Not in Our Town

Lyrics

[Verse 1] When the Klan came to Montana they made no grand parade No hooded knights on horseback, no banners boldly raised Hate mail and bomb threats, midnight telephone calls "White Power," swastikas spray-painted on the wall [Verse 2] Five-year-old Isaac woke screaming in the gloom "Mommy, there's a man at my window looking into my room." "Son, there's nothing out there but the shadows branches make" The little boy went back to sleep, his parents lay awake [Verse 3] For Isaac's bedroom window showed their faith for all to see The candles of the menorah stood for hope and memory The next night out of the darkness a cinder block was hurled It shattered Isaac's window and the boundaries of his world [Chorus] One moment of conviction, one voice quiet and clear One act of compassion, it all begins here No safety now in silence, we've got to stand our ground No hate, no violence—not in our town [Verse 4] The cop was not unfriendly—he said, "Ma'am, if I were you I'd take down that menorah, the star of David, too." Isaac's mother Tammie said "I'm sure that's good advice But how then could I ever look my children in the eye?" [Verse 5] Then at their doorway a little girl did stand A gift for her schoolmate in her outstretched hand A menorah drawn in crayon, from a Gentile to a Jew It read "To Isaac from Rebecca, I'm sorry this happened to you" [Chorus] One moment of conviction, one voice quiet and clear One act of compassion, it all begins here No safety now in silence, we've got to stand our ground No hate, no violence—not in our town [Bridge] Have you seen the paper? Did you hear the news? What kind of people are we? We thought we knew Can children primed in prejudice in peace together dwell? If we look out through this shattered glass do we see ourselves? [Verse 6] Margaret McDonald called her pastor on the phone This time the Jews will not face their foes alone We'll make paper menorahs, display them from our homes We'll show the bigots there are more of us than they have stones [Verse 7] Shopkeepers printed up menorahs by the score Children in their Sunday schools colored dozens more Though in the town of Billings live not one hundred Jews Menorahs now were everywhere, on every avenue [Verse 8] Through the drifting snow Tammie drove her children round Menorahs by the thousands in the windows of the town "Are all those people Jewish?" asked Isaac as they went "No" his mother answered, "They are your friends" [Chorus] One moment of conviction, one voice quiet and clear One act of compassion, it all begins here No safety now in silence, we've got to stand our ground No hate, no violence—not in our town No hate, no violence—not in our town No hate, no violence—not in our town