[Verse 1]
Stanley warns us how it starts to grow
Language twisted, truth begins to go
Myths of glory from a golden past
Fear and hatred spreading way too fast
Unreality becomes the norm
Democracy caught in the storm
[Chorus]
Listen close, the patterns are clear
When the strongmen rise, freedom disappears
First the facts, then the law breaks down
Sequential failure all around
No single defense can stand alone
Cumulative collapse, we should have known
[Verse 2]
Ben-Ghiat shows the playbook they all use
Media captured, institutions lose
Loyalty tests and corruption's spread
Violence normalized, dissent is dead
Authoritarian toolkit's the same
Every strongman plays the same old game
[Chorus]
Listen close, the patterns are clear
When the strongmen rise, freedom disappears
First the facts, then the law breaks down
Sequential failure all around
No single defense can stand alone
Cumulative collapse, we should have known
[Bridge]
Which defense fails first in most societies
Truth and shared reality
When we can't agree on basic facts
The social contract starts to crack
Media literacy, civic education
Critical thinking across the nation
[Verse 3]
History teaches what we need to see
Fascism's not just ancient history
The warnings written in the past
Show us how to make freedom last
But vigilance must be our way
Democracy dies when we look away
[Chorus]
Listen close, the patterns are clear
When the strongmen rise, freedom disappears
First the facts, then the law breaks down
Sequential failure all around
No single defense can stand alone
Cumulative collapse, we should have known
[Outro]
Stanley's wisdom, Ben-Ghiat's call
Learn the signs before we fall
Truth first crumbles, then the rest
Defending freedom is our test