Woodie Guthrie lives on

Thisland.org

This Land is Your Land,

Sung by Bruce Springsteen, words and music by Woodie Guthrie

Everyone has felt it; a bit of cameraderie, a bit of cheeriness; it's as if instead of being packed into the cities, ignoring passerby, we're encountering other travelers across a wilderness, and feel like waving, or saying hello, instead of brushing by crowds of "others".

People feel like they are a little bit better today than they were before Obama's election..

It's because we finally chose to elect a man, no matter his color, who spoke words that not just struck home, but words that enlightened minds and inspired hope. We gave the appearance of judging a person based on ideas, not the color of skin, inherited status, position, their wealth.

Just as King stated, we chose a person based on a judgement of abilities, not on the color of skin or socio-economic status. We may still be bigots and prejudiced, but for one big moment, we can pretend to be better.

In fact, the critique of Obama was just that: hey, he didn't have any experience, he came from nowhere. How dare he usurp, wondered simpering snits like Rush Limburger, the barrage balloon.

But that's just the point, isn't it.

No matter what Obama's experience, once you heard the speech, you wanted to hear more. It's to be noted that Reagan had the same exact effect on Republicans when he gave "that speech".

So that's why Obama came from nowhere, and that's why we feel like we are better.

Electing an African-American dude as president, no matter how big a deal, is not going to redress the grievenaces or undo the suffering of ages. The abomination, that hundreds of thousands of Union loyalists died to eradicate, was and remains a blight on the spirit. Thousands of Abolitionists worked for decades against impossible odds to end it.

While the trail of that blight remains, as does the guilt about the treatment of Native Americans, and the denial of civil rights to women, we can feel just a bit better, just a bit closer to divinity. And surely, we welcome the warmth.

We can feel that we had a part in making real a genuine wonder, the appearance, at least for now, that at least at some times, in some places, we can fulfil the ideas that some old English dudes dreamed up, that all people (yes, women too) are equal before the law, and have equal rights to draw from the bounty of the Earth under that law.

The English "Whigs" were driven to that revolutionary idea, perhaps, by the English aristocracy's assumption of total control over all the land to preserve it for their endless fox hunts, and outlawry of those who dared work the land. Obama chose to recite the words of Tom Paine, read to Washington's troops in their darkest hour; Paine was later outlawed by the crown.

However it happened, it's the same basic, strong idea in Woody Guthrie's song, sung here by Bruce Springsteen and Pete Seeger, and curiously close to the ideas of the Tongva, our Los Angeles Native Americans:

http://www.youtube.com

THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND
words and music by Woody Guthrie

Chorus:
This land is your land, this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me

As I was walking a ribbon of highway
I saw above me an endless skyway
I saw below me a golden valley
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

I've roamed and rambled and I've followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
And all around me a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

The sun comes shining as I was strolling
The wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling
The fog was lifting a voice come chanting
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!

Chorus

In the squares of the city - In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office - I see my people
And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin'
If this land's still made for you and me.

Chorus (2x)

©1956 (renewed 1984), 1958 (renewed 1986) and 1970 TRO-Ludlow Music, Inc. (BMI)

Other Lyrics

In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people,
By the relief office I seen my people;
As they stood there hungry,
I stood there asking Is this land made for you and me?

Nobody living can ever stop me,
As I go walking that freedom highway;
Nobody living can ever make me turn back
This land was made for you and me.

Thisland.org This Land is Your Land, Sung by Bruce Springsteen, words and music by Woodie Guthrie
	Everyone has felt it; a bit of cameraderie, a bit of cheeriness; it's as if instead of being packed into the cities, ignoring passerby, we're encountering other travelers across a wilderness, and feel like waving, or saying hello, instead of brushing by crowds of "others". People feel like they are a little bit better today than they were before Obama's election.. It's because we finally chose to elect a man, no matter his color, who spoke words that not just struck home, but words that enlightened minds and inspired hope. We gave the appearance of judging a person based on ideas, not the color of skin, inherited status, position, their wealth. Just as King stated, we chose a person based on a judgement of abilities, not on the color of skin or socio-economic status. We may still be bigots and prejudiced, but for one big moment, we can pretend to be better. In fact, the critique of Obama was just that: hey, he didn't have any experience, he came from nowhere. How dare he usurp, wondered simpering snits like Rush Limburger, the barrage balloon. But that's just the point, isn't it. No matter what Obama's experience, once you heard the speech, you wanted to hear more. It's to be noted that Reagan had the same exact effect on Republicans when he gave "that speech". So that's why Obama came from nowhere, and that's why we feel like we are better. Electing an African-American dude as president, no matter how big a deal, is not going to redress the grievenaces or undo the suffering of ages. The abomination, that hundreds of thousands of Union loyalists died to eradicate, was and remains a blight on the spirit. Thousands of Abolitionists worked for decades against impossible odds to end it. While the trail of that blight remains, as does the guilt about the treatment of Native Americans, and the denial of civil rights to women, we can feel just a bit better, just a bit closer to divinity. And surely, we welcome the warmth. We can feel that we had a part in making real a genuine wonder, the appearance, at least for now, that at least at some times, in some places, we can fulfil the ideas that some old English dudes dreamed up, that all people (yes, women too) are equal before the law, and have equal rights to draw from the bounty of the Earth under that law. The English "Whigs" were driven to that revolutionary idea, perhaps, by the English aristocracy's assumption of total control over all the land to preserve it for their endless fox hunts, and outlawry of those who dared work the land. Obama chose to recite the words of Tom Paine, read to Washington's troops in their darkest hour; Paine was later outlawed by the crown. However it happened, it's the same basic, strong idea in Woody Guthrie's song, sung here by Bruce Springsteen and Pete Seeger, and curiously close to the ideas of the Tongva, our Los Angeles Native Americans: http://www.youtube.com THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND words and music by Woody Guthrie Chorus: This land is your land, this land is my land From California, to the New York Island From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters This land was made for you and me As I was walking a ribbon of highway I saw above me an endless skyway I saw below me a golden valley This land was made for you and me Chorus I've roamed and rambled and I've followed my footsteps To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts And all around me a voice was sounding This land was made for you and me Chorus The sun comes shining as I was strolling The wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling The fog was lifting a voice come chanting This land was made for you and me Chorus As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there And that sign said - no tress passin' But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin! Now that side was made for you and me! Chorus In the squares of the city - In the shadow of the steeple Near the relief office - I see my people And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin' If this land's still made for you and me. Chorus (2x) ©1956 (renewed 1984), 1958 (renewed 1986) and 1970 TRO-Ludlow Music, Inc. (BMI)
	Other Lyrics
	In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people, By the relief office I seen my people; As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking Is this land made for you and me?

	Nobody living can ever stop me, As I go walking that freedom highway; Nobody living can ever make me turn back This land was made for you and me.