Flobots, Tim McIlrath - White Flag Warrior lyrics

We request to negotiate
We come to you unarmed
We desire to communicate
You cannot do us harm

They want sacrifice
They have schemes and ask me to
Follow their path to the afterlife
I've got an appetite
For nice things and pipe dreams that
My enemies could be blasted by new metaphors
Views that are better for you can't
Survive or find your competitor
Rise together or fight separate wars
I pray I'm never forced to be a predator
Spectres spectate we won't last
They're glad to hate when
Gladiators breathe their last
Scream en masse when the dreams do clash
Like swords in the war, let me bleed on that
But they feed on that
Say we need strong backs
Call us weak and don't redeem contracts
But the feast won't last
When this beast attacks
The sons and the fathers will be free at last

(This is love, this is not treason)
(This is love, it's not treason)
(This is love, it's not treason)
(This is love, it's not treason)
(This is love) They see sharks in the estuary
(It's not treason) They claim
The ark is Bartholomew's
(This is love) They say war is necessary
(It's not treason) But we say
War is child abuse

We'd rather make our children
(We request to negotiate)
Martyrs than murderers
(We come to you unarmed)
We'd rather make our children
(We desire to communicate)
White Flag Warriors (You cannot do us harm)

Core-to-core, we're the ones we've
Been waiting for
We hold steady, steadier than stevedores
Not tevias or matadors
On matters of what came before
Forgive the debts and settle scores
And test the mettle, either or
What's your plan got to do with me?
If the bell tolls, let freedom ring
And find the new ways if we must be king
Instead of leading the young
To our suffering, huh
We pass testaments down scream
Back at heavenFor
Testing us like Wednesday's at 11
Want to recruit and train us to act evilly
Save it for the shooting range
And smack DVDs
Won't study war no more this millennium
It's never again for me or anyone
So think harder when you refer to us
Rather make our children
Martyrs than murderers

(This is love, this is not treason)
(This is love, it's not treason)
(This is love, it's not treason)
(This is love, it's not treason)
(This is love) They shell dwellings
To quell the shillings
(This is not treason) And lift
Taboos to seduce the cowards
(This is love) They say
We're too yellow bellied
(This is not treason) But we
Say we're the new superpower

We'd rather make our children
(We request to negotiate)
Martyrs than murderers
(We come to you unarmed)
We'd rather make our children
(We desire to communicate)
White Flag Warriors (You cannot do us harm)

(This is love) We seek ways to not be liable
(This is not treason) We claim to
Speak for a higher truth
(This is love) We stand
Opposed to the homicidal
(This is not treason) We tell
You you are fireproof

We'd rather make our children
(We request to negotiate)
Martyrs than murderers
(We come to you unarmed)
We'd rather make our children
(We desire to communicate)
White Flag Warriors (You cannot do us harm)
White Flag warriors
We'd rather make our children
We'd rather make our children
We'd rather make our children
(Do what you want to our courage)
We'd rather make our children
(Ask us what you will)
(Demand from us a sacrifice)
(But do not make us kill)