a great song to sing in the paddywagon!
folk
pittsburgh
labor
union
activist
agitator
environmentalist
jail for justice
Story behind the song
I wanted to dispel the myth that positive social change occurs through electoral politics. All the things we value in our society --- the right to organize, the 40 hour week, civil rights, suffrage for women, women's rights, the end to child labor --- were hard-won in the streets by people willing to put their bodies on the line for justice!
Lyrics
HAVE YOU BEEN TO JAIL FOR JUSTICE?
© 1998 Anne Feeney (BMI)
Was it Cesar Chavez? Maybe it was Dorothy Day
Some will say Dr. King or Gandhi set them on their way
No matter who your mentors are it's pretty plain to see
That, if you've been to jail for justice, you're in good company
Have you been to jail for justice? I want to shake your hand
Cause sitting in and lyin' down are ways to take a stand
Have you sung a song for freedom? or marched that picket line?
Have you been to jail for justice? Oh, you're a friend of mine!
You law abiding citizens, come listen to this song
Laws were made by people, and people can be wrong
Once unions were against the law, but slavery was fine
Women were denied the vote and children worked the mine
The more you study history the less you can deny it
A rotten law stays on the books til folks like us defy it
The law's supposed to serve us, and so are the police
And when the system fails, it's up to us to speak our peace
It takes eternal vigilance for justice to prevail
So get courage from your convictions
Let them haul you off to jail!