First of all, thank you, the reader, for your help and your support.
For the past 45 years, you’ve stood with us. Those who distort
The truth are not thrilled at the fact that we have fought back for so long.
We fought for you, and fought for each person who can tell right from wrong.
We were there when Richard Nixon
Split the country with his hate
Before hanging in the noose of hubris
Known as Watergate.
We were there when Gerald Ford
Pledged that he would whip inflation.
Of course, *he* got whipped two years later;
‘Twas a moment of elation.
We were there, noting the boldness
And foresight of Jimmy Carter,
While the wingnuts mocked his policies
And ridiculed his daughter.
We were there when Ronald Reagan
Walked onto a large soundstage
And began the dark, sick process
That unleashed such wingnut rage.
Remember when he pounded PATCO
And shafted the working man?
What was worse–this true class warfare
Or those weapons to Iran?
We were there when Poppy Bush
Told the nation “Read my lips”–
Before keeping his own mouth shut
As the U.S. economy dipped.
We were there to see Bill Clinton
Emerge from a place called Hope
To fight off well-financed attacks
From scores of right-wing dopes.
We bore witness to the robbery
And assault on Al Gore
And the rise of that son-of-a-Bush
Whose actions we deplored:
His torture chambers, oil wars
And lies just made us sick.
(And as for his heartless VP,
Just three words: You suck, Dick!)
And then we watched a Senator
Who spoke of profound change
Become President–one sabotaged
By opponents so deranged.
The birthers and the racists
And Tea Partiers conspired
To smear our noble President
As a Kenyan commie liar.
They seized control of Congress
After two midterm elections
And put David Koch on speed-dial
To provide them with directions.
In 2015, they will seek
To turn our country back—
But not if we stand in their way
And launch a counterattack.
With your help, we will strike the blows
Against the Right’s empire
And prove that the wingnutters’ wrath
Can’t stop our strong desire
To bring folks to a better day
Where American ideals
Are not just words in an old song
But a standard that is real.
So many dreams yet unfulfilled
Yet we’re still undeterred.
(We know what Langston Hughes once said
About a dream deferred!)
We dream of the day when women
Are paid the same for work
And LGBT neighbors and friends
Aren’t bashed by bigoted jerks.
We dream of the day when dark skin
Won’t mean one’s hopes are shattered
(And when it won’t be controversial
To say that black lives matter!)
We dream of the day when the guns
Are kept far from the crazed;
Not one more mother needs to cry,
Nor one more father dazed.
We dream of the day when we keep
Our children out of wars
Conceived by bitter, greedy men
Who just want more wealth to store.
We dream of the day when our daughters
Never have to fear
That their right to choose will be denied
By judges insincere.
And we dream of climate justice!
With Big Oil’s lies rejected,
Those who come after us will be sure
Their atmosphere’s protected.
These fights aren’t over yet—all of these dreams
Must be made true.
These fights must carry on…and for us to win,
We do need you.
Without your support, the forces
Of backwardness advance.
The stakes are just too high, with so many
In a Fox News trance.
We must continue fighting
Against those who would dumb down
This country to the point that folks think
Hannity’s profound!
It is a classic fight, indeed,
Open minds fighting dogmatism,
And supporters of equality
Vs. racism and sexism.
It is a fight that we can win.
And damn it to hell, we must!
So that our children can be free
In a culture that’s just.
We need your help to beat back those
Whose minds are beyond depraved,
And to ensure that in 2016
We’ll have leaders progressive and brave.
In whatever amount you can afford,
Please make a contribution.
With your help, and in your name,
We’ll keep fighting for solutions.
