This song was written by Bruce Hornsby and released on the album by Bruce Hornsby and the Range in 1986 on the album, “The Way It Is.” If you listen closely, there are two distinct stories being told. One simply accepts that things are the way they are and “some things will never change.” Another says, “Don’t you believe them!” I choose not to believe them.
The narrative of the song ends after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when discrimination was theoretically outlawed. We now know that was in theory alone. Since then we’ve encountered new challenges. In the history of our country we’ve always had voter suppression, inequitable laws and enforcement and several Presidents and a Supreme Court that didn’t represent the whole country’s interests. That’s the way it’s been but it doesn’t always have to be that way.
A Trump Presidency is not “just the way it is.” The President is not a Monarch and we can resist following his crude base instincts. We can resist building the wall and a nuclear arms race and the elimination of health care for millions. We have the power… we must also have the will.
The title is misleading because things don’t have to be the way they’ve been. “Don’t you believe it!” Positive change will not come without struggle. At least during the battles I can enjoy my theme song. I give you Margot Bingham!
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ENIGMA IN BLACK 
Reblogged this on enigmainblackcom and commented:
“But Don’t You Believe It”
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We all want to remain positive and hopeful after all that’s been the cornerstone of our lives. Praying that others would eventually do the right thing in face of long standing wrong doings.
But this climate of pure hate and bigotry the likes I’ve never seen before and I was born in the South seems unprecedented.
While many castigate our current President with how little he has done to help “us”, they embrace this monster who has shown that we are the last vestige of people he would ever attempt to help, along with all the others he thinks never embraced him.
We know who he is, he has shown us in every way.
You are right we must have the will, because this is the struggle of our lives, and the lives of future generations.
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Wanted to add thanks for another great post. What an exciting and interesting time we’ve had with you this year.
Come on 2017 if we could handle 2016, we’ve got this.
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2016 certainly was a year of disappointments and 2017 won’t start with a bang but we are survivors. Not only that we will find a way to prosper despite everything that comes. Voices like yours help make that possible!
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