Three members of Russian punk group Pussy Riot were sentenced to two years in prison for performing a song protesting President Vladamir Putin at the Christ The Savior Cathedral on February 21st. Cited for 'hooliganism', Friday's verdict has drawn criticism of Putin's heavy handed tactics continually stifling dissent in Russia.
Photograph: Mudrats Alexandra
Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets to rally (Chicago, New York, SF ) in Free Pussy Riot protests, calling for the charges to be dropped. Celebrities have also voiced made their opinions known, Anthony Kiedis, lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, wore a Pussy Riot T-Shirt at a show in Moscow to show support. Ad Rock from the Beastie Boys showed up to DJ a benefit and other rock stars Peter Gabriel, Madonna, Sting, and Paul McCartney have spoken out in support of Pussy Riot, free speech, and the importance of dissent.
(Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty Images)
On Saturday, benevolent Orthodox cleric, Tikhon Shevkunov, who is widely believed to be President Vladimir
Putin’s spiritual counselor, said on state television that his
church forgave the singers after their “punk prayer”. Archpriest Maxim Kozlov agreed, but also said, "“We are simply praying and hoping that these young women and all these
people shouting in front of the court building, committing sacrilegious
acts not only in Russia but in other countries, realize that their acts
are awful,” he said. “And despite this the church is asking for mercy
within the limits of law.”
In a further development, former world chess champion and Russian opposition leader, Garry Kasparov, tells Eli Lake how he was beaten and arrested at the sentencing of Pussy Riot. Kasparov faces the threat of jail himself over the incident.
However you feel about what Pussy Riot did or where they did it, these ladies deserve some props for expressing their point of view in a courageous and evocative way in a place where it's not that safe to do so. They may have to do some time, but they do so having accomplished their mission... speaking truth to power with the voice of the oppressed, pushing the limits of freedom of speech in places it needs to be pushed, and showing the world with their words and Putin's actions just what a punk he is.
Mother Jones Magazine has been keeping the story updated here
Nonviolent Revolutionary Jackie Robinson stepped onto the Ebbets Field baseball diamond for the first time on April 15, 1947 as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers, desegregating the 'national pastime' and forever changing the landscape of the game of baseball and American culture as a whole.
So began the Hall Of Fame career of a legend whose exceptional skill set on the field were matched with equally exceptional courage and dignity in the face of brutal racial intolerance and ignorance directed at him... not just from the stands or the opposing dugout, but even within his own clubhouse.
In late August 1945, Brooklyn Dodgers club president and general manager, Nonviolent Revolutionary Branch Rickey, had a long conversation with Jackie wanting to know if he would be able to take the racial abuse he was sure to be subjected to without fighting back. "Are you looking for a Negro who is afraid to fight back?" Jackie asked. Rickey replied that he was looking for someone "with guts enough not to fight back." Jackie agreed and Rickey signed him to a contract for $600 a month.
"I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me ... all I ask is that you respect me as a human being." -Jackie Robinson
Jackie was constantly subjected to abuse throughout his career, but he did find allies amongst his peers, namely Dodgers teammate Pee Wee Reese coming to Robinson's defense with the famous line, "You can hate a man for many reasons. Color is not one of them." In 1948, Reese put his arm around Robinson in response to fans who shouted racial slurs at Robinson before a game in Cincinnati. The moment is immortalized with a statue by sculptor William Behrends, which stands today at KeySpan Park in Brooklyn.
Robinson played for the Dodgers for 10 years and was the also the first African-American elected to the MLB Hall Of Fame in 1962. He exhibited the combination of hitting ability and speed which exemplified the new era. He scored more than 100 runs in six of his ten seasons and helped the Dodgers to a World Series victory in 1955. The clip below of Jackie stealing home is the most well known of the Series:
Highlights of Jackie to Woodrow Buddy Johnson & Count Basie's 1949 song "Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball?":
“There's not an American in this country free until every one of us is free.” -Jackie Robinson
After his baseball career ended Robinson continued to work as a civil rights activist working tirelessly for equality. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said that Jackie was "a legend and a symbol in his own time", and that he "challenged the dark skies of intolerance and frustration." (Dr. King was still a college student when Jackie took the field on April 15, 1947).
The clip below is of Jackie speaking at a civil rights rally in Birmingham, Alabama:
On the 50th anniversary of Jackie's debut for the Dodgers the league took the unprecedented step of retiring his number 42 throughout all of baseball helping cement his legacy as the pioneer who helped pave the way the game (and world) is today. In honor of his achievements his number is displayed in every Major League Baseball Stadium. That year also many players began the tradition of wearing number 42 on April 15th to honor Jackie.
10 years later MLB celebrated the inaugural Jackie Robinson Day, celebrated every year on April 15 at ballparks around the country.
Current players share their views on wearing number 42:
“Life is not a spectator sport. If you're going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you're wasting your life.”
“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”
“I guess you'd call me an independent, since I've never identified myself with one party or another in politics. I always decide my vote by taking as careful a look as I can at the actual candidates and issues themselves, no matter what the party label.”
“The right of every American to first-class citizenship is the most important issue of our time.”
“I don't think that I or any other Negro, as an American citizen, should have to ask for anything that is rightfully his. We are demanding that we just be given the things that are rightfully ours and that we're not looking for anything else.”
“Civil rights is not by any means the only issue that concerns me--nor, I think any other Negro. As Americans, we have as much at stake in this country as anyone else. But since effective participation in a democracy is based upon enjoyment of basic freedoms that everyone else takes for granted, we need make no apologies for being especially interested in catching up on civil rights.”
“I won't 'have it made' until the most underprivileged Negro in Mississippi can live in equal dignity with anyone else in America.”
“It is up to us in the north to provide aid and support to those who are actually bearing the brunt of the fight for equality down south. America has its iron curtain too.”
“Negroes aren't seeking anything which is not good for the nation as well as ourselves. In order for America to be 100 per cent strong--economically, defensively, and morally--we cannot afford the waste of having second-and-third class citizens.”
“Negroes aren't seeking anything which is not good for the nation as well as ourselves. In order for America to be 100 per cent strong--economically, defensively, and morally--we cannot afford the waste of having second-and-third class citizens.”
There is nothing more paramount to the progress of the Nonviolent Revolution than recognizing the need for authentic connection, yet so much of the prevailing cultural norms tend to lead us away from such connection.
With violence and competition heavily ingrained into our society, we have been conditioned to believe that making ourselves vulnerable for authentic connection translates to weakness, that strength is best projected with an inflexible force of will. In truth, these strategies of projecting strength are disconnecting behaviors, nothing more than weakness posing as strength.... and what of the idea that vulnerability = weakness?
"Vulnerability is our most accurate measurement of courage", is how Professor Brené Brown likes to put it....
Nonviolent Revolutionary Brené Brownis a research professor at the University of Houston, she has spent the past 12 years studying empathy and shame, courage and vulnerability, and the need for human connection. The videos below are of Ms. Brown speaking at TED Conferences, sharing what she has learned through her research by telling her compelling story and attempting to answer the important questions she is asking:
"How do we learn to embrace our vulnerabilities and imperfections so that we can engage in our lives from a place of authenticity and worthiness? How do we cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection that we need to recognize that we are enough – that we are worthy of love, belonging, and joy?"
"Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change." - Brené Brown
In this powerful follow up to 'The Power Of Vulnerability' Ms. Brown addresses the topic of shame, calling it an 'epidemic' in our culture:
To celebrate their 50th anniversary, Amnesty International has it covered by releasing "Chimes Of Freedom", a 4 disc set and tribute to the music of Nonviolent Revolutionary Bob Dylan. The collection features 80 musicians covering 76 songs from Dylan’s vast catalog.
Amnesty International is a global organization whose mission is to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights and demand justice for those whose rights have been violated. Amnesty uses the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as its guide. It is only fitting that such an organization would choose an artist such as Dylan to highlight as Dylan’s music has been a forceful voice for human rights and freedom over much the same span of time.
Here is a young Bobby D with fellow Nonviolent Revolutionary Joan Baez at the March on Washington, August 28th, 1963:
Bob Dylan is probably the most covered solo artist in history. His music has been covered by artists as diverse as Rage Against the Machine, the Grateful Dead and the Jerry Garcia Band, the Ramones, White Stripes, Johnny Cash, Pete Seeger, and the Clancy Brothers. Some of Dylan’s songs were made famous not by Dylan himself, but by other artists. Jimi Hendrix released his version of All Along the Watchtower about six months after Dylan released the original version on the album John Wesley Harding. Hendrix’s adaptation became a top 20 hit and was voted Rolling Stone magazine’s 47th greatest song of all time. Manford Mann’s version of Quinn the Eskimo reached #1o on the U.K. Singles Charts and was a top ten hit in the U.S.. The Byrds’ cover of Mr. Tambourine Man, which topped the Billboard chart in 1965, is credited in part with starting the genre known as folk rock.
Dylan himself has, according Rolling Stone magazine, “remained, along with James Brown, the most influential American musician rock & roll has ever produced.” His passion for civil rights has been expressed most succinctly in his music. His early songs were adopted by many in the civil rights movement. Songs such as The Times They are A’ Changin’, Masters of War, and most famously, Blowin’ in the Wind, could be considered a major part of civil rights and peace activism soundtracks. Sometimes Dylan’s lyrics were powerful appeals for nonviolence. At other times, they were potent calls to action and outraged observations of egregious abuses of power.
Two Presidents of the United States have stated that they were inspired by Maggie’s Farm: Jimmie Carter and Barack Obama. President Carter said, “I grew up as a landowner's son. But I don't think I ever realized the proper interrelationship between the landowner and those who worked on a farm until I heard Dylan's record, ‘I Ain't Gonna Work on Maggie's Farm No More.’ So I come here speaking to you today about your subject with a base for my information founded on Reinhold Niebuhr and Bob Dylan.” The fact that two Nobel Laureate Presidents are inspired by the work of Bob Dylan shows just how influential his music has been to the nonviolent movement.
On December 10, 1977, Amnesty International was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize of its own because, “Amnesty International fights for man's right to freedom of conscience, in other words, to a life in "internal" peace.”
Dylan fans everywhere are stoked that Amnesty International is recognizing Dylan's body of work with the release of this diverse collection of covers by such an amazing array of artists celebrating its 50th anniversary! Artists contributing to the compilation include Ziggy Marley, Sting, Steve Earle, Joan Baez, Sinéad O'Connor, Michael Franti, and Pete Seeger.... all Nonviolent Revolutionaries we hope to one day feature on this blog.
This is an excellent collection of music that funds an incredible organization. If you want to do your part in preserving human rights, purchase it.
Here are few of the videos featuring artists covering Dylan songs on 'Chimes Of Freedom':
Journalist Bill Moyers and Comedian Bill Maher may be Nonviolent Revolutionaries withdifferent styles of conveying their point of view to television audiences, but both have been doing it long enough now to know how to deliver a compelling perspective.
Moyers and Maher continue to remain relevant voices in American culture today with their own weekly television shows. Moyers is back on PBS with a new show called 'Moyers & Company' after a brief retirement and Maher is currently in his 9th season of 'Real Time with Bill Maher' on HBO.
Maher and Moyers had a chance to chat on a recent episode of 'Real Time':
On both shows the host tackles the issues of today, and although the formats are different, neither Maher nor Moyers areever afraid to ask the tough questions, engage in the debate, or offer an opinion (or crack a joke in Maher's case). Moyers and Maher each have a history of rabble rousing the minds of the American public. They shake us out of the zombified stupor of the typical lowest-common-denominator commercial television blather and instead encourage creative and critical thinking with lively debates and discussions with depth.
Maher continues to do many stand-up shows a year all around the country, at one of his recent shows he made news by announcing that he is donating a million dollars to President Obama's Super PAC... he had some interesting things to say about it on 'Hardball':
Well said, Bill.
Moyers and Maher each have distinguished careers with defining moments that have informed their perspective. Let's take a closer look:
Bill Moyers served under President Kennedy as Associate and Deputy Director of the newly created Peace Corps from 1961 to 1963. After Kennedy's assassination, Moyers worked for President Johnson from 1963 to 1967, serving first as a special assistant, and later as White House Press Secretary.
Moyers joined PBS in 1971 as host of a news program called'Bill Moyers Journal', which ran until 1981 with a hiatus from 1976 to 1977. The show would have another incarnation from 2007 to 2010, and in the years between Moyers would host several other similarly related shows and series touching on important topics with depth and integrity. 'NOW with Bill Moyers', 'Wide Angle', and 'Moyers On America' touched on political questions of the day, while in 2006 'Faith and Reason' explored the question "In a world in which religion is poison to some and salvation to others, how do we live together?"
Moyers may be most loved for his 1988 documentary series 'Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth', consisting of six one-hour interviews between Moyers and mythologist Joseph Campbell. Check out this terrific clip from the series:
Moyers' influence in American culture has been priceless, his contributions to the debates of the day over the past few decades have always been thoughtful and crafted with an integrity befitting of a top notch journalist.
“There is no more important struggle for American democracy than ensuring a diverse, independent and free media." -Bill Moyers
Bill Maher is an animal loving, herb smoking, religion questioning, flat out funny bad ass comedian at the top of his game. Starting out in 1979 doing stand-up and a bit of acting, his career as television host took off in 1993 with the show 'Politically Incorrect' on Comedy Central. The show moved to ABC in 1997. Maher and the show became known for spurring debates around hot button issues and controversial or sensitive topics. It was critically acclaimed during it's run and won many accolades and awards. Here is a clip with Whoopi Goldberg, Gene Simmons, and the late Christopher Hitchens:
'Politically Incorrect' was cancelled in 2002 after Maher stirred up controversy with these comments:
In 2003, Maher took the gloves off for good on HBO by launching 'Real Time with Bill Maher'. By bringing in a whole host of diverse guests to his panel in an hour long format, Bill was able to reinvent the success of 'Politically Incorrect' without having to pander to corporate advertisers. The show has shown it has legs with its continued success... indeed, it's the main reason I have HBO! Thanks to Bill Maher for being unafraid to keep it real!More evidence of Mr. Maher's brand of call-it-like-you-see-it humor...
“I do think the patriotic thing to do is to critique my country. How else do you make a country better but by pointing out its flaws?” -Bill Maher
“Non-violence was kind of Jesus’ trademark, kind of his big thing. To not follow that part of it is like joining Greenpeace and hating whales.” -Bill Maher
“If you’re a Christian and support killing your enemies and torture, you have to come up with a new name for yourself.” -Bill Maher
Celebrating Bob's life and music on the anniversary of his 67th Birthday...
Nonviolent Revolutionary Bob Marley may have left us over 30 years ago, but the vibrations and message of his 'Songs Of Freedom' live onand continue to inspire millions over the world today! Even when making a political statement, Bob's music is always emphasizing unity and keeping positive vibrations flowing.
Bob's music shows us how powerful an artist can be. By putting powerful ideas into the world in a creative way and tapping into a universal human connection Bob's art has transformed many hearts, minds, and actions by bringing positive energy to vanquish the negativity.... no matter where you are in the world you hear Bob, but dem vibrations seem to have special a special connection with native and indigenous peoples and it is no wonder why...
Bob ascended from the anonymous poverty of Trenchtown, Jamaica to be a powerful voice of the voiceless! Bob's lyrics not only the power of unity and love but also the need for equal rights and justice for all people...
The music of Bob Marley and the Wailers has become a force to be reckoned with now that generations of people have been jammin' together for over 40 years.
'Slogans' is a song that is always worth hearing during a political campaign year...
"I'm a living man, I've got work to do" -Bob Marley
You just don't want to hate or kill someone when you are singing, "one love, one heart, let's get together and feel alright"!
A personal favorite of mine, nothing breaks it down so hard and yet so irie as 'Babylon System'. Break it down, Bob!
BABYLON SYSTEM
We refuse to be What you wanted us to be; We are what we are: That's the way (way) it's going to be. You don't know! You can't educate I For no equal opportunity: (Talkin' 'bout my freedom) Talkin' 'bout my freedom, People freedom (freedom) and liberty! Yeah, we've been trodding on the winepress much too long: Rebel, rebel! Yes, we've been trodding on the winepress much too long: Rebel, rebel!
Babylon system is the vampire, yea! (vampire)Suckin' the children day by day, yeah!Me say: de Babylon system is the vampire, falling empire,Suckin' the blood of the sufferers, yea-ea-ea-ea-e-ah!Building church and university, wo-o-ooh, yeah! -Deceiving the people continually, yea-ea!Me say them graduatin' thieves and murderers;Look out now: they suckin' the blood of the sufferers (sufferers).Tell the children the truth;Tell the children the truth;Tell the children the truth right now!Come on and tell the children the truth;Tell the children the truth;Tell the children the truth;Tell the children the truth;Come on and tell the children the truth.
Nice! check out this version...
Bob breaks it down some more...
The videos below are 2 full shows from 1979 so you can feel dem irie vibrations for yourself!
May the words and music of Bob Marley and the Wailers continue to be jammin' on into the present and future consciousness of humankind!
Below are a series of videos of Dr. King's speeches and interviews... the man in his own words. His message through and through is clear, HOW YOU TREAT PEOPLE MATTERS. What doesn't matter is if it's the people next door, in the next city, or on the other side of the world.... we are all interconnected in a deep and meaningful way.
Nonviolent Revolutionary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived and died as a peacemaker, a legendary proponent of equality and justice, and ultimately a servant of love. What makes Dr. King's example so powerful is not just his compelling oratory, but the way in which he carried himself during his time on earth.
While we have come to think of Dr. King as an icon, it is important to recognize that he was a human being, a man not without flaws. Yet, still, this man was able to rise to a calling ahead of his time and far greater than himself in order to accelerate human consciousness with his actions and words.His success in this mission remains dependent on those who take his legacy to heart and make the choice to serve love in our daily lives.
Not only was Dr. King able to hold the light on issues of racial and economic equality and justice, he was a moral beacon when it came to the folly of war. Dr. King stood up and spoke the truth to the political leaders of his own country. He spoke convincingly and unafraid, opposing the Vietnam War and eloquently linking its depravity with that of racial inequality and poverty...
Dr. King had the courage to state boldly in a sermon on November day in Montgomery, Alabama, 1957, "...as I look into the eyes of all of my brothers in Alabama and all over America and over the world, I say to you, "I love you. I would rather die than hate you."...and then he lived those words until his dying day.
FreePussyRiot.org is also keeping close tabs.
