who's the enemy?

this is for my battle buddy, Cooper, who in basic training

lay on the floor in a pool of his own blood

teeth missing, eyes swollen shut

I could see the boot prints on his face

beat for bein black, beat for his race

this is for G-force

the brick house jumpmaster, paratroopin disaster 

Maaan, he could sing!

and make everyone laugh

but they called him names when he turned his back

see, G took care of me and I trusted him for that 

he taught me how to fly, how to pull the trigger

and no afghani ever called him nigger

this is for the Vietnam Vet

who told me he didn't fear the death he might meet

because of his skin color, 

he already worried about bein strung up

just for walkin down his own street

we were told the military would teach us 

how to share our freedom

but what we learned was a new level of hate.

when we weren't training to kill people with turbans 

we were conditioned to hate our sisters and brothers

foreign, domestic, and urban 

this institution thrives on hate:

there was a swastika brand on the chest

of my first army roommate.  

he told me uncle Sam don't care

but I couldn’t help but stare

at the absurdity of a man

wearing an arrowhead patch 

representing the spirit of the Native Americans 

crowned with a U.S. flag, on a blouse 

encasing a chest

branded with a symbol of hate 

this uniform supposedly defeated?

I’ve got news for you America

the enemy isn't in the Middle East

or Africa or Asia or Central and South America

It’s within you 

and it’s within me

It’s the institution of hate

that keeps people from bein free.