Reading the lyrics you've shared remind me of another song that really gives me chills because of the contrast between celebration and the dark reality of this child's everyday life.
It's a holiday (The Fourth Of July), and there's a carnival in town. The little girl goes to the carnival. When her dad is drinking, even just some boring place would be a better place to be than home--but, this time, it's something fun on a festive day. This festive day would come to an end that would change her life.
Her mom manages to keep the abuse a generation away from this eight year old girl--but for how long could she do this?
Everybody and his neighbor probably knows that this family needs help, but they look the other way because they don't really want to get involved.
While this innocent child is off enjoying the holiday and the carnival, her mother takes care of the situation at home in the only way she knows to do this. Remember the movie called The Burning Bed?
The abusive man is out of the picture--and before he had the chance to get to the place where the child would become a victim of his abuse (though she had indirectly from knowing what was going on with her mother)--but, sadly, the mother is, too, as her future held (at the very least) time in prison.
The little girl is now a ward of the state--and, just as with Russell, Roger Dean Kiser, and countless others, not through any fault of her own. She's an invisible youth unless whatever institution or foster home she's put into really has a clue about how to help her.
Will she find more help wherever she goes next than she, her mom, and--for that matter--her dad find in their own community?
Whether it's in "a small, small town" with a dysfunctional family who only gets attention over the gossip fences or in a sprawling metropolis with all of its culture, sports venues, condos, and other progress where 4000 street kids survive pretty much on their own, Invisible Youth Network wants to be there.
We would like to be there in time to prevent whenever possible instead of waiting until Independence Day happens.
We need donations. If each of our members only donated a dollar per month, it would make an incredible difference.
Here are the lyrics to Independence Day by Martina McBride along with a video of the same. As you read the lyrics and listen to the song, ask yourself how you can help us to help others.
Well she seemed all right by dawn's early light
Though she looked a little worried and weak
She tried to pretend he wasn't drinkin' again
But daddy left the proof on her cheek
and I was only eight years old that summer
And I always seemed to be in the way
So I took myself down to the fair in town
On Independence Day
Well word gets around in a small, small town
They said he was a dangerous man
Mama was proud and she stood her ground
she knew she was on the losin' end
Some folks whispered some folks talked
but everybody looked the other way
when time ran out there was no one about
On Independence Day
CHORUS:
Let Freedom ring,let the white dove sing
Let the whole world know that today is a
Day of reckoning
Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong
Roll the stone away, let the guilty pay, it's
Independence Day
Well she lit up the sky that fourth of July
By the time that the firemen come
They just put out the flames,
and took down some names
And sent me to the county home
Now I ain’t sayin' it's right or it's wrong
but maybe it's the only way
Talk about your revolution
It's Independence Day
Repeat Chorus
Roll the stone away
It's Independence Day
