How Do We Sleep at Night?
by Lorne Clarke copyright 2004
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Sometimes I wonder how we sleep at night
is it that we only see the world in black and white
or deliberately close our eyes
and stop our ears to the desperate cries
of the children who we blame for their own plight
tell me how do we sleep at night
how do we sleep at night

Why do we insist there's nothing we can do
is it that we only see the world in black and blue
that in every game there's a losing side
and though some folks play with loaded dice
we have to play but we don't get to make the rules
there must be something we can do
something we can do

Can you tell me how we can live this way
is it that we only see the world in shades of grey
or abandon those who need the most
to the father son and the holy ghost
though we know that no one hears them when they pray
tell me how can we live this way
how can we live this way

Sometimes I wonder how we sleep at night
is it that we only see the world in black and white
or deliberately close our eyes
and stop our ears to the desperate cries
of the children who we blame for their own plight
tell me how do we sleep at night
how do we sleep at night 

 
 
 
 
 
 

Notes
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I was recently assailed by a coworker at the giant paper mill where I earn my living.  His anger was directed toward me because he thinks of me as the local figure head for all things "LBERAL."  His beef  was that "LIBERALS" have wrongly perpetuated the myth that the world is in crisis. He went on to list the bogus crises... a health care crisis - a global warming crisis - an unemployment crisis - a weapons of mass destruction crisis - a terrorist crisis - a political corruption / voter fraud crisis - and on and on.  He pointed out that he lived in the same world as the rest of us and that he was facing no crisis; therefore there could be no crisis.

I waited for his steam pressure to drop then I asked him about Darfur, Sudan.  He had no idea where or what I was talking about.  I then asked him about the Rwandan genocide.  He said that that was another problem with LIBERALS... they think that WE (I guess he meant the world at large) have to intervene in these "civil wars."  I suggested that we - as HUMAN BEINGS - have no choice but to step in when our brothers and sisters have lost their way -- and their minds.
This song comes out of that feeling of duty -- and also out of the sense of helplessness we all feel when confronted by humanitarian catastrophe.... I cannot feed all the poor... I cannot heal all the sick... I cannot feed all the hungry... I cannot comfort all who are weary and lost... all true - but that does not mean I cannot continue to care and to do what I can - and to do what I  can to move others to do what they can.

My coworker left in frustration.  I hope he listens to this song and the rest of the Rwanda song cycle... perhaps he will... and perhaps he will learn that we are indeed living in crisis.