420 Summit

Downpressor Man

I’m not big on self-pity and blaming others for personal problems. My general attitude has always been along the lines of: “Get a job,” “Stop doing drugs,” “Act civilized!”

I may not actually do any of this, certainly not all three at the same time, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t sound advice.

But, and it’s a big one, sometimes doing the right thing just isn’t good enough. Sometimes, people mess with you and yours, for no good reason. They do it because they are ignorant, feel threatened or are just plain mean. They do it because twelve bucks an hour is more important than a person. They do it because they don’t know any better. They do it because they have been taught that the best defense is a good offense and might makes right. They do it because they believe poor people are stupid, addicts lack self control, and homosexuality is a lifestyle choice. They do it because black kids don’t have fathers and Latino kids have three.

They do it because nobody tells them they can’t.

When this behavior becomes the norm, when it is accepted, embraced and institutionalized, rather than regarded as an aberration, you have… The Man.

You drink your big champagne and laugh
All along that day
I wouldn’t like to be a flea
Under your collar man

All along that day
You can run but you can’t hide
Telling you all along that day
You gonna run to the Lord
Beggin’ to hide you

You gonna run to Jah
Beggin’ to hide you
All, all along that day

And I said Downpresser Man
Where you gonna run to
Where you gonna run to Downpresser man
Where you gonna run to

I said all along
All along, along that day Downpresser man

Right now, The Man, is fucking with the wrong people.