I Wrote This to Start a Fire - Time

I wrote this to start a fire

I wrote this in memory of Heather Heyer

Fire starter, throwing kerosene on the coals

This is for the White Rose, rest in peace to Sophie Scholl

This is for Lepa Radic who fought against the fascists

The Edelweiss Pirates who said take the state and smash it

The Swing Kids and Zazou in zoot suit jackets

Along with the Schlurfs who wanted nazis in trash pits

I wrote this for Emma who lit my soul’s inner flame

This is for Ida who taught us how to liberate

43 group and the Battle of Cable Street

Who fought fascists in London, blood left their faces streaked

We Rock Against Racism like the X Ray Spex

We’re looking for liberation not pay checks

From Charlottesville to the valley of Jarama

I thought Killjoy told you, there’s no nazis in Valhalla

We never think of Heather but when we laugh or smile

Cause she often made people laugh, we love the sound of her laugh

A lot of us have video tapes

We don’t all have to sacrifice our lives

They tried to kill my child to shut her up

Will guess what?

You just magnified her

Fascism is not to be debated it is to be destroyed

The reason cops are hated is cause the klan they employ

From the Trail of Tears to the streets of Ferguson

From Rikers, to Pelican Bay, the state be murdering

We’re kicking fascists like St. Pauli

Like when Ethiopia fought them with Haile

Lessons learned from Robeson to Chairman Fred

Solidarity Not Charity like Common Ground said

I’m just trying to find my way like Elisee Reclus

I’m looking for the strength that Ella Baker knew

Each bar is like John Brown cocking the hammer

We combat the propaganda like the breakfast from panthers

This is for the CNT and the Mujeres Libres

I’m Battling the state and myself I’m in a fight that’s 3 way

They shall not pass, No Pasaran is what we say

And play some Killah P is what I’m telling the deejay

I understand exactly what fascism was while I was there

And my intention was to go any place where I could help

I couldn’t live with myself today if I hadn’t gone then knowing what happened

The neofascists had their own ammunition.

And this is very important to keep in

mind, because the police, for the most part, pulled back.

The next day,

for example, those 20 of us who were standing, many of them clergy,

we would have been crushed like cockroaches if it were not for the anarchists

and the anti-fascists who approached, over 300, 350 anti-fascists.

We just had 20. And we’re singing «This Little light of Mine,» you know what I

mean?

So that the—

«Antifa» meaning anti-fascist

The anti-fascists, and then, crucial, the anarchists, because they saved our

lives, actually