This song was suggested to me by a high school teacher who said

that being unable to defend homosexuality makes him feel like he

is "one of the oppressors" in the eyes of his gay and lesbian

students. the enemy is everyone, gay or straight, who passively

supports oppression by their silence.)



Every day I go to work

I'm there to teach integrity

But how can I teach anything

With a closet door in front of me



'Cause when I look out at the faces

One or two see through the lies

And when I look right back at them

I see the pain of my own youth in their eyes



And it breaks my heart

And it makes me feel ashamed to wear this mask

Each day from 8 to 3

I can't reach out

To the ones who need a friend

So I must pretend to be

One of the enemy



Every year a hundred faces

Staring blindly up at me

How I want to tell the truth

Instead of teaching history



But for job security

I don't dare say a word

And so my good intentions fade

And my thoughts of love are left unheard



And it hurts my pride

And I hate to have to hide myself away

Each day from 8 to 3

I can't reach out

To the ones who need a friend

So I must pretend to be

One of the enemy

To the boys who leave the girls behind

To the girls with more than boyfriends

On their minds

I can't reach out

To the ones who need a friend

So I must pretend to be

I must pretend



Maybe someday I'll find a way

(Some day soon I'll find a way)

To comfort them (to calm their fears)

And let them know that things will change

If they can make it through these years