This Land Is Your Land, but Who Gets to Belong?

By Debra Flint-Salter, October 5, 2026

As I woke up this morning and thinking of the reason we honor this day, this song came to my mind and don't know why I never thought of it before. When you listen to the lyrics 'this land was made for you and me'......who is the 'you and me' people? The people whose land was 'founded' by a foreigner but resided in by Native Americans that were taking care of the land, the slaves brought here against their will but ultimately survived centuries of creating families and lives, the immigrants who found their way here not unlike the early settlers from Europe that wanted a better place to raise their families, so it would appear that 'you and me' is inclusive of all that enter these shores, yet not many of us are treated with acceptance and respect. Here are just a few stanzas of Woody Guthrie's song, 'This Land is Your Land'...........really??

'This land is your land This land is my land

From California to the New York island;

From the red wood forest to the Gulf Stream waters

This land was made for you and Me.

As I was walking that ribbon of highway,

I saw above me that endless skyway:

I saw below me that golden valley:

This land was made for you and me.

I've roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps

To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts;

And all around me a voice was sounding:

This land was made for you and me.

When the sun came shining, and I was strolling,

And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling,

As the fog was lifting a voice was chanting:

This land was made for you and me.'