Category Archives: Social Justice

Where your friends are waiting: Peace Song for 12/9/2011

The Last Church On The Left” by Sonny Meadows is the Peace Song of the day for December 9th. You can find this song on the album Tolerance.

There are many reasons why we love this song! Besides our admiration for Sonny Meadows, this song is also a tribute to one of our heroes. The song describes a favorite memory: Susan Blake, welcoming people to the PeaceSmiths Cofffeehouse. Susan June Blake, who passed away in 2007, was the long time Coordinator of PeaceSmiths, and a dear friend of Ian and Kimberly.

Continue reading Where your friends are waiting: Peace Song for 12/9/2011

Just like Germany, just before the war: Peace Song for 12/8/2011

Just Like Germany Before the War” by Sonny Meadows is the Peace Song of the Day for December 8th. You can find this song on the album Bibles, Guns & Flags.

The song is a little depressing. Though, mostly because it resonates. (Especially with the recent passage in the US Senate of the National Defense Authorization Act). And, the song is also soulful, and very catchy.

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Excerpt from the lyrics: Continue reading Just like Germany, just before the war: Peace Song for 12/8/2011

Volumes of law written by scoundrels and fools: Peace Song for 12/6/2011

Rules” by Sonny Meadows, on his album, How Does A Patriot Act, is the Peace Song of the Day for December 6th.

In the liner notes to How Does A Patriot Act, Sonny Meadows says, “Wrote this for my son, Jake, an anarchist and pirate after my own heart.”.

You can find a sample mp3 from this song at CD Baby: here. (Track Eight) Continue reading Volumes of law written by scoundrels and fools: Peace Song for 12/6/2011

Peace Song of the Day: The start of “Sonny Meadows Week”

 “How Does A Patriot Act?“, by Sonny Meadows is the Peace Song of the Day for December 5, 2011. This song questions the true nature of patriotism, and celebrates acts of courage, protest, and civil disobedience.

Continue reading Peace Song of the Day: The start of “Sonny Meadows Week”

Life and time: Peace Song for 12/2/2011 (catch-up)

My Grandfather’s Clock Lyrics“, a song written in 1876 by Henry Clay Work, is the Peace Song of the Day for December 2nd. (Yup…needing to catch up again, busy weekend…). You can find the lyrics to this song in our favorite campfire book, Rise Up Singing, in the Time section, page 224.

Continue reading Life and time: Peace Song for 12/2/2011 (catch-up)

Philip Glass at Lincoln Center with the occupation: Three videos and the full text

Composer and musician Philip Glass made a statement at Lincoln Center. His opera, Satyagraha, about Gandhi and nonviolent social change, had just been performed. Glass used The People’s Mic (Mic Check) to make comments to the assembled Occupy Wall Street activists and opera goers. Below are three videos from different perspectives, and the full text.

Philip Glass at Lincoln Center Video
An activist perspective. Trying to get the folks who watched the opera about Gandhi to “cross the line” and join the people:



Philip Glass at Lincoln Center Video

Close up of Philip Glass, so you can hear him read his own words: Continue reading Philip Glass at Lincoln Center with the occupation: Three videos and the full text

Occupy Wall Street goes to museums (and finds inspiration from Philip Glass)

Update: Full text and three videos
at our new Peace Couple post: here.

Live blogging of Philip Glass, etc,
happening at The Nation: here.

The Nation reported the words of Philip Glass last night:

“When righteousness/ Withers away/ And evil / Rules the Land /We come into being /Age after age/ And take visible shape /And move / A man among men/ For the protection/ Of good /Thrusting back evil /And setting virtue/ On her seat again.”

The Nation report on the Philip Glass, pre-event is…

10:25 From a NY #OWS friend at Lincoln Center for Philip Glass at GA tonite (see item down the page): Tons of cops already w/ barricades. Heard voice on cop’s radio say, “Lock it down.”  Rumors earlier that cops would keep public off public plaza.

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Occupiers say: “Kick us out of camp? We will find new strategies for nonviolent, social change”. One story at the LA Times  is: here.

In New York, here is one of the new strategies…

Posted at occupywallst.org:

Occupy Museums Goes to the Lincoln Center

When: Thursday December 1, 2011 at 10:30pm.

What: A General Assembly at 10:30 (at night) at Lincoln Center.

Join us in an open conversation about the effects of increased privatization and corporatization of all aspects of society, and the use of nonviolent civil disobedience around the world to reclaim the commons. Composer Philip Glass will join the general assembly and mic-check a statement. Continue reading Occupy Wall Street goes to museums (and finds inspiration from Philip Glass)