Look Into My Eyes
Outlandish Lyrics

Look into my eyes
I want you to truly see me, to understand who I am and where I come from.

Tell me what you see
Are you able to look past our surface-level differences and see me as a human being?

You don't see a damn thing
You're so blinded by our differences that you can't see me for who I truly am.

'cause you can't relate to me
Our experiences and lives are so different that you can't empathize or understand my struggle.

You're blinded by our differences
The preconceived notions and prejudices you hold prevent you from seeing me as an equal.

My life makes no sense to you
The struggles I face on a daily basis are so foreign to you that you can't comprehend why they matter so much to me.

I'm the persecuted one
Society views me as less than and continues to marginalize and oppress me.

You're the red, white and blue
Your upbringing and privilege are tied so closely to your identity as an American, that you can't see beyond it to understand my pain and experiences.

Each day you wake in tranquility
Your life is so easy that it's dull and unchallenging.

No fears to cross your eyes
You don't have to worry about your physical or emotional security on a daily basis.

Each day I wake in gratitude
I'm just grateful to be alive and have made it through another day.

Thanking God He let me rise
It's a miracle that I'm still breathing after all the trials and tribulations I've faced.

You worry about your education
Your primary concern in life is getting an education that will ensure your future success.

And the bills you have to pay
You worry about financial stability and being able to afford basic necessities.

I worry about my vulnerable life
I worry about being able to safely live as a member of a marginalized community.

And if I'll survive another day
There's a constant fear of physical harm or death that looms over me every single day.

Your biggest fear is getting a ticket
Your biggest fear in life is getting a fine or ticket for a minor offense.

As you cruise your Cadillac
You're able to cruise around in a luxury car without a care in the world.

My fear is that the tank that has just left
I'm worried about the military equipment that's constantly patrolling my streets and whether it will come back to harm me.

Will turn around and come back
I never know when my life or the lives of my loved ones may be in danger due to military presence.

Yet, do you know the truth of where your money goes?
Do you know how your tax dollars fund violence and oppression, both domestically and abroad?

Do you let your media deceive your mind?
Is your worldview shaped entirely by what you see and read in mainstream media?

Is this a truth nobody, nobody, nobody knows
Am I the only one seeing the injustices and horrors happening all around me?

Has our world gone all blind?
Is humanity so desensitized to violence and injustice that we've all become apathetic and blind to it?

See I've known terror for quite some time
I've experienced extreme fear and uncertainty for most of my life.

57 years so cruel
I've lived this painful existence for over half a century.

Terror breathes the air I breathe
The threat of violence and persecution is constantly present in my life.

It's the checkpoint on my way to school
Even going to school presents a danger due to the heavily-militarized checkpoints I have to pass through.

Terror is the robbery of my land
My homeland has been taken away from me and those who share my identity.

And the torture of my mother
My own family members have been subjected to extreme acts of cruelty and violence.

The imprisonment of my innocent father
My loved ones have been unjustly criminalized and imprisoned for no legitimate reason.

The bullet in my baby brother
My family members, including innocent children, have been hurt or killed due to senseless violence.

The bulldozers and the tanks
The military has deployed heavy artillery to destroy our homes and communities.

The gases and the guns
Even non-violent protests and demonstrations are met with excessive force and violence.

The bombs that fall outside my door
The sound of bombs and destruction is a constant background noise in my life.

All due to your funds
The weapons and tools of destruction used against me are funded by the very people who support this system of oppression.

You blame me for defending myself
I'm treated as a criminal or terrorist for simply trying to protect myself and my loved ones from harm.

Against the ways of my enemies
I am constantly pitted against those who seek to harm me and who don't see me as a human being.

I'm terrorized in my own land
I'm afraid to simply exist as a member of my own community and land.

But am I the terrorist?
I'm seen as a terrorist simply for trying to protect myself and my loved ones from violence and oppression.

America, do you realize that the taxes that you pay
The American people effectively fund the persecution and violence that I experience on a daily basis.

Feed the forces that traumatize my every living day
Your money is used to fund the forces that make my life a living hell.

So if I won't be here tomorrow
There's a very real possibility that I won't make it out alive another day.

It's written in my fate
The system is rigged against me and those like me, making it nearly impossible to survive and thrive.

May the future bring a brighter day
I hope that one day we can all live in peace and harmony, without the threat of violence or persecution.

The end of our wait
We've been waiting for so long for justice and equality, and it's time for it to finally be realized.

Ohh let's not cry tonight I promise you one day is through
Despite all the pain and suffering I've experienced, I believe that things will get better and that a brighter future is possible.

Ohh my brothers! Ohh my sisters!
I'm not alone in this struggle, and I'm grateful for the support of my community.

Ooh shine a light for every Soul that ain't with us no more
I want to honor those who have lost their lives due to the violence and oppression of this system.

Ohh my brothers! Ohh my sisters!
I'm grateful for and proud of the solidarity I feel with those who share my struggle.