I never thought I’d come under attack
but now the world has changed and there’s no goin’ back
danger at my shoulder and it’s gainin’ fast
questions I’m afraid of but I have to ask
who are they and why do they hate us

I was raised to believe in this American Dream
all the greatness and glory, the way that it seemed
how god was on our side and god doesn’t lie
so why do all these innocent people have to die
who are they and why do they hate us

every color in the cloth has a history to tell
ships across the ocean and the liberty bell
heroes in the monuments I know them by name
but now their granite jaws are shattered and their eyes are full of rain

my neighbor she’s a foreigner I can’t pronounce her name
when she talks about her homeland her face fills with pain
she says she lost her children when the missiles hit
I don’t know what to say so I just change the subject
who are they and why do they hate us

I see the TV news and they’re burnin’ my flag
in some far away land like it’s just another rag
the looks on their faces, they make me freeze
how in the world did we make so many enemies
who are they and why do they hate us

they tell me there are reasons for unthinkable acts
rage and retribution won’t bring anybody back
justice is alive, so subtle and sublime
I’d like to believe them but were running out of time

I never paid much attention, guess I shoulda known
every far away country is somebody’s home
empires rise and empires fall
the world is big enough, there should be room for us all
who are they and why do they hate us