Cop: Hey Kid! Quit snapping those photos!

 

Kid: Oh, sorry Mister.

 

Cop: In fact, hand over that camera right now!

 

Kid: But, my summer camp photos are on there! Will I ever get it back?

 

Cop: Watch out, kid. If you keep talking back, I’ll have to arrest you!

 

Kid: Oh no please Officer, I didn’t know I was doing anything wrong.

 

Ben Franklin: I think I hear somebody's liberty in danger!

 

Kid: Woah! Benjamin Franklin?

 

Ben Franklin: That’s right! And I’m here to tell you, you didn’t do anything wrong! In fact, that officer was the one who messed up.

 

VERSE 1 (Ben Franklin)

Just because he had a badge doesn’t give him any right to be mean

And he sure doesn’t know much, constitutionally.

You see, it’s everybody’s right to point and click.

If you’re in a public space, you’re a dude or a chick,

Taking photos are your right in a free society.

 

Ben Franklin: Lemme kick a rhyme!

 

CHORUS 1 (Ben Franklin)

You can’t turn the lights off now

The world is much too small

When anybody’s rights get wronged

It’s everybody’s wake up call

Corruption thrives on secrecy

Transparency is good for you and me

And we really wanna see the truth set free for all

 

Kid: Why did he have to take away my camera?

 

Ben Franklin: Recently some police are ordering people to stop filming in public places. They’re infringing on your First Amendment Right. And I should know! I was there when crazy ole Jim Madison wrote the thing. Cuddly son of a gun.

 

Kid: So, you think I can get my camera back?

 

Ben Franklin: You bet your pantaloons! Without a warrant or reasonable suspicion of a crime, that cop can’t legally take your camera. So, let’s go get it back!

 

VERSE 2 (Ben Franklin)

S’cuse me officer, this nice little lady wants her camera back,

unless you reason’bly suspect it contains some criminal facts.

It’s the little girl’s right and everyone’s job

to monitor the government’s enforcement of law.

Are you worried there’s a photo of you that might get you sacked?

 

(Mini montage of incriminating photos of cop littering, selling drugs, beating a homeless person, assaulting a peaceable protester with pepper spray at close range, exposing himself to an old lady...)

 

Ben Franklin: You see, kid, even cops can make mistakes. It’s our job to keep an eye on them, and it’s easy with your modern technology, your crazy iPhones! Why in my day, I had to draw charcoal pictures of crimes and borrow Tom Jefferson’s polygraph to make copies!

 

Kid: Wow. I didn’t know digital photos and videos are a great way to encourage transparency!

 

Ben Franklin: That’s right. AND it’s important to share what we see with the world!

 

VERSE 3 (Cop)

Now I can’t get away with pepper spraying minorities! (I’m really gonna miss that)

Well, I knew that it was wrong, but I didn’t think I’d ever be seen.

Now the whole world knows me. I’m youtube famous,

But only for being a big pain in the anus.

All because the kid learned about civil liberties!

 

Kid: Woah. Knowing my rights makes me like a liberty ninja! Whatchaaa!

 

CHORUS (Ben, Kid, Cop)

They can't turn the lights off now

The world is much too small

cause everybody's pluggin' in

And passin' on the wake up call.

corruption thrives on secrecy

transparency is up to you and me

and we really wanna see the truth set free for all

 

Ben Franklin: Help us out Founding Fathers!

 

(Other Founding Fathers/Mothers join in. E.g. Betsy Ross, Patrick Henry, George Washington.)

 

CHORUS (Ben, Founding Fathers, Kid, Cop)

They can't turn the lights off now

The world is much too small

cause everybody's pluggin' in

And passin' on the wake up call.

corruption thrives on secrecy

transparency is up to you and me

and we really wanna see the truth set free for all!