It's hard to view this election as progress, but I think it is. While wrought with racism, sexism and a great divide in opinions and judgments about what should and shouldn't be -- it has illuminated issues that I didn't realize were as prevalent and widespread.

As a white male, I admit my ignorance in thinking that we had made more progress as a country on equality. I still love this country and can see its greatness. I hope we use this election as a conversation piece for why we need change, trying to change the negative instead of fighting about it.

I was listening through a song I co-wrote with Alain Whyte of Morrissey, and the words felt more relevant than ever. The song originated from a phrase I read in a poem by Syvlia Plath -- "Stars and Thorns". This the cover Alain created from the original, with my buddy Andrew Joslyn playing some strings.

LYRICS FOR STARS AND THORNS

When I was young, I pledged every morning
Freedom was mine, such a simple glory
To live how I wanted, to dream or speak my mind
My privilege has come, at a price
This land is ours, from the rivers to the plains
I must evolve to let my liberties remain
Like weeds in a garden, or thorns left overgrown
We won’t survive if left alone
We were born, into this war
We must earn our stripes, not stars and thorns
My flag was born, from a room united
Where there were walls, but we could stand divided
There’s so much promise when these differences unite
But it takes more than thoughts to move the line
We were born, into this war
We must earn our stripes, not stars and thorns
We must earn our stripes
We must earn our stripes, not stars and thorns