amendment

wouldn’t it be nice if we had an amendment
to give civil rights to women
to once and for all just really lay it down
from the point of view of women

i know what you’re thinking
that’s just redundant
chicks got it good now
they can almost be president
but it’s worker against worker
time and time again
cuz the rich use certain issues as a tool
and when i say we need the ERA
it ain’t cuz i’m a fool
it’s cuz without it
nobody can get away with anything cool

and you don’t have to go far
like just over to canada
to feel a heightened sense of live
and let live what is it about americans
like so many pit bulls
trained to attack and to never give

we gotta put down abortion
put it down in the books for good
as central to the civil rights of women
make diversity legal
make it finally understood
through the civil rights of women

and if you don’t like abortion
don’t have an abortion!
and teach your children
how they can avoid them
but don’t treat all women
like they are your children
compassion has many faces, many names
and if men can kill
and be decorated instead of blamed
then a woman called upon to mother
can choose to refrain

contrary to eons of old-time religion
your body is your only true dominion
nature is not here to serve you
(or at any cost to preserve you)
that’s just some preacher man’s
old-time opinion

life is sacred
life is also profane
a woman’s life must be hers to name
let an amendment put this brutal game to rest

trust
women will still take you to their breast
trust
women will always do their best
trust
our differences make us stronger not less

in this amendment shall be
family structures shall be free
we’ll have the right to civil union
with equal rights and equal protection
intolerance finally ruined

and then there’s the kids’ rights!
(they’ll naturally be on board)
the funnel through which women’s lives are poured
our family is so big and we’re all so very small
let a web of relationship be laid over it all

over the strata of power piled up to the sky
over the illusion of autonomy on which it relies
over any absolute that nature does not supply

and the birthing woman shall regain her place
in a circle of women in a sacred space
turn off the machines
put away the knives
this amendment shall deliver from bondage
midwives

Ani DiFranco Lyrics brought to you by danah boyd since 1995