Based on the Fenian Poem "Who Dares to Say"
***
Who dares to say forget the past, to those of with Labor’s Spirit?
Who dares to say cease fighting, for our place upon this earth?
Let remembrance be our watchword, and our dead we‘ll never fail .
Let their graves to us be as miles stones, on that blood-soaked one way trail.
Remember how The Mollies fought, Schuylkill mine beside,
No man can say a coward fell when Tommy Munley died.
Remember Kehoe and McGeehan and forget who ever will,
The heroes hanged at Mauch Chuck and nearby Pottsville.
How Parson’s gallant handful under threat of heavy losses
In Chicago gave their challenge to the forces of the Bosses.
And then for a time, ‘twas silent. Was Labors struggle dead?
The answer is in the negative thundered Eugene Victor Debs.
And then when Capital thought she'd won, that we at last were meek
Roared forth the furious challenge of the Sit down Strikes in Flint!
Remember how our strikers fought the scum of hired scabs,
fought them bastard Pinkertons, the mob, and policemen’s bats.
And then by men we trusted, this cause of ours was sold,
They sold our friends to enemies, as Judas did, of old
Remember in Decatur how they tried to make us fall!
God! Think of Staley, when our leaders didn’t heed our call.
PATCO and P9, NAFTA , and The News, to feed Bosses greed
Their legislation tried to kill us, with Democrats in the lead.
Hear we not the voice of Joe Hill, the workers solid friend
Our conquered soul asserts itself, and WE SHALL RISE AGAIN!
For Freedom, yes and not to starve, and not for lower pay
But for this country’s working class, we fight and die today.
And what, says Bill Haywood, if the last man is on the ground
If he is lying, weak and helpless, and his enemies ring him round.
If he’s bloodied, beaten down, and spent his final shot,
And they say, come scab for the company, he will answer, I WILL NOT!
So fight, fight on, brothers and sisters
La Lucha Continua is our battle cry today
While our comrades stand beside us
With the blood of martyrs set
Wayside crosses to remind us. WHO DARES TO SAY FORGET!
***