Stranger Danger

Red light, green light in the yard
I run faster than my dad's new car
Halloween last week got me some candy bars
Neighbor said I made a great Captain America

I'm the hometown hero, or I wanna be
So I'll earn straight A's and eat my greens
I'm kind to everyone I meet
And I respect authority

Like when my mama tells me
Baby, you should stay away from unmarked vans
That the stranger's inside are always dangerous men
If they offer you glitter, or sweets, or their dogs
Baby run back to school or find somebody's mom

So I stay aware and I tell all my friends
That no one should touch you without your consent
Unless he's got the password
Stay a sidewalk away
And know about stranger danger and it isn't a game

Headlights stop me on the street
They came up so fast, and swept me off my feet
I wonder if they know it's not still Halloween
But the masks they wear are scaring me
Screaming: Where's your passport, where you from?
And they grab so tight, it hurts my arms
Put me in their car
Can't I call my mom?
They don't know where I am, I was on my way home

Guess my mama warned me
Baby, you should stay away from unmarked vans
But the strangers in this one's got a Government badge
Glitter in the air now my eyes are on fire
Why did school never teach me the numbers to memorize?
I can't make a sound with his knee pressing down
I guess bullies don't only exist on the playground
The grown-up in charge told them it was okay
Stranger danger's a new all-American game

I think we read a book like this
When kids like me hid in the attic
I still don't know what they did wrong
Guess I'll never learn 'cause the book is gone
When did today and history blur?
I thought we were supposed to love all our neighbors
But mine just dragged me from my home
The only one I've ever known

Don't know where they took me in that unmarked van
There's a bag on my head and zip ties on my hands
They said they'll give us color-coded uniforms
Now, where have I heard that before?
Must have left the Midwest, that's the ocean, I guess
All because I'm not white enough for the US
'Least that's what I heard, our POTUS say
I guess stranger dangers just a power play