The Ends and the Means

11th century A.D.
A king says come to war with me
And nevermind thou shalt not kill
We're dealing now with infidels
He raises high his sword and then
He charges forth with all his men
And with the blessing of the papacy
In a righteous tongue he screams

The ends
They justify the means, my friends
Oh the ends, they justify the means

They tell him a life is nothing more
Than a weapon in a time of war
And this is the only way we've found
To tear these mighty symbols down
In the cockpit now he starts to steer
So all the world will clearly hear
These once benign flying machines
Shouting out of TV screens

The ends
They justify the means, my friends
Oh the ends, they justify the means

The talking heads are shouting now
Working hard to break it down
'Cause reasons get a little blurred
When justice is a household word
And as the station's ratings soar
Night vision cameras watch the war
While far across a veil of sea
We cheer the black and flashing greens

The ends
They justify the means, my friends
Oh the ends, they justify the means

The boss looks down upon it all
From his tower's windowed walls
Says I know how to play this game
And everybody knows my name
He preys upon the people's fears
And tells them what they want to hear
And they celebrate his victory
On the front of tabloid magazines

The ends
They justify the means, my friends
Oh the ends, they justify the means

He climbed upon a mountain high
And spoke to every passerby
Everyone you ever knew
Is really just a part of you
They see the life you choose to live
And they feel the hope you choose to give
And every word you ever say
You teach the world to live that way
And when society had had enough
They beat him down and lifted him up
They crossed his feet and raised his hands
And quietly he whispered then

The means
They justify the ends, my friends
Oh the means
They justify the ends, my friends
Oh the means
They justify the ends