Gil Scott-Heron — What You See Aint What You Goetz

[Stanza 1] I get the sho' 'nuff blues checkin' out the Daily News no matter which way it's comin' from I'm told I'm not supposed to choose just accept the newsman's views but that sho' ain't no happy medium [Stanza 2] You see all I want is the facts but blow-dried hairdos is getting' into the act because reporters are expert observers they establish social trends decidin' who's out and who's in and rush in with the tragedies that unnerve us [Stanza 3] Syndicated columnists lookin' to get their asses kissed cause thеy're the big shots o political affairs and the anchorman's job is to look еxtra suave while they're trying to convince us that they care [Stanza 4] The radio commentator is a five minute narrator whose news is perpetually grim and his ego is blown he's hot a great baritone but the cameras ain't never on him [Stanza 5] but the message is clear they want all black folks to hear that the price you got to pay to be free you get told how to feel you get told what is real to be exactly how they want you to be [Stanza 6] you get the rational logical sound philosophical poetic distortions political contortions cause white folks still ain't ready yet so what you hear ain't gonna be what you get [Stanza 7] Now some folks may call me a radical or remind me that at best I'm not practical to keep pointing out what everyone should know but we're still looking for justice while other folks devise ways to bust us so we spend more time in court than McEnroe [Stanza 8] Because when the time for freedom came folks started feeling only the surface had changed instead of celebrating 'Free at last!' 'Cause all the racists had said 'Okay' because equality can work both ways and they promptly started kicking poor white folk's ass [Stanza 9] How can the issue be race when every citizen can take his or her case and be heard by a jury of their peers? meanwhile I'm listening to the rundown about four young brothers who was gunned down by some psycho with imaginary fears [Stanza 10] When you get down to the real nitty-gritty you're on a subway in New York City and Bernhard, the gunman, shows upon the set and he decides these four young Blacks are about to launch an attack though they hadn't attacked anybody yet [Stanza 11] Regardless, Bernie makes his play and he's like Eastwood saying 'Make my fuckin' day!' and in self-defence he even shoots someone wounded on the floor. then he confesses on video tape, but since he was in an 'agitated state' he's acquitted and let out to shoot some more [Stanza 12] Now does this mean every sister and brother mexican, Indian, Oriental or other won't ever see homicide put them behind bars? Because it legitimately terrifies me to know that the next sumbitch I see might be armed and just as crazy as Bernhard [Stanza 13] Or is this proof the system works or are we all being treated like jerks? Take your chance and step right up to place your bets and I'm gonna put my money down saying if it's ever the other way around we'll find out that what you see ain't what you Goetz