JUSTICE OR JUST US

I sit and think, trying to figure it out / What’s going on with our system? What’s this about? / It’s
like there is no solution for any of this / The community, the state, it’s not “hit,” just “miss.”
With no special funding, the youth barely have anywhere to go / Boys and Girls Club, youth centers,
they’re closing the do’ / I do thank God for our local United Way / Their help is not tomorrow,
but right now—today / With all the local charities and generous donations / You’d think we could start with
just Champaign, not the nation / Our system is so twisted, who can really win? / They want you to discipline your
kids, but then DCFS steps in / So now they are on the streets and out of control / But who’s really to blame with
society being so cold / There is nowhere for them to go but on the street / And it’s so dangerous, there’s no telling
who they may meet / Drug dealers, gang bangers, even pedophiles / Promising them a brighter tomorrow, making
life worthwhile / So the children can have shelter and a simple hot meal / Back in the day, it took a village to
raise a child / But now in 2010, no one’s willing to go that extra mile
Then there are some cops that don’t help the situation, drawing guns on our teens, instead of conversation / A
young and innocent life taken so violently / -Is this what we teach our kids? No, not me / Now we have to come
together to right this wrong / Candlelight marches, one big community strong / Our sweet Kiwane Carrington,
your legacy has to remain / We need to change this now, so your murder won’t be in vain
We have these crazy stereotypes blocking the progress / Our young men being stopped/questioned because the
way they dress / Community members walk past, afraid to look them in the eye / Skin color doesn’t mean it’s a
sin to say “Hi“!
It’s time to end this absurd racial war / Fighting and jumping innocent people. Aren’t we worth more? / Is it really
too late to heal Champaign-Urbana? / We hold the answer, but where does that land us? / It’s time to devise a
plan of action: where do we begin? / Because if you’re not part of the problem, it’s time to become part of the solution.