Labels

You called me STUPID,
and I believed,
I called me SMART,
and I achieved.

You called me DYKE,
Like I was dirt,
I called me LESBIAN,
It didn't hurt.

You called me OLD,
all used up,
I called me YOUNG,
I'm just a pup.

You called me GREASER,
no good and lazy,
I called me LATINA,
worked like crazy.

You called me NIGGER,
good for nothing,
I called me BLACK,
now I'm really something.

You called me KIKE,
Christ killer and cheap,
I called me JEW,
My pride to keep.

You called me INJUN,
drunken red face,
I called me NATIVE,
I was here in the first place.

You called me FAG,
a person to bash,
I called me GAY,
your labels I smash.

You called me STRANGE,
twisted and bent,
I called me NORMAL,
just a little different.

You called me by LABELS
made me want to hide,
I called me by LABELS
I could wear with pride.

You called me a NOTHING,
What could I do,
I call me a PERSON,
Just like you.

1995