I think it has something to do with the Berlin Wall or just being on the bad end of segregation. The "flag out of steel" and "they built a wall out of bricks, made it real long, made sure that everyone could see it" is what made me think about the Berlin wall/the Iron Curtain. A lot of it seemed to be about living in a hard time ("A canvas bag to fit it all"), watching out for the government ("they" and "we" are distinct from each other), and being confused ("yeah what do you want from us?"). "Lines, lines, lines," "which way are you supposed to fear," "this is not your home, you do not belong," "you may not come in here," and "whose land are you standing on?" are all like declaring a side or more like being assigned to a side.
I think it has something to do with the Berlin Wall or just being on the bad end of segregation. The "flag out of steel" and "they built a wall out of bricks, made it real long, made sure that everyone could see it" is what made me think about the Berlin wall/the Iron Curtain. A lot of it seemed to be about living in a hard time ("A canvas bag to fit it all"), watching out for the government ("they" and "we" are distinct from each other), and being confused ("yeah what do you want from us?"). "Lines, lines, lines," "which way are you supposed to fear," "this is not your home, you do not belong," "you may not come in here," and "whose land are you standing on?" are all like declaring a side or more like being assigned to a side.