[Intro - Spoken] "Respect your elders." Funny how they preach respect, Then demand it without earning it. "Everybody deserves respect." Everybody? Let's talk history. [Verse 1] They say respect is earned, then demand it on arrival, Age becomes a crown, obedience is survival. "I'm older, show respect" - that's no justification, A birth date ain't a moral qualification. Decades spent alive, but your ego's still a child, Mistake a raised voice for a threat, a question for denial. You don't want my respect, you want submission in disguise, You demand what you withhold, then call yourself wise. [Verse 2 - History] Hitler built his empire on the graves of the Jews, Stalin purged his people, crushed dissent beneath his rule. Leopold bled the Congo, made forced labor his machine, Pol Pot slaughtered millions in Cambodia's killing fields. Mao's Great Leap Forward left starvation in its wake, Himmler ran the death camps, helped orchestrate the fate Of millions marked for murder by a regime built on hate. But power doesn't make you worthy of the respect you take. Mussolini spread fascism, Amin ruled through fear, Franco crushed opposition, silenced those who dared. They had titles, troops, and power, but here's the distinction: Being feared and being worthy are not the same condition. [Hook] Respect ain't automatic just because you exist, A title isn't virtue, and a threat ain't a gift. You can demand my silence, you can clench up your fists, But entitlement ain't earned just because you insist. Don't preach a standard you refuse to obey, You can't demand the very thing you throw away. [Verse 3 - The Argument] "Everybody deserves respect." Define what you mean, Is it trust, admiration, or basic decency? Does a liar deserve trust? Does a tyrant deserve praise? Does a monster earn honor for the bloodshed that he made? There's a difference between rights and the honor you request, Between treating people fairly and believing they're the best. I can recognize your humanity, condemn what you profess, Basic rights are universal; admiration must be earned. A badge can make you powerful, it can't make you just, A crown can't make you righteous, a title can't earn trust. Age doesn't equal wisdom, rank doesn't equal worth, Some of history's worst monsters walked the same damn earth. [Bridge - Spoken] Hitler was human. Stalin was human. Humanity isn't an achievement. Maybe you never wanted respect. Maybe you wanted worship. [Verse 4 - Final Verdict] I'll give you basic decency; that's where the line begins, But the trust and admiration depend on what you give. On the choices that you make, the principles you defend, Not your age, your rank, or the title you represent. You can force me to obey you, but respect can't be controlled, You can purchase public loyalty, but character can't be sold. History gave them armies, gave them titles, gave them thrones, But no amount of power makes their atrocities respectable. [Final Hook] Respect ain't automatic just because you exist, A title isn't virtue, and a threat ain't a gift. Don't preach a standard you refuse to obey, You can't demand the very thing you throw away. [Outro - Spoken] "Respect your elders." Why? Because they're older? "Respect everybody." Why? Because somebody said so? Give people their rights. Judge their actions. Examine their character. History is full of people who commanded respect. That doesn't mean they deserved it.
