song for theme #21A: Populism

“The People Yes My Friend” by Stephen P. Cook

to be sung to the tune of “God Bless America” by Irving Berlin / Kate Smith

The People Yes¹ my friend

Here you belong²

Work beside us

Help guide us

Together we can right every wrong³

From the grassroots⁴

In the classrooms

In the boardrooms⁵

Hear our song

The People Yes my friend

Together strong⁶

The People Yes my friend

Here you belong

The People Yes my friend

Here place your trust

Watch as we learn

And discern

Seeing light in the night through the dust⁷

Fight deception,

Cynicism⁸

And corruption

Fight we must

The People Yes my friend

Struggle⁹ we must

The People Yes my friend

Here place your trust

SONG—NOTES / COMMENTS

1—“The People, Yes!” most notably refers to the title of a 1936 book written by populist poet and writer Carl Sandburg.  For

      many years it was also the message emblazoned on a sign one encountered upon entering the student community of Isla Vista,

      California next to the University of California campus. There,  during the late 1960s and early 1970s, students, counterculture

      enthusiasts and activists drew national attention—most notably with protests over an oil spill in the Santa Barbara channel and

      a torching of a branch of the Bank of America during a Vietnam War related protest. 

2—Feeling you belong is the opposite of alienated. Alienated people can be hopeless, resigned and cynical.

3— Populist movements can be movements for social justice—or in general social and political movements in which diverse

      groups bridge their differences and come together to work for change. Populism can also refer to use of appropriate, persuasive

      language in political appeals to common people.

4—The term grassroots suggests a “bottom up” movement to bring change.

5—The term boardrooms suggests corporate leaders are not necessarily part of the power elite enemy if they accept ordinary

       people as stakeholders as part of corporate social responsibility efforts.

6—This line recalls the “United we are strong!” line in the “Solidarity Forever” left wing populist anthem.

7—This refers to fighting those who fear transparency, “muddy the waters” or “baffle with bullshit.”

8—Cynics don’t make good populists since their dim view of human nature precludes needed trust.

9—Struggle is a word associated with populism and people power, as in appreciating their “heroic struggle.” Throughout the world

      ordinary people, if they are willing to struggle, have the potential to claim political power given their numbers and oust self-

      serving elite who may otherwise rule. 

 Comment: this theme has value as emotional armor. The feeling of joining others magnifies your identity and offers strength protecting against feeling alone fears. And certainly feeling that you are working for change can counter feelings of hopelessness. Of the five personality factors (identified and briefly discussed in Part I), extraversion (which combines joining and acting) may the one best linked to populists.