The Manifesto

Lyrics

[Verse 1] I learned early how to keep my head down Smile for the cameras, don’t ask too loud Trade your soul for a cleaner reputation Truth gets buried beneath presentation Everybody’s selling certainty now Cheap conviction from a holier-than-thou But I still hear the questions underneath Like static coming through the TV [Pre-Chorus] And I don’t wanna lose my heart Trying to survive the noise I don’t wanna numb myself Just to make it through the void [Chorus] So if you’re out there barely holding on Trying to stay human when the feeling’s gone If your faith feels tired If your hope feels used If you’re sick of being lied to by the fear on the news You are not alone No, you are not alone Maybe hope survives Every time we tell the truth The silence only grows more deafening… Hope you’re ready for the reckoning [Verse 2] Small town storefronts and a dying mall Church signs fading by the city hall Kids still trying to figure out life’s meaning While their parents drown in debt up to the ceiling Everybody screams but nobody hears Over the parasitic algorithms, feeding off our fear We trade compassion for the right to win Then act surprised when the hate gets in [Pre-Chorus] I still believe there’s something left Beneath the ash and disbelief Some kind of fire that survives When honesty refuses to leave [Chorus] So if you’re out there barely holding on Trying to stay human when the feeling’s gone If your faith feels tired If your hope feels used If you’re sick of being lied to by the fear on the news You are not alone No, you are not alone Maybe hope survives Every time we tell the truth The silence only grows more deafening… Hope you’re ready for the reckoning [Bridge] No kings No idols No messiahs in designer suits Just people Still trying To tell the truth No empire No spotlight No perfect point of view Just broken hearts And open hands Trying to make it through [Final Chorus] So if you’re out there still refusing hate Still choosing kindness when it’s not safe Still asking questions Still learning grace Still believing people matter more than what divides us every day You are not alone No, you are not alone Maybe healing starts When somebody tells the truth And the ones they tried to silence Become the living proof [Outro — spoken word, dry/no reverb] “Ready to prove it?” [SFX: three loud police-style knocks at the door]