Liberty (ca. 1940s)

[Music] I am Liberty I am the living symbol of all women Creeds and races I am the hopes and dreams of all mankind give me your tired your poor your huddled nasses yearning to be free The Wretched Refuge of your teeming Shore send them tempest toss to me I lift the lamp beside the golden door the Waters of the deep restlessly tumbling at my feet there pasted my skyf flung arm the persecuted and oppressed but crushed in spirit to them I am a symbol their eyes haunted and fear ridden are filled with a thousand agonizing memories but as they look upon me a new found courage gleams and in their hearts surging almost to the bursting point with hope are born new men and women Americans into the manmade Canyons of Manhattan they poured many were there already but many more were welcome they joined the steel of these towers they carved Subways beneath these Avenues into the tall Forest they came with Axe and saw and wedge they knew how to f a tree to the lime and how to spare the nearby sapling on the Great Plain there were early settlers in Dakota they dwelt at peace were the Indian and in Texas were the Mexican they organized the counties and gave their names to Villages and cities in the mountain states they prospected in mind they shared with a native born a continent's treasure of metals precious and useful to The Vineyards of the Pacific coast they brought their knowledge of the grape and put it to good use so they came and so they spread with hungry eyes and hearts all seeking for what I Liberty promised you see them the foreign born who lately came to me traversing the street of my cities boldly openly but can you point them out in what Manner do they differ from you or your neighbor and their children what one of them has been denied the rights and privileges of my own when you see them at play carefree as children the world over should be can you honestly say this one is alien that one has been denied anything look upon the marketplaces consider the storefronts where I am is the invitation to all enter and buy no matter who you are where I am not is the placard of discrimination Nation where in all my land is the law forbidding the free enterprise of the man who seeks to better his lot by working harder selling cheaper or improving the product of his trade or industry where the list of registered voters posted outside the polling place that lacks the names of descendants of all nationalities the names of Believers in all Creeds all these things and more much more have I pledged in my name Liberty to my adopted children I have said and pledged here the rich soil yearning to bring forth the fruits of your labor yours to have and to hold there the mill the plant the factory where skilled workers produce a nation's necessities and luxuries and also carve their own Futures would you enter the Learned professions my great universities offer all of you their degrees you may be done lawyer and architect at cost only of your time and ambition now let us see for ourselves the works and achievements of the foreign born we ride upon a great railroad system founded and built almost singlehanded by an untutored immigrant boy have I Liberty kept Faith with all who trusted me ask the least of independent Tradesmen or ask his cousin who operates the huge Mill employing thousands of fellow Americans ask The Keeper of the roadside stand the next time you stop for a hot dog ask the merchant who operates the great chain of department stores interrogate the little group at the Crossroad store or survey the million opinions of a teeming City talk with the unskilled worker on the farm or converse with the athlete training to win a championship go to the well informed to the policeman enforcing my laws without fearing or favor ask the editor of this uncensored newspaper and his reporters and writers they can tell you there the right to Fair pay to the American standard of living to collective bargaining and Social Security theirs are the freedoms freedom of speech freedom of worship freedom of economic Enterprise and most important of all freedom from fear fear of the state or its laws theirs are the rights to come and go to speak or be silent the right to education to equality in the courts of Justice to rest and Recreation in the nation's playgrounds to Adventure yes the adventure of progress my sons and daughters yours is an opportunity given to few among the teeming Millions upon this planet the dim Trail ahead may not be always smooth but at its end is a broad Highway a better way of life not only for ourselves but for all peoples everywhere together we shall climb the Heights and look upon that clean and decent world the Democratic world for so long as in your hearts you wish to have me with you so long as you want me so much that you will fight for me if need be die for me but above all live for me then I shall be with you and I am Liberty enlightening the world for I lift the lamp beside the golden door 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