping the flagpole 
and reject what they’ve been sold

then you will hear them chanting in the streets
a sea of children singing so loud 
the sound is deafening
this war machine will collapse in disbelief
and the hawks will lose their wings and cry
for forgiveness for their crimes
and the kids will nod and smile