Historically White College

The kids are all white
But they say I’m welcome
The kids are polite
So I don’t dare tell them
Every now and then I feel like an alien
It’s water ‘neath the bridge at
Historically white college

Monday morning:
Read the class-list
They’re gonna need some
Extra practice
Saying your name
So the frat kids
In your midst whisper “terrorist”

So you try to make up your mind
If you’re gonna erupt this time
If you want to discuss this sense of injustice
You’ve come to the wrong place

The kids are all white
But they say I’m welcome
The kids are polite
So I don’t dare tell them
Every now and then I feel like an alien
It’s water ‘neath the bridge
At historically white college

You’re spending your time
Looking inward
They’re singing rap songs
With the “N” word
You thought that this place
Was “left of center”
All it means is that they went green

Then you try to make up your mind
If you’re gonna erupt this time
If you want to discuss this sense of injustice
You’ve come to the wrong place

The kids are all white
But they say I’m welcome
The kids are polite
So I don’t dare tell them
Every now and then I feel like an alien
It’s water ‘neath the bridge
At historically white college

If you got the gumption
You can tell there’s something
Wrong with how they’re running this place

Can’t you see it’s bigger
Than warnings and triggers
Who’s to say what spaces are safe
Or who we embrace

When the kids are all white
But they say I’m welcome
The kids are polite
So I don’t dare tell them
Every now and then
I feel like an alien
It’s water ‘neath the bridge
At historically white
That’s the way it is
At historically white college