“Where is the Love”
Black Eyed Peas
Tommie Byrd
Mrs. Byrd
AP Language/JR English
11 August 2014
My Essential Truth
Recent events, including acts of terrorism on U.S. soil, as well as domestic
acts of violence, seem to evidence that people have lost their way. Love for
each other is of utmost importance: peace on Earth, the future of the world’s
children, and even people’s sanity are completely dependent on it. Yet, the
very people who claim to want these things continue to perpetuate negativity,
hate, and anger by focusing more on themselves – their wealth, their comfort,
and their own prejudices – than on the needs of others. The love that is so
essential to the survival of the human race has all but disappeared and the
only way to get it back is to reach out to God the Father. This is the theme in
What's wrong with the world mama?
People living like they ain't got no mamas.
I think the whole world's addicted to the
drama,
Only attracted to things that will bring you
trauma.
Overseas, yeah, we tryin' to stop
terrorism
But we still got terrorists here living in the
USA:
The big CIA, the Bloods, and the Crips and
the KKK.
But if you only have love for your own
race,
Then you only leave space to
discriminate,
And to discriminate only generates hate,
And when you hate then you're bound to
get irate.
Madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and
operates.
Man, you got to have love just to set it
straight.
Take control of your mind and meditate.
Let your soul gravitate to the love y'all.
the Black Eyed Peas’ song, “Where is the Love,” a song inspired by the 9/11
terrorist attacks in 2001.
This theme speaks to my heart because I am a Christian and I believe, with
everything that I am, that Jesus’ message of love, for our Father and for our
brothers and sisters, is at the core of everything that is supposed to be. I pray
People killing, people dying,
Children hurtin', you hear them crying.
Can you practice what you preach?
Would you turn the other cheek?
Father, Father, Father, Father, help us!
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me
questioning:
Where is the love?
every day that I can walk with love in my heart for everyone, even (and
especially) those for whom I find it most difficult to love, and every day I fail, in
spite of my best intentions. I do not struggle with racism, hate, or anger, per
say, but I do wrestle with anxiety. As such, it is easy to let my selfishness get in
the way of what God wants for me and for those with whom I come in contact,
so easy to become blinded by my fears. So I have to call out to Him constantly
and seek His guidance. He reminds me, through his Word, through others, and
through prayer, of HIS essential truth, which I strive to make mine, as well, that
He IS love and that I am called to allow Him to love others through me.
It just ain't the same, all the ways of
change,
New days are strange.
Is the world insane?
If love and peace is so strong,
Why the pieces of love don't belong?
Nations dropping bombs,
Chemical gases filling lungs of little ones,
With ongoing suffering as the youth die
young.
So ask yourself, Is the love really gone?
I can ask myself, Really what is going
wrong
In the world that we're living in?
People keep on giving in,
Making wrong decisions, only visions of
the dividend,
Not respecting each other,
Denying thy brother,
A war going on, but the reason’s
undercover.
The truth is kept secret.
It's swept under the rug.
If you never know truth, then you never
know love.
Where's the love y'all? I don't know.
Where’s the truth y’all? I don’t know.
People killing, people dying,
Children hurtin', you hear them crying.
Can you practice what you preach?
Would you turn the other cheek?
Father, Father, Father, Father, help us!
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questioning
Where is the love?
I feel the weight of the world on my
shoulder.
As I'm gettin' older, y’all people get
colder.
Most of us only care about money makin'.
Selfishness got us following the wrong
direction.
Wrong information always shown by the
media,
Negative images is the main criteria,
Infecting the young minds faster
than bacteria.
Kids want to act like what they see in the
cinemas.
Whatever happened to the values of
humanity?
Whatever happened to the fairness and
equality?
Instead of spreading love,
We spreading animosity.
Lack of understanding
Leading us away from unity.
That's the reason why sometimes I'm
feelin' under.
That's the reason why sometimes I'm
feelin' down.
It's no wonder why sometimes I'm feelin'
under.
Gotta keep our faith alive 'til love is found.
People killing, people dying,
Children hurtin', you hear them crying.
Can you practice what you preach?
Would you turn the other cheek?
Father, Father, Father, Father, help us!
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questioning
Where is the love?