We Stand As One is a protest song. Mostly, it is a song about the necessary and profound growing unity among those who have far less political influence than the strikingly small minority. I also wanted to make a statement about the consequences of corporate greed. It is an acknowledgment that many people have suffered greatly because they have access to so little, and I would add that many have perished, because they did not have access to adequate, affordable healthcare. The song is an acknowledgment that higher education is often out of reach for those of more limited means, and for those who can manage furthering their education, the consequence of impossibly high college loans looms well beyond the original aspirations of acquiring a degree. In writing the song I considered the history of protest and revolution. And while I would always hope for peaceful changes, I am well aware that revolution often leads to some form of violence. We Stand As One is an acknowledgement of violence that might ensue; yet, it is not a call for violent action. Certainly, the song could be heeded as a warning within those few lines that respond to what seemed to me an evident possibility. I hope the song will be seen in its full scope and context. If the song leads to genuine debate, then it might serve a good purpose. If the very few controversial lines within a nearly nine minute song are taken out of context and used for the purposes of instigating more anger, rather than change, then that would be regrettable.

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