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Oct 13, 2015 By Christopher Roberts EMA

EMA (aka Erika M. Anderson) hasn’t been one to shy away from political statements. Now she has shared a new song and video that comments on the mass shooting epidemic that’s been afflicting America and garnering more and more attention of late. The song includes such lines as “Any kid in America/Walk in and you sell them a bullet” and “Armed good guys are a myth/Never saved no one from shit.” Midway through the track there’s a sample of a recent speech President Obama gave in response to the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Oregon, in which he spoke about how mass shootings and our response to them have become too routine.

The accompanying video was not produced by Anderson, but is footage from a video made by the Mount Pleasant Police Department in Mount Pleasant, Texas. “It was made for training purposes,” Anderson explains. “It was shot in a middle school. There are dozens of these videos online, including ones made by Homeland Security and the LA Sheriff’s department. They urge every day Americans to be prepared in all situations in case a mass shooting breaks out.”

Below is the video, followed by the full lyrics to the song. Anderson also recommends that you read this Washington Post article on U.S. mass shootings and this Slate article on Australia’s success at gun control. EMA’s latest album, The Future’s Void, came out last year via Matador. Check out our Track-By-Track interview with Anderson about the album.

“Active Shooter” Lyrics:

any kid in America
with a gun and a phone and a wallet
any kid in America

any kid in America
walk in and you sell them a bullet
any kid in America

armed good guys are a myth
never saved no one from shit
armed good guys are a myth
never saved no one

Somehow this has become routine. The reporting is
routine. My response, here, on this podium ends up being
routine. The conversation, and the aftermath of it. We’ve
become… numb to this.”

anyone in America
wrong time wrong place in a hallway
anyone in America

angry white boys get uptight
got no right to end a life

got no right to end a life