Free Nation?
Anti-Flag Lyrics
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In this country that we live in they, talk
Free to be harassed and be beaten by the pigs your rights, no rights
Till your fucking broken, crippled, or until you're fucking dead
They pass laws unfair to gays their, work
And separatist laws to keep the non-whites in their place their, work
Family values as a smoke screen blowing in your face their truth no
Truth
Family values isn't something that shouldn't be based on hate
Justice presides over them, late into the night
A blind fold covering their eyes but something isn't right
Under their arms there are shackles on her legs
And the hands that once held up her scales are bound, are bound in chains
And behind their closed doors they conspire through the night more work-
Sick work
And they won't stop until this nation is all straight and all white
They call it a free nation, but all it is, is a Nazi nation
The lyrics of Anti-Flag's "Free Nation" are a scathing critique of the hypocrisy and injustices that pervade American society. The song casts a critical eye on the country's so-called freedoms, which are often more illusory than real. In the first verse, the band calls out state officials who talk about freedom while simultaneously allowing police brutality to run rampant. The band notes that in America, citizens are supposedly "free," but they have no rights as they can be harassed and beaten by the police without any consequences. The band's use of profanity is revealing of how their frustration towards the country's oppression has escalated.
The second verse of the song focuses on laws that discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community and non-white individuals. The laws that these states have passed are not just unfair; they are classified as hate laws. The so-called "family values" in this instance are used as a smoke screen to divert individuals from seeing the authoritarian agenda. The band goes ahead to question the legitimacy of the justice system, which they believe is not genuine, as justice itself is already biased towards the state's agenda. This injustice is further emphasized by the fact that the blindfold worn by Lady Justice does not seem to be working; it's as if she is being coerced into upholding unjust laws.
Line by Line Meaning
State officials talk of freedom they, talk
Government officials speak of freedom, but their words are hollow.
In this country that we live in they, talk
Their empty promises of freedom are given in the context of this country.
Free to be harassed and be beaten by the pigs your rights, no rights
The freedom they offer is a sham, as people are still vulnerable to police brutality and their rights are disregarded.
Till your fucking broken, crippled, or until you're fucking dead
People are allowed to suffer until they are broken or dead, a reality that contradicts their claims of a free society.
They pass laws unfair to gays their, work
The government makes laws that discriminate against the LGBTQ+ population.
And separatist laws to keep the non-whites in their place their, work
The government also institutionalizes racism by imposing discriminatory laws against people of color.
Family values as a smoke screen blowing in your face their truth no
The government uses the pretense of promoting family values to mask the discriminatory nature of their laws.
Truth
The government's claim to promoting family values is not based on truth.
Family values isn't something that shouldn't be based on hate
The idea of promoting family values should not be based on hate.
Justice presides over them, late into the night
Justice is supposedly served even late into the night, but it is in reality an empty rhetoric.
A blind fold covering their eyes but something isn't right
Justice is supposed to be blind, but something seems off.
Under their arms there are shackles on her legs
The statue of justice carries shackles, hinting that justice is not as impartial as it should be.
And the hands that once held up her scales are bound, are bound in chains
The hands that were supposed to be balancing the scales of justice are actually restrained in chains, representing the subversion of justice.
And behind their closed doors they conspire through the night more work-
Officials collude in secret during the night, working to oppress others.
Sick work
Their work of oppressing others is sickening.
And they won't stop until this nation is all straight and all white
The officials' agenda is to create a nation that is homogenous in terms of race and sexual orientation.
They call it a free nation, but all it is, is a Nazi nation
Their claims of a free nation are a deception, as what they are actually creating is a nation that carries similarities to Nazi ideology.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: CHRISTOPHER LEE BARKER, PATRICK C. BOLLINGER, JUSTIN CATHAL GEEVER, CHRISTOPHER MARK HEAD, PATRICK C BOLLINGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind