Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases a sound file of "Brown Skin Girl" performed by Beyoncé, SAINt JHN, WizKid, and Blue Ivy Carter. Selected comments from that sound file's discussion thread are also featured in this post. Most of these comments are from Brown skin girls from various nations throughout the world.
The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Beyoncé SAINt JHN, WizKid, and Blue Ivy Carter who performed this song. Thanks to the composers of this song and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S COMMENT
I believe that some comments from certain YouTube discussion threads are worthy of archiving for their historical, folkloric, and socio-cultural value/s almost as much as, the same, or more than some of the sound files and videos that are shown on this blog. However, it's very difficult to find and study selected comments on YouTube unless those comments are posted elsewhere.
In this post, I'm particularly interested in how people who aren't considered Black have written comments about their experiences with colorism*, and how Beyoncé's song has affected their appreciation of their skin color. I also am interested in some Black people's reactions to these types of comments from non-Black people.
Most of the comments in this compilation mention the commenter's nation and/her or his race/ethnic group. Some comments are included that are responses to this main category. Although most of the responses to these comments are affirmations of how beautiful the person is and how people should love their skin color, I only included a few of those types of responses. I also included a few general comments that don't fit these two categories.
This is only a very small sample of comments that can be categorized as I indicated above. And those categories are only a small portion of that discussion thread. I chose that particular file because it had the most viewer comments. I didn't read all of the comments in that discussion thread, but I read a LOT of those comments.
I've no doubt that there are many other examples of these types of comments in the discussion thread for the YouTube sound file that is showcased in this post and in the discussion threads for other YouTube sound files of this song. And I also know that any compilation that anyone else who do from that same discussion thread would be different from this one.
Thanks to all of the commenters!
-snip-
*"colorism" = "Discrimination based on skin color, also ...usually from members of the same race in which people are treated differently based on the social implications from cultural meanings attached to skin color."... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discrimination_based_on_skin_color.
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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE - BROWN SKIN GIRL
Beyoncé, Published on Jul 19, 2019
Provided to YouTube by Sony Music Entertainment
BROWN SKIN GIRL · Beyoncé · SAINt JHN · WizKid · Blue Ivy Carter
The Lion King: The Gift
℗ 2019 Parkwood Entertainment LLC, under exclusive license to Columbia Records, a Division of Sony Music Entertainment
Released on: 2019-07-19
Associated Performer: Beyonce, Saint JHN & WizKiD feat. Blue Ivy Carter
Producer: P2J
Composer, Lyricist: Adio Marchant
Composer, Lyricist: Jay-Z
Composer, Lyricist: Stacy Barthe
Composer, Lyricist: Anatii
Composer, Lyricist: Michael Uzowuru
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Statistics as of July 21, 2019 at 8:22 AM
total number of views - 1,352,906 views
total number of likes- 71K
total number of dislikes-1.6K
total number of comments -7,727
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SELECTED COMMENTS
These comments are numbered for referencing purposes only. All of these comments were published July 18, 2019 or July 21, 2019.
1. Kaycie With ie
"i'm black, live in the netherlands and am still in high school with all the dumb people. The way i needed this song today... i love her so much for this"
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2. Brendons Forehead
"Nouja ik zou niet zeggen dat ze perse dom zijn maar meer dat ze domme dingen doen om populair te blijven"
-snip-
Google translate from Dutch to English
"Well, I wouldn't say they are stupid, but rather that they do stupid things to stay popular"
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3. Lizbet Cruz
"I'm not black, but as an indigenous person who's been bullied about their skin and culture, I can't help but feel relief and tears in my eyes with this song.
I've tried skin lighteners but I realized that I am damaging myself more doing that. Now I love my brown skin. I wouldn't change anything for it and I especially appreciate my ancestry and my culture."
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4. Tia
"When my mother used to refer to me as "NEGRESSE as a negative slur it used to hurt but now as I'm an older wiser woman ive embraced it and love my brown skin...this song is empowering all those little black girls who need to feel and know they are beautiful 🙌🙌❤️👏👏👏"
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5. Vicks FDZ
"As a mexican who dont have any melanin, im gonna sing this LOUD!! Im proud of who I am, thats someting that Bey makes me feel with her music, to trust and feel proud of ourselves! We R All beauty, feel proud to have B to represent you, not even Salma represents me :-("
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6. Mmaduabuchi Ibemesi
"I am an 11 year old Nigerian girl and I am black and beautiful! Stand up for your race! Am I right?👸🏿👸🏾👸🏽"
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7. Crystal Parker
"Mmaduabuchi Ibemesi yes u are✊🏾❤️"
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8. Sumayyah Hussain
"Being south Asian brown skinned this song makes me feel so warm and empowered"
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9. ALL LOVE
"I dont think people understand how important the message in this song is. And how amazing of Beyoncé....who is known for her beauty to use her platform to uprise the most disrespected woman in society because of her skin colour. And for her to send out this message in Africa where colourism is even worse...that’s an amazing chess
move.
Black dark woman have been the most looked down upon all around the world. Even in Africa. To the point girls are willing to die to be lighter in skin just so they can fit.
Usually beautiful woman who are famous are too wrapped up in THIER own beauty and fear of ageism. Some of them will never bring this subject to the table. They want the shine on them so they can rise.
If all the woman get in formation and we all help each other rise imagine what we can achieve:
This song could be the start of a revolution.
I hope in the future black girls can walk out without ever thinking about wigs and nonesense. There are far bigger battles to win then feeling insecure about nappy hair that in reality IS BEAUTIFUL BUT YOU CANT SEE IT BECAUSE SOCIETY MADE IT THAT WAY"
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10. Marcus Flinn
"You hit the nail right on the head. The same goes for afro-Asians and dark Asians with African ancestry. Unfortunately, beauty standards in the East favor paler skin over tanned as well... This song is so empowering. I love my dark skin more than I ever had"
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11. Divita IsAwesome
"❤❤❤I'm Indian and white fair skin is promoted so much in Indian media. Fairness creams are literally everywhere. I had really low self esteem because of that. I'm a brown skin girl ❤ this will be on my playlist forever!"
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12. Megan Gee xó
"This song isn’t just about the beautiful brown skin etc females it is also including other black females from other countries like Ghana, Sierra Leone, Jamaica, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Gambia, St.Lucia, Brazil, Portugal, The United Kingdom WE SHOULD CELEBRATE OUR BEAUTIFUL BROWN TO DARK SKIN FEMALES ALL OVER THE WORLD who have been put down, racially attacked and discriminated against for being darker or for not being white we are all beautiful no matter what race❤️❤️"
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13. Lorenzo Rodrìguez del Mundo
"I'm a Mexican niño and I love all the chocolate women out there livin life to the fullest. Power to the reinas de chocolates.❤"
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14. Zøe
"Coming from a country like India where every other song is about fair skinned women, this is a pleasant change!"
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15. Ria Kaur
"I'm proud to be a Indian with BROWN SKIN
Well done BEY for being a amazing mother and BLUE IVY CARTER"
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16. WINIFRED. E.I OMOAKA
"#teambrownskin ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾"
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17. Happy Growing
"Kudos to you for loving your beautiful brown skin! Now hopefully the women of your country will follow you in this celebration of Brown Skin Girls!"
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18. Q B
"I don't think that she was talking about Indians at all. Nor the people that are known as "the browns" (Hispanics/Latinos) But if this song makes you feel good, kudos to you! 💓"
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19. Queen Flower
"Q B don’t exclude people bro, u know what it feels like to be excluded ur whole life so y do it to someone else. God tests all of us, we shouldn’t give hate to anyone at all. Yes it was for African girls. But let her feel special too, she might have not had that chance to feel welcomed or embrace her brown skin. LOVE WINS ALL. Love all u guy. All beautiful"
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20. Phelan Johnson
"I love brown skin. Black, Indian, and everything in between! Sing with us sis!"
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21. Tristen Gabourel
"Q B she was talking to everyone with brown skin."
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22. Rose D
"dre alex no she’s right, she said if it makes them feel special then good, but it’s about dark skin black girls. Not Arab, Indian or Mestizo women. However if it resonates with them then that’s amazing! Music is supposed to extend beyond its intended purpose! It brings us together, but she is a million percent right."
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23. Lil Miss on a mission
"@Q B listen she was talking to all brown skinned girls
The brown complexion to 🙄"
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24. Safa Siddiqi
"As a pakistani girl I feel so loved"
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25. MinJi Kim
"As a korean person made fun of others for my darker complexion, this song is very empowering"
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26. may mist
"that's beautiful that it is relatable for everyone ❤️"
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27. Gigi
"Yes, this song is for you too. Be proud of who you are, you are beautiful. Have a good day my friend !"
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28. PlainerThanJane
"😂🤣 she mentioned, Kelly, Naomi, Lupita.. and 'Nappy hair'... none of this applies to you smdh🤦🏽♀️, your 'Brown skin' struggles are nothing in comparison to the real Brown skin sistahs she's referring to in the song🤷🏽♀️✊🏾... I'm not saying that you don't have an issue with your complexion but... let's be real here... you will never be able to relate on the same level as brown skin women with nappy hair.. in this world, your so called brown skin is still valued more than the women she sings about so.. stop it!"
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29. Yekaterina Petrovna Zamolodchikova
"@PlainerThanJane colorism is colorism. Racism is problem too but colorism is a real issue in asian countries as well. The song is brown skin girl not "girl of african decent." It empowers all darker girls as well as kinky hair textures not just one or the other."
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30. Artby Sonia
"PlainerThanJane Agreed. When Beyoncé said brown she means girls of black descent"
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31. Active Device
"@PlainerThanJane
Eventhough I'm black and I understand the struggle, I'm not going to dismiss someone else's struggle because the can't compare to the "real brown sistahs""
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32. PlainerThanJane
"@Yekaterina Petrovna Zamolodchikova I'm aware of that fact, sis.. but, in this particular song.. she's referring to sisters of, Black decent! If the song touches you in a way to empower you in your struggles to any extent, then I'm all for that.. but, again..she speaks to the Black sistahs.."
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33. MinJi Kim
"Thank you to all the comments! Did not expect this to blow up^^ but yes I believe this song should be an anthem by black women for black women. It's just amazing to see thing kind of song exist and is very hopeful!"
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34. Active Device
"@PlainerThanJane
The way u said ur original comment tho, it just sounded so rude."
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35. dimond folournsho
"PlainerThanJane this comment was not it. We shouldn’t be comparing struggles, we should be united. People like you are what’s wrong with the world. Always thinking your struggle is better. And before you call me racist I’m Nigerian boo."
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36. KCLARK98
"Y'all are disgusting. So quick to come on here dismissing this girl's struggle like black people are the only ones with colorism issues or issues at all. Yes of course this song was targeted at black girls but more importantly it's here to spread positivity and love and here y'all come spreading hate and it makes me sick. It's ok to fight for our own rights while finding commonalities in our struggles with others' struggles and until people learn that we will forwver be divided"
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37. KCLARK98
"@PlainerThanJane what's the point of constantly pointing out that this is for black girls if everybody knows and acknowledges that. What you're impkicitly saying why do other people feel the right to be empowered by this because it's for us. That's the problem in the first place. Anybody affected by colorism should feel like they are empowered by this song because at the end of the day brown skin doesn't just belong to black people and doesn't only affect black people in a racist system where the color of your skin changes how you're viewed in the eyes of the white man. You should want anybody affected by colorism to be empowered by this song"
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38. MinJi Kim
"There is a lot of very wonderful discussion in this. I think we should all agree that "Brown Skin Girl" is a black anthem. The reason I find comfort in this song is that there are very little songs that talk about colorism in South Korea. I hope that SK can acknowledge that there are many darker complexion Koreans. A lot of the times in Korea I was told that I was adopted and that I wasn't Korean and many people always think that I'm messy and dirty and dont want to go near me. There is a lot of stigma around darker Korean in Korean society and 왕따. This is one kind of struggle. At the same time black women in U.S. face many struggles, from wage gap to straight up discrimination and violence. I will never understand nor want to pretend I do because even though we both have those very real struggle, they are not the same. I think it's amazing that these black artists are making songs for black women like this and hope that more Korean celebrities would embrace their melatonin in the same way. My heart goes out to everyone affected by this. I dont think it is wrong to be empowered as long as I do not claim this song as for "everyone." I hope you all can understand 🤗💕"
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39. Jc Day
"Just know that despite what some people are saying in your comments, you can always receive empowerment. Even though Beyonce is referring to black women, theres no way she wouldnt love how much you have gotten from this too."
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40. PlainerThanJane
"@MinJi Kim , colorism is truly the Devil's greatest invention. I'm happy that you, as myself and many others are empowered by the lyrics in this song. We've all a long ways to go.. here in America and abroad. 'If it's not white, it's not right'!!! That statement has affected millions of people of color around the globe.. we all need an Anthem to encourage us throughout life. It's unfortunate that you or anyone should have to experience that type of hateful behavior... ❤"
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41. PTX 5
"MinJi Kim i think Beyonce would happy that you relate to the song and feel empowered. She's all about lifting women up. So don't let anybody else makes you feel otherwise just because you're not black. Love yourself sista...."
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42. shar k
"PlainerThanJane you literally said that her brown skin struggles are nothing"
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43. kingbey fan
"Others can relate to this song as well. In the latino community for instance, Afro-Latinos are treated terribly. Dominicans does not acknowledge their African roots... I am a black woman who have no problem with other darker skinned girls of a different culture/race/ethnicity feeling empowered by this track made for black girls specifically."
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44. DJuno
"Lol everyone be fightin over which girls Beyonce referring to in this song ...."
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45. Just Me
"This song is so beautiful, I think celebrating black women is very important as some have issues with their skin color. Such as racism, self estime and self love, self confidance etc. And unfortunately some bleach their skin to become lighter ☹
Am a proud and grateful african brown skin girl I really wish everyone can be happy the way they are. Because we're all different and that makes us unique.
Anyway, Blue Ivy's voice is cute 😊"
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46. Desiree Wade
"💖💖Truly a beautiful song and yes speaking the truth and finally a song that truly will let all woman of color hold there heads up especially the Dark Skin ones I am dark skin and when I was young my father always told me I was beautiful and a black queen and my beauty was always on the inside of me and to never let anyone make me feel any less and to hold my head up and be proud of how God made me and he made me truly beautiful like my father said and I always loved me some Desiree and if any tried to tease me I would always say God made me and as long as God is happy with what he created and my father loves me that is all that mattered and I truly never was never teased but I can say men of all colors and different cultures would approach me even until this day and just say thank you and keep it moving so don't ever feel bad about being any color know that God made us all and we are all beautiful thank Queen B for this beautiful song love it God bless to you and your family! 💖💖"
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47. keysie b.b
"@beyonce thanks for this song when I was in school I they bullying me they told me to take a bath with Clorox “bleach”
Thank you bey 😘"
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48. Bronze Goddess 813 TI
"Yesss Brown skinned girls all over the world.💃💃💃💪💜♥️💜💜♥️🙏🌈⭐💯♣️♠️"
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49. sugar_cube_ tootsies
"For some that are confused she means black girls in general, all different shades"
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50. Sassy Tia
"Anyone with brown skin. Not specifically black"
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51. Lacey Kean
"Sassy T “nappy curls” sorry I don’t think non black girls have that"
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52. foo 83
"@Lacey Kean afro Latinos have kinky hair. Their black like black Americans. Black Americans aren't the only black people, and I'm black."
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53. Natasha Lawson
"foo 83 Afro Latinos are black"
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54. Teshia Wallace
"Beyonce is pretty much singing to herself 🤷🏿♀️❤ US brown, light, dark tone afrikans, on the American land, south American land, afrikan land and surrounding islands. Why is this so hard for ppl to grasp🤔"
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55. Haley Marlin
"Brown meaning all black girls. No matter what your shade is, you are black. But your skins actual physical color is brown.👩🏽👩🏾👩🏿"
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56. terri jones
"@Lacey Kean I know some latinas that have nappy natural curly hair as well 🤷🏾"
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57. liljayjay 666
"So Indians, latinas, asians?"
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58. Nasia the chocolate neko
"@liljayjay 666 no she's talking about black women specifically brown to dark skinned girls.."
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59. Honestly Jordy
"Wow really ? Can we have one thing???? Always wanna take BLACK GIRLS SHINE!!! This song was Ode to Black Women!! 😩"
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60. CheekyPoo22
"@foo 83 Baby, however u say it Black Afro Latinas are Black! It becomes the dominant trait. She's talking about the race of Black women."
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61. B L U E
"@Sassy Tia This is dedicated to Black girls, not all POC."
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62. Qu AudioReact
"Natasha Lawson exactly, and I’m sure some have nappy curls too, some also don’t. But there is dark skinned Afro Latinos, Afro Asians, and black-white."
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63. Sassy Tia
"Honestly Jordy it says brown skin girls. Which means anyone with brown skin"
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64. Sassy Tia
"B L U E it said brown skin girls. Not black women"
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65. Ilovemyself
"I feel like lightskins just wanna be included she is not focusing on all shades of black women..right now she's focusing on melanated girls which means all the chocolate girls who r brownskin and darkskin and we know there are other shades of black girls but its not what she is focusing on whether if your afro latino or indian if your heavily melanated thats what she's focusing on"
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66. Marcel D. Robinson
"No... she is speaking on darker completed girls. Which is why she mention Kelly Rowland, Lupita and Naomi. Because even within black communities, many times Darker complected girls are made to feel like they aren’t as pretty as lighter complected black girls. Which is why skin bleaching in Jamaica has become a big thing. So.. yeah, you’re wrong on that."
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67. MrItsjustmeok
"Every skin colour is beautiful, we should really be looking at what's within the skin though."
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68. Cee Gabe
"ALL Brown skin girls are beautiful: dark and mixed race (which most of us are) from past race-mixing during the captivity era."
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69. Yei Ambi
"I wish there will be more songs about brown skin being beautiful
I live in switzerland and i dont feel beautiful at all i feel ugly and that people look at me difrent"
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70. Tomb Raider LC
"I believe everyone deserves representation regardless of color, and I'm extremely happy to see that dark skinned people are getting their equal share in this! It has come such a long way. The people who are making this a white/black problem need to calm down and just relax. We are all humans and need to realize we only have this one life together and everyone deserves to feel special and they are loved and accepted; black, white, Asian, Hispanic, middle eastern, polynesian, and everything else in between. And remember, even regardless of race, people's skin color varies. Southern Italians have dark skin often times and some Hispanics have pale skin. It's really just love all around bc let's face it. It would be boring and bland if we were all the same color"
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71. RizzyBone
"To all my brown and dark skin women and men i love you. We are beautiful❤🧑🏾❤👩🏾❤🧑🏿❤👩🏿❤. Please don't let the hate of society make you believe being a light complexion is better. God doesn't make any mistakes! Take care of yourselves and protect eachother💕💕"
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72. James Valt
"Everything they taught you about the color black was wrong. Black isn't the color of evil, darkness is where the monsters hide, all that is a lie. Remember without the darkness there is no light, black is the medium for reality, the universe needs the black silhouette to exist. The richest, purest of resources start off as black, from diamonds to oil to fertile earth. So how can something so good double as bad? have you ever asked yourself that?"
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73. Isiejeme0829
"Jet black skin, brown skin and even those with albinism stand up. We ain't about to change for anyone NEVER!!!"
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74. Daily Sip
"Lets blasts this at every place and everywhere every brown skin girl needs to hear this song bc brown skin girls should never have to feel shamed about being brown bc of others insecurities"
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75. Toussaint Wilson
"This song has me tearing up. My Mother is a dark skinned woman and I have always wanted her skin color. Meanwhile as many of you know she was called dark and ugly a lot. Now I am crying. For all of you, we love you brown skin girls."
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76. starfirebb robin
"Am i the only brown skin girl who didn't need this song to feel beautiful ??😂 . I've always loved my skin. Its kinda sad that some women now feel appreciated smh"
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77. Ola Iews
"Shoutout to my melanin quuens and Kings! This song is the the black anthem. As a black young male myself, I appreciate this song so much and this has made me love my dark skin even more. This song isn't only targeted to black-brown females only but also black-brown males and anyone within the black community. Thank you Beyoncé!"
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78. nkululeko sithole
"Beyonce gave the little Brown Skin girls who have bore the brunt of society's disrespect and hate, something to empower themselves with and to be reminded that they are beautiful the way God made them. Happy!"
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79. Mitsie JC
"Dear Black Girl,
When they tell her
that her skin is 'too dark'
I do not hesitate to remind them,
that the sun loved her so much
he kissed her more than the rest of us"
--Unknown
"It is a blessing to be the color of the earth
Do you know how often
Flowers mistake me for home"
--Rupi Kaur
My favorite poems about Black and Brown girls."
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80. luh Bebe
"Where all my brown skin shades and dark skin shades@!!!!😍😍😍💗💗💗💗💗💗"
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81. Fides Nzirubusa
"Is they talkin about black girls? I'm black I just want to verify."
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82. luh Bebe
"@Fides Nzirubusa black/mixed/African all😍"
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83. Fides Nzirubusa
"@luh Bebe oh ok!! I'm also African btws!🇷🇼🇺🇸🇧🇮💪🏾💓💓"
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84. Karou Stallion
"Here we areee 🙌🏽"
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85. Jessica Cooper
"Present 💝"
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86. Legit Bitxh
"I think she purposely said brown skin girl because if you think about it all or most black girls have brown skin. we just have different shades of brown. I hate colorism and never liked the light skin black or dark skin black labels. we all are black girls and we all have brown skin lets not entertain their colorism that they use to separate us"
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87. Brookaeee Cookaeee
"Wow this makes me so happy to hear a song like this from such a popular artist!! I’m light skinned but this song uplifts me as well to know that it’s gonna make a girl with darker complexion feel happy and good about her skin!"
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88. Tina Morales
"I'm not ugly crying with this on repeat...
Okay. I am.
But really here's why: I grew up being told I'm too dark, especially for a Latina. I hated my skin. When I was 8 I wanted to bleach my skin. I hated the sun, I hated summer because I only got darker. But f*ck that noise. Thank you, Bey, for setting me free of this mindset. I wish I had this encouragement growing up. I'm so grateful the younger brown skinned girls of today have this anthem. Thank you, Beyonce, for empowering all of us brown skinned goddesses 💆🏾♀️"
-snip-
This is the way this comment was written on that discussion thread.
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89. Mist
"The thing is, you can enjoy this song even if you’re white in terms of it being empowering to black women whose beauty has long been diminished and compared to Western standards of beauty. It might not be FOR white people, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the song and appreciate the message."
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90. Jai David
"While I understand it says Brown Skin GIRL. I am a man. And I still feel like this song is for me too. I have been put down too many times to count because of my skin. It has been a point of insecurity for me. I honestly have wanted to bleach my own skin. But I've been learning to love myself, and this song really came at a good time. There's nothing wrong with being black. We are a powerful, strong and beautiful people, with rich heritage. No shame."
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91. Khanstantly LovingLife
"I love this song!!!! I'm lighskinned black, but my daughters are brown skinned. ✊🏾❤️✊🏾 REPRESENT!"
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92. Keisha Lowe
"New ringtone....I live in Jamaica and this means alot to my dark skinned sistahs❤"
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93. セブン指輪
"SHE PROTECC
SHE ATTACC
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY
SHE MADE THIS SONG FOR PPL THAT ARE BLACC"
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94. Akanksha Kaith
"OR JUST BROWN SKINNEDDD"
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95. DubstepEnthusiast 89
"@Akanksha Kaith No, Black"
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96. Layla Dhillon
"DubstepEnthusiast 89 what about like asian girls? Just wondering"
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97. Akanksha Kaith
"@DubstepEnthusiast 89 its literally called brown skin girl...
Can we not just accept that theres other people that are brown skinned?"
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98. DubstepEnthusiast 89
"@Layla Dhillon Aisian isn't black it's yellow. African is black. And everything else like Russia, Germany, and stuff like that is white."
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99. Akanksha Kaith
"@DubstepEnthusiast 89 ok but I'm indian and that's brown"
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100. Akanksha Kaith
"@DubstepEnthusiast 89 and anyway its brown skin girl not black"
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101. DubstepEnthusiast 89
"@Akanksha Kaith Ok your yellow. Your skin may be the color brown, but your race is yellow. This song is reffering to blacks not yellows"
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REPLY
102. Layla Dhillon
"DubstepEnthusiast 89 I’m not yellow... I’m Indian/Pakistani,, very much not yellow. South Asian people are often referred to as brown not asian lol"
**
REPLY
103. Layla Dhillon
"DubstepEnthusiast 89 also do you know what race is because unless I’m just being dumb no one had ever referred to me as yellow???"
**
REPLY
104. MKJT
"@DubstepEnthusiast 89 I feel so sorry for you and your limited knowledge."
**
REPLY
105. DubstepEnthusiast 89
"@MKJT Your the one with limited knowledge"
**
REPLY
106. DubstepEnthusiast 89
"@Layla Dhillon Also your dumb bc Asians are IN FACT considered yellow. You may not be the COLOR yellow but your race is yellow"
**
REPLY
107. Azizi Powell
"DubstepEnthusiast 89, African American woman here, and, though I'm not Asian and have had few direct interactions with Asians, I believe your statement is far too simplistic. Some South Asians or Southeast Asians refer to themselves as brown, because they are brown, but no East Asian is actually yellow. Reading this comment exchange motivated me to look up this subject. Here's a link to a very interesting 2018 article on that subject entitled "If We Called Ourselves Yellow": https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2018/09/27/647989652/if-we-called-ourselves-yellow
One of the points that that article made is that hundreds of years ago the color yellow was used as a referent for people who came to be called "Asians", and most of the reasons for that weren't positive. The history of this term is quite complicated. But just like most people in the USA (I hope) no longer use the term "Orientals" for Asian people, given what I read in that article and elsewhere, I'd caution against referring to East Asian or any other Asian people as "yellow".
****
108. Scuzy Baggio
"Shout out to all the brown skin in the world, from Cameroon 🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲🇨🇲"
**
109. Aparna Rajakumar
"love this song... i’m indian but my whole life i’ve been told that being fair is the only way to be beautiful. this song made me feel so empowered.
all color is beautiful. all shades
🤚🏻🤚🏼🤚🏽🤚🏾🤚🏿
after all it’s just one chemical that makes us all different colors"
****
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Visitor comments are welcome.
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Sunday, July 21, 2019
Saturday, July 20, 2019
Post 1970s Non-Labor Movement Examples Of "Which Side Are You On? In The United States
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part III of a three part pancocojams series on the protest song "Which Side Are You On".
"Which Side Are You On?" is a song written in 1931 by Florence Reece, the wife of Sam Reece, a union organizer for the United Mine Workers in Harlan County, Kentucky.
Part III of this series presents a few post 1970s Civil Rights (African American protests) examples of this song are also included in this post.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/07/origin-of-labor-protest-song-which-side.html for Part I of this series presents information about the origin of "Which Side Are You On". The original lyrics for this song and a YouTube example of Natalie Merchant singing a cover of this song are included in this post.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/07/which-side-are-you-on-protest-song.html for Part II of this series. Part III presents examples of 1960s and 1970s United States Civil Rights (African American protests) examples of "Which Side Are You On"?.
The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Florence Reece, the composer of this song, for her musical legacy. Thanks all those who sang and are still singing "Which Side Are You On" in their protests for labor rights and civil rights.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT AND EXAMPLES OF "WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON" SUNG POST 1970S DURING NON-LABOR MOVEMENTS AMERICAN PROTESTS
Excerpt #1:
From https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/19256493/Pete+Seeger/Which+Side+Are+You+On%3F+%28Civil+Rights+Version%29
Which Side Are You On? (Civil Rights Version)
Len Chandler, The Freedom Voices
They stole a few elections,
Still we the people won
We voted out corruption and
Big corporations
We voted for an end to war
New direction
And We ain't gonna stop now
Until the job is done
Come on all good workers
This year is our time
Now there's folks in Washington
That care what's on our minds
Come one, come all voters
Lets all vote next time
Show 'em which side are you on now
Which side are you on
[Repeat: x4]
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on
Thirty years of diggin'
Got us in this hole
The curse of reaganomics
Has finally taken it's toll
Lord knows the free market
Is anything but free
It costs dearly to the planet
And the likes of you and me
I don't need those money lenders
Suckin' on my tit
A little socialism
Don't scare me one bit!
We could do a whole lot worse
Than Europe or Canada
Come on Mr. president
Come on congress make the law
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on
They say in Orleans parish
There are no neutrals there
There's just too much misery
And there's too much despair
America who are we
Now our innocence is gone
Forgive us mother Africa
History's done you wrong
Too many stories written
Out in black and white
Yeah come on people of privilege
It's time to join the fight
Are we living in the shadow of slavery
Or are we moving on
Tell me which side are you on now
Which side are you on
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on
Which side are you on boys
Which side are you on
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on
My mother was a feminist
She taught me to see
That the road to ruin is paved
With patriarchy
So, let the way of women
Guide democracy
From plunder and pollution
Let mother earth be free
Feminism ain't about women
No, that's not who it is for
It's about a shifting consciousness
That'll bring an end to war
So listen up you fathers
Listen up you sons
And tell me which side are you on now
Which side are you on
[Repeat: x4]
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on
So are we just consumers
Or are we citizens
Are we gonna make more garbage
Or are we gonna make amends
Are you part of the solution
Or are you part of the con?
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on?
-snip-
The sub-title given to this song "Civil Rights Version" is a misnomer, given the lyrics of this song and the usual meaning in the United States of "civil rights"as pertaining to protest movements centering around Black people and/or other people of Color. Besides, there are more than one "civil rights versions" of "Which Side Are You On?" as documented by the version given in Part II of this series.
This song includes the term "reaganomics" which dates it as being composed during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. Here's some information about reaganomics from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/reaganomics.asp
What is Reaganomics?
Reaganomics is a popular term referring to the economic policies of Ronald Reagan, the 40th U.S. president (1981–1989). His policies called for widespread tax cuts, decreased social spending, increased military spending, and the deregulation of domestic markets...
The term Reaganomics was used by both supporters and detractors of Reagan's policies."...
****
Excerpt #2
From https://denisesullivan.com/2015/01/11/were-on-the-freedom-side/ "We’re On The Freedom Side" by Denise Sullivan, January 11, 2015
"There’s a new version of the labor standard, “Which Side Are You On?” going around: Sung at the Black Lives Matter and Blackout Coalition actions, it’s also been used as the intro and outro marching song at some of the Black Brunch protests.
Malcolm X was a freedom fighter
And he taught us how to fight
We go’n’ fight all day and night
Until we get it right
Which side are you on, my people? Which side are you on?
[video no longer available]
In the early ’30s when the United Mine Workers of America began to organize around Eastern Kentucky (in an effort to end practices like payment in scrip and pay docking toward rent in substandard housing) it was Florence Reece, a Kentucky miner’s daughter and wife who wrote the original lyrics to “Which Side Are You On?”. It remains a labor movement standard.
They say in Harlan County
There are no neutrals there
You’ll either be a union man
Or a thug for J.H. Blair
Blair was the sheriff who rousted Reece’s family during the strike among Harlan County mine workers, just one of the struggles which contributed toward the region earning its nickname “Bloody Harlan County.” In the ‘70s, workers struck again and Reece reprised the song for striking miners (preserved in this clip from Barbara Kopple’s Academy Award-winning documentary, Harlan County U.S.A.).
[video no longer available]
The song’s melody is said to be based on a hymn, “Lay the Lily Low.” Some researchers believe it is the same song that forms the basis for the traditional “Jack-a-Roe,” (also known as “Jack Munro”), its best-known version performed by the Grateful Dead. But I think that somewhere in the Kentucky mountains, singers have been intoning this strange melody for hundreds of years, its deep minor tones more reminiscent of the mystic drone of a Gregorian chant than anything known to folk or gospel. Whatever its melody’s true origins, “Which Side Are You On?” was first repurposed during the Civil Rights Movement by topical singer-songwriter Len Chandler (you can hear his recorded version on the album, WNEW’S Story of Selma).
Come all you Northern liberals,
Take a Klansman out to lunch
But when you dine instead of whine
You should serve nonviolent punch
Which side are you on? Which side are you on?
Chandler told me his story, of how he came to be a topical singer in Greenwich Village, then moved on to marching with Dr. King from, Selma to Montgomery (he appears in archival footage in the new film, Selma). “I’d write a song like that and then I’d be singing it in a mass meeting that night. People would be playing and singing for forty five minutes, until you were just worn out,” he said. Fifty years later, he remains in pursuit of social justice through action and song (Chandler’s full story appears in Keep on Pushing). I learned from listening to Chandler’s songs and to his songtalk, and by studying the work of freedom singers like Odetta, Bernice Johnson and voting rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, that group singing among activists gives people who may start the night as strangers a chance to bond. Communing over songs, we become more bound to purpose. Singing together is energizing, nourishing, and feeds the spirit; it provides strength to move forward, together as one. But group singing for justice serves a further purpose beyond what some mock as a moment to join hands and sing “Kumbaya”: In the fight for non-violence, singing has the ability to disarm.
Hamer practiced the power of song when she sang alongside Chandler and other SNCC volunteers at the mass meetings and marches, through her representation of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party at the 1964 Democratic Convention and on to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Women at the forefront of workers organizing, who’ve pushed for voting and employment rights, and led the fights to end war, poverty, and racism across the planet all know well the power of song: Whether Hamer, Reece, or Ani DiFranco (who updated the song in 2012 then titled her collection of socially conscious songs, ¿Which Side Are You On?) or the Black Lives Matter and Blackout Coalition organizers, women are allied in a long and storied legacy of traditional and gospel song. With songs we have contributed to toppling apartheid in South Africa, had voting rights granted in the US, fought warlords in Liberia and begun to make corrections to the broken justice system in the USA. With songs that have traveled the road from blues to hip hop, we will continue toward freedom for all people. It’s good to hear the timeless soundtrack to justice making a comeback. Now, which side are you on?"
-snip-
Here's some information about "Black Brunch Protests"
From https://www.huffpost.com/entry/black-brunch-disrupts-restaurants_n_6416844
#BlackBrunchNYC Disrupts Diners To Protest Police Brutality By Lilly Workneh
BLACK VOICES 01/05/2015 10:49 am ET
"In a seemingly new approach to demonstrating, protesters in New York interrupted patrons at various restaurants on Sunday to declare injustice in America and call attention to problematic policing tactics.
The event was part of a movement dubbed #BlackBrunch in which protesters purposely selected eateries across the city, or places they referred to as “white spaces,” to voice their outrage over police violence against Blacks.
On Sunday, about three dozen demonstrators marched into restaurants and briefly interrupted mid-day meals as they read aloud the names of African Americans killed by police, Yahoo reports.
“There is a war on Black people in America that cannot be ignored and the Black Brunch tactic is one that is committed to interrupting ‘business as usual’ until the war against us has ended,” reads a statement written by #BlackBrunch organizers.
“Young Black leaders organized Black Brunch in response to the historic violence and unjust crimes committed against Black people in America,” the statement continues.
Some of the protests were held at popular New York City eateries including The Barking Dog, Lallisse, Maialino and Pershing Square. Meanwhile, across the country, similar protests also took place in restaurants in Oakland, California.
“We march, chant and sing together as we claim space in areas that are predominantly non-Black,” organizers wrote.
Organizers said this spin on sit-in style protests is a resistance tactic that was created by organizers in Oakland last year.
Many applauded the protests on Twitter while others weren’t too pleased with the momentary demonstration. Instead, some patrons saw the interruption as an inconvenience and subsequently expressed their frustration on social media.
[...]
However, the protesters do not seem to express any regrets.
“We are peacefully and publicly mourning and saying the names of innocent slain Black Americans for 4 ½ minutes and we’re not sorry for interrupting your Brunch,” Iris Dillard, a Berkeley student who participated in a protest over the weekend, told The Washington Post.
“The fact that people are negatively responding to the #BlackBrunch and not the illness of racism and the myth of American progress, disturbs me more than anything.”
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO OF A BLACK BRUNCH PROTEST
#BLACKBRUNCH Rockridge
Wazi Maret Davis, Published on Dec 8, 2014
Young Black leaders of Oakland [California] convened on Saturday, Dec. 6 2014 to march in peaceful protest throughout the Rockridge neighborhood. Together they chant song and honor the names of Black lives lost to police violence.
-snip-
One person in the group calls out a name and the age of a person who was the victim of police violence. The group then responds, raising their right fist in the black power salute and in unison shouting the word “Ashe”. The recitation ends with one person saying “And so it is” and the group repeating “And so it is”.
The song begins around 2:07 in this video [Protesters sing while they walk in single file out of the restaurant. The singing is accompanied by drum [probably djembe drum] and individual hand claps.
Here's my transcription of this version of "Which Side Are You On?" [Additions and corrections are welcome.]
Chorus:
Which side are you on, friends? Which side are you on?
Which side are you on, friends? Which side are you on?
Justice for Mike Brown is
Justice for us all
I will fight for justice
Until justice is won.
Which side are you on, friends? Which side are you on?
[One person sings: We on the freedom side!]
Which side are you on, friends? Which side are you on?
[One person sings: We on the freedom side!]
[Repeat that entire song]
-snip-
As mentioned in Excerpt #3 above, participants in BlackBrunch Protests often sing "Which Side Are You On?"as an introduction to their recitation of names of victims of police brutality and as their "outro"- when they are leaving the protest. The video doesn't show the entire protest, but it's likely that ththe group may have sung "Which Side Are You On?" at the beginning of their protest. However, they are shown singing it at the end of their protest.
Here's information about Mike Brown:
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Michael_Brown for information about Mike Brown who was shot & killed by a policeman in Ferguson, Missouri on August 9, 2014. Here’s one excerpt from that page:
This event ignited unrest in Ferguson. Although a subsequent FBI investigation found that there was no evidence that Brown had his hands up in surrender or said "don't shoot" before he was shot, protesters believed that he had done so, and used the slogan "Hands up, don't shoot" in protest. Protests, both peaceful and violent, continued for more than a week in Ferguson; police established a nightly curfew. The response of area police agencies in dealing with the protests was strongly criticized by the media and politicians. There were concerns over insensitivity, tactics, and a militarized response."
-snip-
Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread, including a comment that I posted (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. robertk2007, 2015
"if they were so concerned with people rights, they wouldnt be trespassing on private property. go to the city square and scream your head off"
**
2. acquista mon, 2015
"The goal is good and I like the song... but dont confuse reaction to a brunch bust as evidence of change. Change from the police is necessary, but even more important is the condition of inner cities and education and freedom from drug abuse and early teen pregnancy. I 360 change vs. 60 degrees, that is the side I am on, the whole side."
**
3. Michael Attaya, 2015
"What are they shouting?? I shay? I said? I shed? I can't quite understand it. They got a little tune going on at the end though. I give them that. It's kind of catchy."
**
REPLY
4. Azizi Powell, 2019
"Michael Attaya
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%E1%B9%A3%E1%BA%B9
"ase or ashe (from Yoruba àṣẹ)[1] is a West African philosophical concept through which the Yoruba of Nigeria conceive the power to make things happen and produce change. It is given by Olodumare to everything — gods, ancestors, spirits, humans, animals, plants, rocks, rivers, and voiced words such as songs, prayers, praises, curses, or even everyday conversation. Existence, according to Yoruba thought, is dependent upon it.[2]
In addition to its sacred characteristics, ase also has important social ramifications, reflected in its translation as "power, authority, command."...
African Americans who have adopted the word "ashe" usually spell it "ashe" (pronounced "ah -shay" as an equivalent term to "so be it" / "Amen"."
****
TWEET THAT INCLUDES A BRIEF CLIP OF A MINNESOTA COMMUNITY ACTIVIST GROUP SINGING "WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?"
https://twitter.com/IlhanMN https://twitter.com/IlhanMN [official representative illhan omar twitter account]
Ilhan Omar Retweeted
TakeAction Minnesota
@TakeActionMN
July 18, 2019
📢 What side are you on, my people. We’re on the freedom side. #IStandWithIlhan #WelcomeHomeIlhan
-snip-
This tweet features a brief video clip of a multiracial group of young people singing a version of the song “What Side Are You On”? The singing occurred at the Minneapolis airport while the group waited to greet Representative Illhan Omar when she arrived home to Minneapolis. The group then chanted "Welcome home, Illhan!"
With regard to the "What Side Are You On?" song, it appeared that some people in the group-including the White woman with a bullhorn who seemed to be leading the group, didn't know the song, but were reading the words from yellow slips of paper that they held. Unfortunately, I can't find any video of TakeAction singing that song or any online references to the version of "What Side Are You On?" that is sung by that group.
Here's information about TakeActionMinnesota:
From https://www.takeactionminnesota.org/about-us/
"ABOUT TAKEACTION MINNESOTA
TakeAction Minnesota is a statewide network of people – people just like you — working to realize racial and economic equity across Minnesota. We do this by connecting people and organizations to each other, turning someone’s individual desire for change – to pass a more progressive policy or law, to improve an institution, to change a harmful idea or perception – into the broad public action that makes change happen where it wasn’t possible going it alone.
We know that Minnesotans around our state want to make a difference on the issues that affect their own lives. Having access to health care when you need it. To earn enough to support your family with dignity. Being given a second chance to build your future. But to be effective, we need to connect with other people, and other organizations, who have the same vision.
At TakeAction Minnesota, people come together to change Minnesota. We work together to win the changes that help shape our lives for the better, beating the odds again and again. We do it with great people, and organizations, from communities across our state. With people, by people, and for people just like you."...
-snip-
Although I consider myself relatively familiar with civil rights songs, reading that tweet and watching that brief video yesterday was my first introduction to the protest song "Which Side Are You On?"
Thanks TakeActionMinnesota, for introducing me to this song!
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This is Part III of a three part pancocojams series on the protest song "Which Side Are You On".
"Which Side Are You On?" is a song written in 1931 by Florence Reece, the wife of Sam Reece, a union organizer for the United Mine Workers in Harlan County, Kentucky.
Part III of this series presents a few post 1970s Civil Rights (African American protests) examples of this song are also included in this post.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/07/origin-of-labor-protest-song-which-side.html for Part I of this series presents information about the origin of "Which Side Are You On". The original lyrics for this song and a YouTube example of Natalie Merchant singing a cover of this song are included in this post.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/07/which-side-are-you-on-protest-song.html for Part II of this series. Part III presents examples of 1960s and 1970s United States Civil Rights (African American protests) examples of "Which Side Are You On"?.
The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Florence Reece, the composer of this song, for her musical legacy. Thanks all those who sang and are still singing "Which Side Are You On" in their protests for labor rights and civil rights.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT AND EXAMPLES OF "WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON" SUNG POST 1970S DURING NON-LABOR MOVEMENTS AMERICAN PROTESTS
Excerpt #1:
From https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/19256493/Pete+Seeger/Which+Side+Are+You+On%3F+%28Civil+Rights+Version%29
Which Side Are You On? (Civil Rights Version)
Len Chandler, The Freedom Voices
They stole a few elections,
Still we the people won
We voted out corruption and
Big corporations
We voted for an end to war
New direction
And We ain't gonna stop now
Until the job is done
Come on all good workers
This year is our time
Now there's folks in Washington
That care what's on our minds
Come one, come all voters
Lets all vote next time
Show 'em which side are you on now
Which side are you on
[Repeat: x4]
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on
Thirty years of diggin'
Got us in this hole
The curse of reaganomics
Has finally taken it's toll
Lord knows the free market
Is anything but free
It costs dearly to the planet
And the likes of you and me
I don't need those money lenders
Suckin' on my tit
A little socialism
Don't scare me one bit!
We could do a whole lot worse
Than Europe or Canada
Come on Mr. president
Come on congress make the law
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on
They say in Orleans parish
There are no neutrals there
There's just too much misery
And there's too much despair
America who are we
Now our innocence is gone
Forgive us mother Africa
History's done you wrong
Too many stories written
Out in black and white
Yeah come on people of privilege
It's time to join the fight
Are we living in the shadow of slavery
Or are we moving on
Tell me which side are you on now
Which side are you on
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on
Which side are you on boys
Which side are you on
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on
My mother was a feminist
She taught me to see
That the road to ruin is paved
With patriarchy
So, let the way of women
Guide democracy
From plunder and pollution
Let mother earth be free
Feminism ain't about women
No, that's not who it is for
It's about a shifting consciousness
That'll bring an end to war
So listen up you fathers
Listen up you sons
And tell me which side are you on now
Which side are you on
[Repeat: x4]
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on
So are we just consumers
Or are we citizens
Are we gonna make more garbage
Or are we gonna make amends
Are you part of the solution
Or are you part of the con?
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on?
-snip-
The sub-title given to this song "Civil Rights Version" is a misnomer, given the lyrics of this song and the usual meaning in the United States of "civil rights"as pertaining to protest movements centering around Black people and/or other people of Color. Besides, there are more than one "civil rights versions" of "Which Side Are You On?" as documented by the version given in Part II of this series.
This song includes the term "reaganomics" which dates it as being composed during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. Here's some information about reaganomics from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/reaganomics.asp
What is Reaganomics?
Reaganomics is a popular term referring to the economic policies of Ronald Reagan, the 40th U.S. president (1981–1989). His policies called for widespread tax cuts, decreased social spending, increased military spending, and the deregulation of domestic markets...
The term Reaganomics was used by both supporters and detractors of Reagan's policies."...
****
Excerpt #2
From https://denisesullivan.com/2015/01/11/were-on-the-freedom-side/ "We’re On The Freedom Side" by Denise Sullivan, January 11, 2015
"There’s a new version of the labor standard, “Which Side Are You On?” going around: Sung at the Black Lives Matter and Blackout Coalition actions, it’s also been used as the intro and outro marching song at some of the Black Brunch protests.
Malcolm X was a freedom fighter
And he taught us how to fight
We go’n’ fight all day and night
Until we get it right
Which side are you on, my people? Which side are you on?
[video no longer available]
In the early ’30s when the United Mine Workers of America began to organize around Eastern Kentucky (in an effort to end practices like payment in scrip and pay docking toward rent in substandard housing) it was Florence Reece, a Kentucky miner’s daughter and wife who wrote the original lyrics to “Which Side Are You On?”. It remains a labor movement standard.
They say in Harlan County
There are no neutrals there
You’ll either be a union man
Or a thug for J.H. Blair
Blair was the sheriff who rousted Reece’s family during the strike among Harlan County mine workers, just one of the struggles which contributed toward the region earning its nickname “Bloody Harlan County.” In the ‘70s, workers struck again and Reece reprised the song for striking miners (preserved in this clip from Barbara Kopple’s Academy Award-winning documentary, Harlan County U.S.A.).
[video no longer available]
The song’s melody is said to be based on a hymn, “Lay the Lily Low.” Some researchers believe it is the same song that forms the basis for the traditional “Jack-a-Roe,” (also known as “Jack Munro”), its best-known version performed by the Grateful Dead. But I think that somewhere in the Kentucky mountains, singers have been intoning this strange melody for hundreds of years, its deep minor tones more reminiscent of the mystic drone of a Gregorian chant than anything known to folk or gospel. Whatever its melody’s true origins, “Which Side Are You On?” was first repurposed during the Civil Rights Movement by topical singer-songwriter Len Chandler (you can hear his recorded version on the album, WNEW’S Story of Selma).
Come all you Northern liberals,
Take a Klansman out to lunch
But when you dine instead of whine
You should serve nonviolent punch
Which side are you on? Which side are you on?
Chandler told me his story, of how he came to be a topical singer in Greenwich Village, then moved on to marching with Dr. King from, Selma to Montgomery (he appears in archival footage in the new film, Selma). “I’d write a song like that and then I’d be singing it in a mass meeting that night. People would be playing and singing for forty five minutes, until you were just worn out,” he said. Fifty years later, he remains in pursuit of social justice through action and song (Chandler’s full story appears in Keep on Pushing). I learned from listening to Chandler’s songs and to his songtalk, and by studying the work of freedom singers like Odetta, Bernice Johnson and voting rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, that group singing among activists gives people who may start the night as strangers a chance to bond. Communing over songs, we become more bound to purpose. Singing together is energizing, nourishing, and feeds the spirit; it provides strength to move forward, together as one. But group singing for justice serves a further purpose beyond what some mock as a moment to join hands and sing “Kumbaya”: In the fight for non-violence, singing has the ability to disarm.
Hamer practiced the power of song when she sang alongside Chandler and other SNCC volunteers at the mass meetings and marches, through her representation of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party at the 1964 Democratic Convention and on to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Women at the forefront of workers organizing, who’ve pushed for voting and employment rights, and led the fights to end war, poverty, and racism across the planet all know well the power of song: Whether Hamer, Reece, or Ani DiFranco (who updated the song in 2012 then titled her collection of socially conscious songs, ¿Which Side Are You On?) or the Black Lives Matter and Blackout Coalition organizers, women are allied in a long and storied legacy of traditional and gospel song. With songs we have contributed to toppling apartheid in South Africa, had voting rights granted in the US, fought warlords in Liberia and begun to make corrections to the broken justice system in the USA. With songs that have traveled the road from blues to hip hop, we will continue toward freedom for all people. It’s good to hear the timeless soundtrack to justice making a comeback. Now, which side are you on?"
-snip-
Here's some information about "Black Brunch Protests"
From https://www.huffpost.com/entry/black-brunch-disrupts-restaurants_n_6416844
#BlackBrunchNYC Disrupts Diners To Protest Police Brutality By Lilly Workneh
BLACK VOICES 01/05/2015 10:49 am ET
"In a seemingly new approach to demonstrating, protesters in New York interrupted patrons at various restaurants on Sunday to declare injustice in America and call attention to problematic policing tactics.
The event was part of a movement dubbed #BlackBrunch in which protesters purposely selected eateries across the city, or places they referred to as “white spaces,” to voice their outrage over police violence against Blacks.
On Sunday, about three dozen demonstrators marched into restaurants and briefly interrupted mid-day meals as they read aloud the names of African Americans killed by police, Yahoo reports.
“There is a war on Black people in America that cannot be ignored and the Black Brunch tactic is one that is committed to interrupting ‘business as usual’ until the war against us has ended,” reads a statement written by #BlackBrunch organizers.
“Young Black leaders organized Black Brunch in response to the historic violence and unjust crimes committed against Black people in America,” the statement continues.
Some of the protests were held at popular New York City eateries including The Barking Dog, Lallisse, Maialino and Pershing Square. Meanwhile, across the country, similar protests also took place in restaurants in Oakland, California.
“We march, chant and sing together as we claim space in areas that are predominantly non-Black,” organizers wrote.
Organizers said this spin on sit-in style protests is a resistance tactic that was created by organizers in Oakland last year.
Many applauded the protests on Twitter while others weren’t too pleased with the momentary demonstration. Instead, some patrons saw the interruption as an inconvenience and subsequently expressed their frustration on social media.
[...]
However, the protesters do not seem to express any regrets.
“We are peacefully and publicly mourning and saying the names of innocent slain Black Americans for 4 ½ minutes and we’re not sorry for interrupting your Brunch,” Iris Dillard, a Berkeley student who participated in a protest over the weekend, told The Washington Post.
“The fact that people are negatively responding to the #BlackBrunch and not the illness of racism and the myth of American progress, disturbs me more than anything.”
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO OF A BLACK BRUNCH PROTEST
#BLACKBRUNCH Rockridge
Wazi Maret Davis, Published on Dec 8, 2014
Young Black leaders of Oakland [California] convened on Saturday, Dec. 6 2014 to march in peaceful protest throughout the Rockridge neighborhood. Together they chant song and honor the names of Black lives lost to police violence.
-snip-
One person in the group calls out a name and the age of a person who was the victim of police violence. The group then responds, raising their right fist in the black power salute and in unison shouting the word “Ashe”. The recitation ends with one person saying “And so it is” and the group repeating “And so it is”.
The song begins around 2:07 in this video [Protesters sing while they walk in single file out of the restaurant. The singing is accompanied by drum [probably djembe drum] and individual hand claps.
Here's my transcription of this version of "Which Side Are You On?" [Additions and corrections are welcome.]
Chorus:
Which side are you on, friends? Which side are you on?
Which side are you on, friends? Which side are you on?
Justice for Mike Brown is
Justice for us all
I will fight for justice
Until justice is won.
Which side are you on, friends? Which side are you on?
[One person sings: We on the freedom side!]
Which side are you on, friends? Which side are you on?
[One person sings: We on the freedom side!]
[Repeat that entire song]
-snip-
As mentioned in Excerpt #3 above, participants in BlackBrunch Protests often sing "Which Side Are You On?"as an introduction to their recitation of names of victims of police brutality and as their "outro"- when they are leaving the protest. The video doesn't show the entire protest, but it's likely that ththe group may have sung "Which Side Are You On?" at the beginning of their protest. However, they are shown singing it at the end of their protest.
Here's information about Mike Brown:
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Michael_Brown for information about Mike Brown who was shot & killed by a policeman in Ferguson, Missouri on August 9, 2014. Here’s one excerpt from that page:
This event ignited unrest in Ferguson. Although a subsequent FBI investigation found that there was no evidence that Brown had his hands up in surrender or said "don't shoot" before he was shot, protesters believed that he had done so, and used the slogan "Hands up, don't shoot" in protest. Protests, both peaceful and violent, continued for more than a week in Ferguson; police established a nightly curfew. The response of area police agencies in dealing with the protests was strongly criticized by the media and politicians. There were concerns over insensitivity, tactics, and a militarized response."
-snip-
Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread, including a comment that I posted (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. robertk2007, 2015
"if they were so concerned with people rights, they wouldnt be trespassing on private property. go to the city square and scream your head off"
**
2. acquista mon, 2015
"The goal is good and I like the song... but dont confuse reaction to a brunch bust as evidence of change. Change from the police is necessary, but even more important is the condition of inner cities and education and freedom from drug abuse and early teen pregnancy. I 360 change vs. 60 degrees, that is the side I am on, the whole side."
**
3. Michael Attaya, 2015
"What are they shouting?? I shay? I said? I shed? I can't quite understand it. They got a little tune going on at the end though. I give them that. It's kind of catchy."
**
REPLY
4. Azizi Powell, 2019
"Michael Attaya
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%E1%B9%A3%E1%BA%B9
"ase or ashe (from Yoruba àṣẹ)[1] is a West African philosophical concept through which the Yoruba of Nigeria conceive the power to make things happen and produce change. It is given by Olodumare to everything — gods, ancestors, spirits, humans, animals, plants, rocks, rivers, and voiced words such as songs, prayers, praises, curses, or even everyday conversation. Existence, according to Yoruba thought, is dependent upon it.[2]
In addition to its sacred characteristics, ase also has important social ramifications, reflected in its translation as "power, authority, command."...
African Americans who have adopted the word "ashe" usually spell it "ashe" (pronounced "ah -shay" as an equivalent term to "so be it" / "Amen"."
****
TWEET THAT INCLUDES A BRIEF CLIP OF A MINNESOTA COMMUNITY ACTIVIST GROUP SINGING "WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?"
https://twitter.com/IlhanMN https://twitter.com/IlhanMN [official representative illhan omar twitter account]
Ilhan Omar Retweeted
TakeAction Minnesota
@TakeActionMN
July 18, 2019
📢 What side are you on, my people. We’re on the freedom side. #IStandWithIlhan #WelcomeHomeIlhan
-snip-
This tweet features a brief video clip of a multiracial group of young people singing a version of the song “What Side Are You On”? The singing occurred at the Minneapolis airport while the group waited to greet Representative Illhan Omar when she arrived home to Minneapolis. The group then chanted "Welcome home, Illhan!"
With regard to the "What Side Are You On?" song, it appeared that some people in the group-including the White woman with a bullhorn who seemed to be leading the group, didn't know the song, but were reading the words from yellow slips of paper that they held. Unfortunately, I can't find any video of TakeAction singing that song or any online references to the version of "What Side Are You On?" that is sung by that group.
Here's information about TakeActionMinnesota:
From https://www.takeactionminnesota.org/about-us/
"ABOUT TAKEACTION MINNESOTA
TakeAction Minnesota is a statewide network of people – people just like you — working to realize racial and economic equity across Minnesota. We do this by connecting people and organizations to each other, turning someone’s individual desire for change – to pass a more progressive policy or law, to improve an institution, to change a harmful idea or perception – into the broad public action that makes change happen where it wasn’t possible going it alone.
We know that Minnesotans around our state want to make a difference on the issues that affect their own lives. Having access to health care when you need it. To earn enough to support your family with dignity. Being given a second chance to build your future. But to be effective, we need to connect with other people, and other organizations, who have the same vision.
At TakeAction Minnesota, people come together to change Minnesota. We work together to win the changes that help shape our lives for the better, beating the odds again and again. We do it with great people, and organizations, from communities across our state. With people, by people, and for people just like you."...
-snip-
Although I consider myself relatively familiar with civil rights songs, reading that tweet and watching that brief video yesterday was my first introduction to the protest song "Which Side Are You On?"
Thanks TakeActionMinnesota, for introducing me to this song!
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
"Which Side Are You On?" Protest Song (Sung During The 1960s-1970s African American Civil Rights Movement)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a three part pancocojams series on the protest song "Which Side Are You On?".
"Which Side Are You On?" is a song written in 1931 by Florence Reece, the wife of Sam Reece, a union organizer for the United Mine Workers in Harlan County, Kentucky.
Part II of this series presents examples of 1960s and 1970s United States Civil Rights (African American protests) examples of "Which Side Are You On?".
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/07/origin-of-labor-protest-song-which-side.html for Part I of this series presents information about the origin of "Which Side Are You On?". The original lyrics for this song and a YouTube example of Natalie Merchant singing a cover of this song are included in this post.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/07/post-1970s-non-labor-movement-examples.html for Part III of this series. Part III presents information about and a few examples of "Which Side Are You On?" being sung during post 1970s non-Labor movement protests in the United States.
The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Florence Reece, the composer of this song, for her musical legacy. Thanks all those who sang and are still singing "Which Side Are You On" in their protests for labor rights and civil rights.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT AND EXAMPLES OF CIVIL RIGHTS VERSIONS OF THE PROTEST SONG "WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON"
Excerpt #1:
From https://longreads.com/2018/08/29/history-of-american-protest-music-which-side-are-you-on/ A History of American Protest Music: Which Side Are You On? By Tom Maxwell, 8/29/2018
"Just as we were in the 1930s and ’60s, America is suffering a moral crisis. We have to decide which side we are on: hate and exclusion, or justice, inclusion, and democracy?
...[Florence] Reece couldn’t have known that what she created would become the most durable anthem of the labor movement, and a template for protest songs for decades to come. “Which Side Are You On?,” written from acute personal trauma, has been universalized, both in lyric and musical modality. After making its way out of Harlan County and into a New York recording studio, it got modified to fit the message of countless underdog protagonists.
[...]
The Freedom Singers, a group formed by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in 1962, rewrote the lyric to reflect their Civil Rights struggle.
Come all you Negro people, lift up your voices and sing
Will you join the Ku Klux Klan or Martin Luther King?
They certainly employed, to great effect, the Almanac Singers’ call and response arrangement, bringing altogether more church into the proceedings.
Len Chandler, a topical singer from Greenwich Village who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King from Selma to Montgomery, wrote his own version:
Come all you Northern liberals, take a Klansman out to lunch
But when you dine, instead of wine, you should serve nonviolent punch"...
-snip-
Here's information about The Almanac Singers"
Fro,
"The Almanac Singers was an American New York City-based folk music group, active between 1940 and 1943, founded by Millard Lampell, Lee Hays, Pete Seeger, and Woody Guthrie. The group specialized in topical songs, mostly songs advocating an anti-war, anti-racism and pro-union philosophy."...
****
Excerpt #2
From https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=50836 https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=50836
[with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. Subject: Versions of 'Which Side Are You On?'
From: JohnnyBGoode
Date: 26 Aug 02 - 07:57 PM
"Wondering about versions of "Which Side are You On?" by Florence Reese, especially it being adapted to various circumstances..."
**
2. Subject: RE: Versions of 'Which Side Are You On?'
From: Janice in NJ
Date: 26 Aug 02 - 09:15 PM
"Way down in Hinds County,
No neutrals have I met,
You either are a freedom man,
Or a Tom for Ross Barnett.
--- Mississippi, early 1960s
Ross Barnett was the state governor who, among other things, tried to halt the desegregation of Ole Miss. That incident inspired Bob Dylan's Oxford Town. Today Ross Barnett has a reservoir named after him."
**
3. Subject: RE: Versions of 'Which Side Are You On?'
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 Aug 02 - 02:23 PM
"One of my verses, composed back in the 1970's, which unfortunately is not obsolete runs:
We've fought in many a battle,
We're not done fighting yet;
As long as injustice roams this land,
We never shall forget!
Cheerily,
Charley Noble"
**
4. Subject: Lyr Add: WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON? (James Farmer)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 12:24 AM
"As a Civil Rights movement song (a stanza being quoted by Janice in NJ above) from Guy & Candie Carawan, Sing for Freedom (Sing Out, 1990, p. 45). Recording is on Sing For Freedom: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement Through Its Songs (Smithsonian Folkways 40032).
WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON? (James Farmer)
Original verses by Florence Reese, new verses by James Farmer (CORE).
"I rewrote the old labor song by Florence Reece 'Which Side Are You On?' on the spur of the moment in the Hinds County Jail, after the Freedom Riders who were imprisoned there had been discussing and speculating about the attitude of local Negroes regarding the freedom Riders. We had learned through trustees in the jail that most local Negroes were with u, but afraid to do anything because of fear of reprisals. They told us that, of course, there were a lot of Uncle Toms around and it was hard to tell who was and who was not." -- James Farmer
Come all you freedom lovers, and listen while I tell
Of how the freedom riders came to Jackson to dwell.
CHORUS:
Oh, which side are you on, boys,
Which side are you on, (tell me)
Which side are you on, boys,
Which side are you on.
My daddy was a freedom fighter and I'm a freedom son
I'll stick right with this struggle until the battle's won.
Don't 'tom for Uncle Charlie', don't listen to his lies
'Cause black folks haven't got a chance until they organize.
They say in Hinds County, no neutrals have they met
You're either for the Freedom Ride or you 'tom' for Ross Barnett.
Oh people can you stand it, tell me how you can
Will you be an Uncle Tom or will you be a man?
Captain Ray will holler 'move on', but the Freedom Riders won't budge
They'll stand there in the ternimnals and even before the judge."
~Masato
-snip-
I added spacings in this comment to better reflect the different verses.
"CORE" = "Congress Of Racial Equality", a leading Civil Rights organization. Click https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/congress-of-racial-equality for information about CORE.
****
SHOWCASE YOUTUBE SOUND FILE- Which Side Are You On? (Civil Rights Version)
Various Artists – Topic, Published on May 30, 2015
Provided to YouTube by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
Which Side Are You On? (Civil Rights Version) · The Freedom Voices with Len Chandler
WNEW's Story of Selma
℗ 2004 Smithsonian Folkways Recordings / 1965 Folkways Records
Released on: 1965-01-01
-snip-hThis sound file should more accurately be titled "One Civil Rights version, as multiple versions of "Which Side Are You On?" were sung during Civil Rights protests in the 1960s and 1870s (United States).
****
PANCOCOJAMS NOTES ABOUT MY TRANSCRIPTION OF THIS RECORDING
This sound file appears to be an interview with Lee Chandler and Cordell ? which was conducted for this recording by a man.
Here's my transcript of this sound file. Italics means I'm not sure about my transcription and "?" means that I couldn't understand which words are spoken or sung. Other possible words for one line of this song are given in brackets.
Notice that the lead singer sings one of these (probably improvised) interjections before the beginning of lines in the chorus:
“Won’t you tell me now"
"I wanna hear you now
"Everybody now”
“You betta tell me now”
“I wanna know now”
“You really got to tell me”
One person (the lead singer?) also sings the phrase "Well, well, well" at the end of one of the lines of this song.
Information about some of the references in this song are given below the transcription. Addition and corrections to this transcription and/or these explanations are welcome.
****
[UNOFFICIAL] TRANSCRIPTION
-Man speaking (interviewer?) -"In the march, this could go on for 20-25 minutes. I remember hearing a verse:
Come on all you good people
worried about being fat
A day on Route 80
Would take care of that
Lee Chandler - That’s a modification of some verses that I wrote.
Man speaking (interviewer?) -Would you start that verse off?
Chandler - Yeah, um some verses that I wrote for “Which Side Are You On” and Cordell and I sing that song all over Mississippi. And I asked a kid that I heard do that -um um one of the kids on the march, where did he get that verse. And he said “I don’t know. I heard it somewhere. I don’t know where it came from.”
Come all you bougeosie Black men
With all your excess fat
A few days in the county jail
Will sure get rid of that
(Chorus)
Won't you tell me, now
Which side are you on, boys
Which side are you on
I wanna know now, which side are you on, boys
Which side are you on.
Come all you freedom fighters
A story I will tell
‘Cause I’m down in prison [right down in prison?; I’m down in prison?]
In a lonesome jail cell
(Chorus)
Come all you Uncle Toms
Take that hankie from your head
Forget your fears and shed a tear
For the life of shame you’ve led
Don’t talk ‘bout Mr. Charlie
Don’t listen to his lies
'Cause we vote Cause we have a chance
Whenever we organize
You need not join the picket line
If you can’t stand the blows
But join your dimes with dollars
Or be counted on with our foes
Come all you high tone college grads
Announce your final G
But don’t forget your old grandma
She’s still scrubbin on her knees
Have you heard about the paddywagon
????
If you stand up for your rights
It’ll take you for a ride.
I heard that the Klu Klux Klan
They stop dyin their sheets
And now they sing about freedom
Every time they meet
****
EXPLANATIONS FOR SOME OF THE WORDS IN THIS VERSION OF THIS SONG
(given in alphabetical order)
blows - violence (including hitting with fists)
bourgeoisie- (standard definition) "the middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes." https://www.google.com/search?q=bourgeoisie&oq=bourgeorise&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l5.1550j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
African American definition; people who act stuck up (siddity); middle class people who think they are better than working class people. Note that a common African American pronunciation for "bourgeoisie" is something like "boog-zhwah".
G - [test; class] grades
high tone- a rarely used descriptor that is the same as the African American definition for "bourgeoisie"
freedom fighters - 1960s and 1970s referent for Civil Rights activists [people who are "fighting for Black people's civil rights by marching ("demonstrating") and other non-violent strategies)
Klu Klux Klan - A White supremist hate group in the USA that was formed in the late 19th century and still exist today (in 2019). Klu Klux Klan members are known for wearing white sheets and pointed hats that cover their face.
Mr. Charlie - a 1970s' informal referent for the White man
paddy wagon- police wagon
Uncle Tom
From https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Uncle%20Tom
"Definition of Uncle Tom (Entry 1 of 2)
1 disparaging : a black person who is overeager to win the approval of whites (as by obsequious behavior or uncritical acceptance of white values and goals)
2 disparaging : a person who is overly subservient to or cooperative with authority
the worst floor managers and supervisors by far are women … Some of them are regular Uncle Toms
— Jane Fonda"
-snip-
The referent "Uncle Tom" came from the name of a character in Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin>".
In the 1960 and 1970s, the female referent "Aunt Jemima" had the same meaning as "Uncle Tom". The character "Aunt Jemima" was created by a White business man to sell his packaged pancakes. The use of "Aunt Jemima" as an insulting referent eventually died out and "Uncle Tom" began to be used for females and males. One remnant of the "Aunt Jemima" referent was the custom of portraying "Uncle Tom" wearing a scarf (handkerchief) tied in the front of his head similar to the one that the Aunt Jemima character wore. Indeed, another disparaging name for "Uncle Tom" was "handkerchief head".
Later depictions and real life portrayals of "Aunt Jemima" had her wearing her head scarf (bandana) tied in the back. Even later depictions of Aunt Jemima (on pancake packages) showed her without any head scarf because that had become too stereotypical. I believe that the "handkerchief head" referent was retired because some Black gang members and some rappers (such as Tupac) routinely wore head scarfs, and these men were decidedly not Uncle Toms. Also, a lot of African Americans wear head scarfs at night to protect our hair and/or our hair styles which is another reason why the term "handkerchief head" was retired.
Click http://utc.iath.virginia.edu/onstage/performin/tomjemimahp.html for a brief article about the characters Aunt Jemima and Uncle Tom.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This is Part II of a three part pancocojams series on the protest song "Which Side Are You On?".
"Which Side Are You On?" is a song written in 1931 by Florence Reece, the wife of Sam Reece, a union organizer for the United Mine Workers in Harlan County, Kentucky.
Part II of this series presents examples of 1960s and 1970s United States Civil Rights (African American protests) examples of "Which Side Are You On?".
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/07/origin-of-labor-protest-song-which-side.html for Part I of this series presents information about the origin of "Which Side Are You On?". The original lyrics for this song and a YouTube example of Natalie Merchant singing a cover of this song are included in this post.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/07/post-1970s-non-labor-movement-examples.html for Part III of this series. Part III presents information about and a few examples of "Which Side Are You On?" being sung during post 1970s non-Labor movement protests in the United States.
The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Florence Reece, the composer of this song, for her musical legacy. Thanks all those who sang and are still singing "Which Side Are You On" in their protests for labor rights and civil rights.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT AND EXAMPLES OF CIVIL RIGHTS VERSIONS OF THE PROTEST SONG "WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON"
Excerpt #1:
From https://longreads.com/2018/08/29/history-of-american-protest-music-which-side-are-you-on/ A History of American Protest Music: Which Side Are You On? By Tom Maxwell, 8/29/2018
"Just as we were in the 1930s and ’60s, America is suffering a moral crisis. We have to decide which side we are on: hate and exclusion, or justice, inclusion, and democracy?
...[Florence] Reece couldn’t have known that what she created would become the most durable anthem of the labor movement, and a template for protest songs for decades to come. “Which Side Are You On?,” written from acute personal trauma, has been universalized, both in lyric and musical modality. After making its way out of Harlan County and into a New York recording studio, it got modified to fit the message of countless underdog protagonists.
[...]
The Freedom Singers, a group formed by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in 1962, rewrote the lyric to reflect their Civil Rights struggle.
Come all you Negro people, lift up your voices and sing
Will you join the Ku Klux Klan or Martin Luther King?
They certainly employed, to great effect, the Almanac Singers’ call and response arrangement, bringing altogether more church into the proceedings.
Len Chandler, a topical singer from Greenwich Village who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King from Selma to Montgomery, wrote his own version:
Come all you Northern liberals, take a Klansman out to lunch
But when you dine, instead of wine, you should serve nonviolent punch"...
-snip-
Here's information about The Almanac Singers"
Fro,
"The Almanac Singers was an American New York City-based folk music group, active between 1940 and 1943, founded by Millard Lampell, Lee Hays, Pete Seeger, and Woody Guthrie. The group specialized in topical songs, mostly songs advocating an anti-war, anti-racism and pro-union philosophy."...
****
Excerpt #2
From https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=50836 https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=50836
[with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. Subject: Versions of 'Which Side Are You On?'
From: JohnnyBGoode
Date: 26 Aug 02 - 07:57 PM
"Wondering about versions of "Which Side are You On?" by Florence Reese, especially it being adapted to various circumstances..."
**
2. Subject: RE: Versions of 'Which Side Are You On?'
From: Janice in NJ
Date: 26 Aug 02 - 09:15 PM
"Way down in Hinds County,
No neutrals have I met,
You either are a freedom man,
Or a Tom for Ross Barnett.
--- Mississippi, early 1960s
Ross Barnett was the state governor who, among other things, tried to halt the desegregation of Ole Miss. That incident inspired Bob Dylan's Oxford Town. Today Ross Barnett has a reservoir named after him."
**
3. Subject: RE: Versions of 'Which Side Are You On?'
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 Aug 02 - 02:23 PM
"One of my verses, composed back in the 1970's, which unfortunately is not obsolete runs:
We've fought in many a battle,
We're not done fighting yet;
As long as injustice roams this land,
We never shall forget!
Cheerily,
Charley Noble"
**
4. Subject: Lyr Add: WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON? (James Farmer)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 27 Aug 02 - 12:24 AM
"As a Civil Rights movement song (a stanza being quoted by Janice in NJ above) from Guy & Candie Carawan, Sing for Freedom (Sing Out, 1990, p. 45). Recording is on Sing For Freedom: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement Through Its Songs (Smithsonian Folkways 40032).
WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON? (James Farmer)
Original verses by Florence Reese, new verses by James Farmer (CORE).
"I rewrote the old labor song by Florence Reece 'Which Side Are You On?' on the spur of the moment in the Hinds County Jail, after the Freedom Riders who were imprisoned there had been discussing and speculating about the attitude of local Negroes regarding the freedom Riders. We had learned through trustees in the jail that most local Negroes were with u, but afraid to do anything because of fear of reprisals. They told us that, of course, there were a lot of Uncle Toms around and it was hard to tell who was and who was not." -- James Farmer
Come all you freedom lovers, and listen while I tell
Of how the freedom riders came to Jackson to dwell.
CHORUS:
Oh, which side are you on, boys,
Which side are you on, (tell me)
Which side are you on, boys,
Which side are you on.
My daddy was a freedom fighter and I'm a freedom son
I'll stick right with this struggle until the battle's won.
Don't 'tom for Uncle Charlie', don't listen to his lies
'Cause black folks haven't got a chance until they organize.
They say in Hinds County, no neutrals have they met
You're either for the Freedom Ride or you 'tom' for Ross Barnett.
Oh people can you stand it, tell me how you can
Will you be an Uncle Tom or will you be a man?
Captain Ray will holler 'move on', but the Freedom Riders won't budge
They'll stand there in the ternimnals and even before the judge."
~Masato
-snip-
I added spacings in this comment to better reflect the different verses.
"CORE" = "Congress Of Racial Equality", a leading Civil Rights organization. Click https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/congress-of-racial-equality for information about CORE.
****
SHOWCASE YOUTUBE SOUND FILE- Which Side Are You On? (Civil Rights Version)
Various Artists – Topic, Published on May 30, 2015
Provided to YouTube by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
Which Side Are You On? (Civil Rights Version) · The Freedom Voices with Len Chandler
WNEW's Story of Selma
℗ 2004 Smithsonian Folkways Recordings / 1965 Folkways Records
Released on: 1965-01-01
-snip-hThis sound file should more accurately be titled "One Civil Rights version, as multiple versions of "Which Side Are You On?" were sung during Civil Rights protests in the 1960s and 1870s (United States).
****
PANCOCOJAMS NOTES ABOUT MY TRANSCRIPTION OF THIS RECORDING
This sound file appears to be an interview with Lee Chandler and Cordell ? which was conducted for this recording by a man.
Here's my transcript of this sound file. Italics means I'm not sure about my transcription and "?" means that I couldn't understand which words are spoken or sung. Other possible words for one line of this song are given in brackets.
Notice that the lead singer sings one of these (probably improvised) interjections before the beginning of lines in the chorus:
“Won’t you tell me now"
"I wanna hear you now
"Everybody now”
“You betta tell me now”
“I wanna know now”
“You really got to tell me”
One person (the lead singer?) also sings the phrase "Well, well, well" at the end of one of the lines of this song.
Information about some of the references in this song are given below the transcription. Addition and corrections to this transcription and/or these explanations are welcome.
****
[UNOFFICIAL] TRANSCRIPTION
-Man speaking (interviewer?) -"In the march, this could go on for 20-25 minutes. I remember hearing a verse:
Come on all you good people
worried about being fat
A day on Route 80
Would take care of that
Lee Chandler - That’s a modification of some verses that I wrote.
Man speaking (interviewer?) -Would you start that verse off?
Chandler - Yeah, um some verses that I wrote for “Which Side Are You On” and Cordell and I sing that song all over Mississippi. And I asked a kid that I heard do that -um um one of the kids on the march, where did he get that verse. And he said “I don’t know. I heard it somewhere. I don’t know where it came from.”
Come all you bougeosie Black men
With all your excess fat
A few days in the county jail
Will sure get rid of that
(Chorus)
Won't you tell me, now
Which side are you on, boys
Which side are you on
I wanna know now, which side are you on, boys
Which side are you on.
Come all you freedom fighters
A story I will tell
‘Cause I’m down in prison [right down in prison?; I’m down in prison?]
In a lonesome jail cell
(Chorus)
Come all you Uncle Toms
Take that hankie from your head
Forget your fears and shed a tear
For the life of shame you’ve led
Don’t talk ‘bout Mr. Charlie
Don’t listen to his lies
'Cause we vote Cause we have a chance
Whenever we organize
You need not join the picket line
If you can’t stand the blows
But join your dimes with dollars
Or be counted on with our foes
Come all you high tone college grads
Announce your final G
But don’t forget your old grandma
She’s still scrubbin on her knees
Have you heard about the paddywagon
????
If you stand up for your rights
It’ll take you for a ride.
I heard that the Klu Klux Klan
They stop dyin their sheets
And now they sing about freedom
Every time they meet
****
EXPLANATIONS FOR SOME OF THE WORDS IN THIS VERSION OF THIS SONG
(given in alphabetical order)
blows - violence (including hitting with fists)
bourgeoisie- (standard definition) "the middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes." https://www.google.com/search?q=bourgeoisie&oq=bourgeorise&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l5.1550j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
African American definition; people who act stuck up (siddity); middle class people who think they are better than working class people. Note that a common African American pronunciation for "bourgeoisie" is something like "boog-zhwah".
G - [test; class] grades
high tone- a rarely used descriptor that is the same as the African American definition for "bourgeoisie"
freedom fighters - 1960s and 1970s referent for Civil Rights activists [people who are "fighting for Black people's civil rights by marching ("demonstrating") and other non-violent strategies)
Klu Klux Klan - A White supremist hate group in the USA that was formed in the late 19th century and still exist today (in 2019). Klu Klux Klan members are known for wearing white sheets and pointed hats that cover their face.
Mr. Charlie - a 1970s' informal referent for the White man
paddy wagon- police wagon
Uncle Tom
From https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Uncle%20Tom
"Definition of Uncle Tom (Entry 1 of 2)
1 disparaging : a black person who is overeager to win the approval of whites (as by obsequious behavior or uncritical acceptance of white values and goals)
2 disparaging : a person who is overly subservient to or cooperative with authority
the worst floor managers and supervisors by far are women … Some of them are regular Uncle Toms
— Jane Fonda"
-snip-
The referent "Uncle Tom" came from the name of a character in Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin>".
In the 1960 and 1970s, the female referent "Aunt Jemima" had the same meaning as "Uncle Tom". The character "Aunt Jemima" was created by a White business man to sell his packaged pancakes. The use of "Aunt Jemima" as an insulting referent eventually died out and "Uncle Tom" began to be used for females and males. One remnant of the "Aunt Jemima" referent was the custom of portraying "Uncle Tom" wearing a scarf (handkerchief) tied in the front of his head similar to the one that the Aunt Jemima character wore. Indeed, another disparaging name for "Uncle Tom" was "handkerchief head".
Later depictions and real life portrayals of "Aunt Jemima" had her wearing her head scarf (bandana) tied in the back. Even later depictions of Aunt Jemima (on pancake packages) showed her without any head scarf because that had become too stereotypical. I believe that the "handkerchief head" referent was retired because some Black gang members and some rappers (such as Tupac) routinely wore head scarfs, and these men were decidedly not Uncle Toms. Also, a lot of African Americans wear head scarfs at night to protect our hair and/or our hair styles which is another reason why the term "handkerchief head" was retired.
Click http://utc.iath.virginia.edu/onstage/performin/tomjemimahp.html for a brief article about the characters Aunt Jemima and Uncle Tom.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Tweets, Videos, & Comments About The "Send Her Back" Chant (Trump Rally July 17, 2019)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents several article excerpts, various tweets, and two YouTube videos about the "Send her back" chant that occurred at Trump's July 17, 2019 rally.
Selected comments from those YouTube videos and article excerpts are also included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
Special thanks to Illhan Omar, and the other members of "the Squad" for who they are for what they represent, for what they have accomplished, and for what they have the ability, the will, and the capability to accomplish to make the United States & the world a better place for everyone.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/07/article-excerpts-comments-videos-tweets.html for a companion pancocojams post about this subject that is entitled "Article Excerpts About The "Send Her Back" Chant (Trump Rally July 17, 2019)". That post includes a July 20, 2019 article excerpt about Trump's reversal of his "criticisms" about this "Send her back" chant.
I divided these posts up because I think that together they were too long to read on mobile phones.
****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
This blog post departs from my decision not to focus on politics in this cultural blog. I have published other posts on this blog on African American protest chants (click the African American protest chant tag for those posts). However, I've mostly stayed away from focusing current American politics (or even mentioning) Trump's name. But reading articles, tweets, and comments about the "Send her home" chant, and afterwards, watching videos of that rally, I feel compelled to document this historical, political, and cultural point.
To be very clear, I'm not being neutral in this post. Instead, the article excerpts, tweets, and the majority of the selected comments were selected which reflect my position as a person who considers the "Send her back" chant to be abhorrent for a number of reasons, and not just I believe that the chant is racist.
Click for an article about Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY); Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA); and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), all Representatives to the United States Congress (House) who are informally known as "the Squad" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/who-is-the-squad-what-you-need-to-know-about-aoc-ocasio-cortez-omar-tlaib-pressley/ Who is "the Squad"? What you need to know about Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pressley and Tlaib by Jason Silverstein, July 16, 2019 / 7:40 PM / CBS NEWS
****
SELECTED TWEETS
Twitter Excerpt #1:
From https://twitter.com/IlhanMN Rep. Illhan Omar
"Pinned Tweet
Ilhan Omar
Verified account
@IlhanMN
Jul 17 [2019]
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.
-Maya Angelou
Ilhan Omar Retweeted Jon Favreau
Jon Favreau
Verified account
@jonfavs
The crowd at Trump’s rally chanting “send her back” after the President viciously and dishonestly attacked Ilhan Omar is one of the most chilling and horrifying things I’ve ever seen in politics."
4:46 PM - 17 Jul 2019
-snip-
The italics represent the minor change that I made in the way these tweets are presented on this blogfor the purposes of clarification.
****
Twitter Excerpt #2
From https://forums.talkingpointsmemo.com/t/omar-flays-trump-i-believe-he-is-fascist/104238/107 Omar Flays Trump: ‘I Believe He Is Fascist’
-snip-
These selected comments are from that article's discussion thread. All of these comments are from July 18, 2019 (Numbers are added for referencing purposes only).
1. irasdad
“Though Trump claimed on Thursday that he ‘was not happy’ with the chants and that he tried to stop the chants by ‘speaking very quickly,’ in reality the President stood silently and let the chants continue…”
**
2. rucleare
"Preach, young lady. Preach! This year is the 150th anniversary of Gandhi’s birth. It’s about time speaking truth unabashedly to power came back into vogue."
**
3. missliberties
"Trump is a fascist.
True.
Definition of fascist: a person who is extremely right-wing or authoritarian: fascists made death threats against immigrants and asylum seekers.
Definition of fascism: an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization.
• (in general use) extreme right-wing, authoritarian, or intolerant views or practice.
Racist is just such a loaded word with a long history of being distorted etc.
But fascist is really what Trump is.
They call democrats socialists and communist for having the audacity to stand up to fascism."
**
4. rucleare
[quoting hornblower]
Trump has actually said he tried to stop the chant. Even he is embarrassed. That itself is pretty amazing.
"Uh, no. He said he sped up talking while it was going on, not that he tried to stop it. That would have required something along the lines of raising one arms to quell the crowd and saying “There’s no room for that kind of talk here. Let’s not have that, okay?” Which. He. Did. Not. Do."
**
5. xpurg8d
[quoting hornblower]
Trump has actually said he tried to stop the chant. Even he is embarrassed. That itself is pretty amazing.
“He says a lot of things, and most of them aren’t true. Standing back and basking in the glow of his adorers chanting isn’t “trying to stop” anything. He truly thinks that if he didn’t chant along with them, he can claim he’s completely blameless, even though the world at large can see his orchestration.”
**
6. iceape
"Follow the link to her twitter and read the replies to her tweets. It is sickening."
-snip-
“Sickening” here almost certainly has the standard negative definition of disgusting (something that makes you sick) and not the positive meaning from African American Vernacular English (something that is or someone who does something very well).
Here's the address for Rep. Omar's twitter account: https://twitter.com/IlhanMN
**
7. slbinva
"And he let them continue for 13 seconds, according to the New York Times, not 10 seconds, as the article here says. And he when he resumed speaking, he said nothing to indicate that he did not agree with what the crowd was chanting.
One of his toadies said something about it being “just a normal rally chant.” But I guess Goebbels said the same thing about “Sieg Heil!”
****
Twitter Excerpt #3
From https://twitter.com/search?q=istandwithilhan&ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Esearch
[Both of these tweets are from July 18, 2019].
1. Mona Eltahawy, July 18, 2019
Verified account
@monaeltahawy
8h8 hours ago
“Was it a racist chant?”
“The fact that you’re still asking that question is really what’s wrong ... we have said this president is racist ... we have said he is fascist,” @IlhanMN video h/t @rerutled #IStandWithIlhan
**
2. Aliya Khan
@aliyajkhan
5h5 hours ago
“And we are going to continue to be a nightmare to this president because his policies are a nightmare to us.” @IlhanMN #IStandWithIlhan #WelcomeHomeIlhan"
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1:Trump Says He Wasn't Happy About 'Send Her Back' Chants. Is That What the Video Shows?
The Daily Beast,Published on Jul 18, 2019
President Trump waited 13 seconds for the "Send her back!" chants to die down at his North Carolina rally.
#TheDailyBeast #IlhanOmar #PresidentTrump
-snip-
This video includes captions in English.
Here are selected comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only. All of these comments are from July 18, 2019).
1. jmack619
"He didn't say send her back. He SAID "They can leave" "
**
REPLY
2. ExPFC Wintergreen v2.0
"jmack619 he can incite a mob he can’t control a mob?"
**
REPLY
3. tre artis
"Remember Lock her Up? Trump can easily incite rally chants. “Go back to your country” is an OLD racist trope. It isn’t an offer, it’s a demand."
**
REPLY
4. Seabass Cribel
"jmack619 And then he basked in it as they chanted send her back...."
**
5. SirWins2Much
"Not a fan of trump, still, I gotta side with him. He didn’t oppose or entice, he just waited it out.."
**
REPLY
6. Steven C Highley
"Bullsh&t*.
He holds rallies to attract his stupid hateful base and then he baits them.
He is evil."
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
**
REPLY
7. Seabass Cribel
"SirWins2Much He tweeted it and I bet he knew they would Chant it. And he obviously basked in it when it happened. A little different than waiting it out".
****
Example #2:Donald Trump supporters chant 'send her back' at rally - BBC News
BBC News, Published on Jul 18, 2019
US Democratic congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, has responded via Twitter after crowds at a presidential rally chanted "send her back."
Donald Trump was cheered at the rally in North Carolina after continuing his attacks on the four non-white Democrat congresswomen, known as "the squad". The chanting resembled those Mr Trump's supporters had chanted against Hillary Clinton during his presidential campaign in 2016.
-snip-
Here are selected comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only. All of these comments are from July 18, 2019).
1. Marin Angelov
"KKK meetings are now being televised."
**
2. Peter
"When I started watching, I thought for a second they colorized old footage from a Nuremberg Rally"
**
3. robert m.
"Why do I get a sinking feeling that this would be the same type of crowd that would've attended the lynching of a black man in the early 20th century. America has sunk to an all time low politically."
**
4. Wolfie Smith
"OMG. Am a student of History. This just reminds me of the Nuremberg Rallies of Nazi Germany from 1923 to 1938."
**
5. ElfHighMage
"Gives one a fright that so many "American Patriotic Citizens" actually support this level of hate. That's what it is: racism = hate. I can only hope the world watches this and learns from their own hate that America is presenting like a poster child."
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post presents several article excerpts, various tweets, and two YouTube videos about the "Send her back" chant that occurred at Trump's July 17, 2019 rally.
Selected comments from those YouTube videos and article excerpts are also included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
Special thanks to Illhan Omar, and the other members of "the Squad" for who they are for what they represent, for what they have accomplished, and for what they have the ability, the will, and the capability to accomplish to make the United States & the world a better place for everyone.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/07/article-excerpts-comments-videos-tweets.html for a companion pancocojams post about this subject that is entitled "Article Excerpts About The "Send Her Back" Chant (Trump Rally July 17, 2019)". That post includes a July 20, 2019 article excerpt about Trump's reversal of his "criticisms" about this "Send her back" chant.
I divided these posts up because I think that together they were too long to read on mobile phones.
****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
This blog post departs from my decision not to focus on politics in this cultural blog. I have published other posts on this blog on African American protest chants (click the African American protest chant tag for those posts). However, I've mostly stayed away from focusing current American politics (or even mentioning) Trump's name. But reading articles, tweets, and comments about the "Send her home" chant, and afterwards, watching videos of that rally, I feel compelled to document this historical, political, and cultural point.
To be very clear, I'm not being neutral in this post. Instead, the article excerpts, tweets, and the majority of the selected comments were selected which reflect my position as a person who considers the "Send her back" chant to be abhorrent for a number of reasons, and not just I believe that the chant is racist.
Click for an article about Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY); Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA); and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), all Representatives to the United States Congress (House) who are informally known as "the Squad" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/who-is-the-squad-what-you-need-to-know-about-aoc-ocasio-cortez-omar-tlaib-pressley/ Who is "the Squad"? What you need to know about Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pressley and Tlaib by Jason Silverstein, July 16, 2019 / 7:40 PM / CBS NEWS
****
SELECTED TWEETS
Twitter Excerpt #1:
From https://twitter.com/IlhanMN Rep. Illhan Omar
"Pinned Tweet
Ilhan Omar
Verified account
@IlhanMN
Jul 17 [2019]
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.
-Maya Angelou
Ilhan Omar Retweeted Jon Favreau
Jon Favreau
Verified account
@jonfavs
The crowd at Trump’s rally chanting “send her back” after the President viciously and dishonestly attacked Ilhan Omar is one of the most chilling and horrifying things I’ve ever seen in politics."
4:46 PM - 17 Jul 2019
-snip-
The italics represent the minor change that I made in the way these tweets are presented on this blogfor the purposes of clarification.
****
Twitter Excerpt #2
From https://forums.talkingpointsmemo.com/t/omar-flays-trump-i-believe-he-is-fascist/104238/107 Omar Flays Trump: ‘I Believe He Is Fascist’
-snip-
These selected comments are from that article's discussion thread. All of these comments are from July 18, 2019 (Numbers are added for referencing purposes only).
1. irasdad
“Though Trump claimed on Thursday that he ‘was not happy’ with the chants and that he tried to stop the chants by ‘speaking very quickly,’ in reality the President stood silently and let the chants continue…”
**
2. rucleare
"Preach, young lady. Preach! This year is the 150th anniversary of Gandhi’s birth. It’s about time speaking truth unabashedly to power came back into vogue."
**
3. missliberties
"Trump is a fascist.
True.
Definition of fascist: a person who is extremely right-wing or authoritarian: fascists made death threats against immigrants and asylum seekers.
Definition of fascism: an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization.
• (in general use) extreme right-wing, authoritarian, or intolerant views or practice.
Racist is just such a loaded word with a long history of being distorted etc.
But fascist is really what Trump is.
They call democrats socialists and communist for having the audacity to stand up to fascism."
**
4. rucleare
[quoting hornblower]
Trump has actually said he tried to stop the chant. Even he is embarrassed. That itself is pretty amazing.
"Uh, no. He said he sped up talking while it was going on, not that he tried to stop it. That would have required something along the lines of raising one arms to quell the crowd and saying “There’s no room for that kind of talk here. Let’s not have that, okay?” Which. He. Did. Not. Do."
**
5. xpurg8d
[quoting hornblower]
Trump has actually said he tried to stop the chant. Even he is embarrassed. That itself is pretty amazing.
“He says a lot of things, and most of them aren’t true. Standing back and basking in the glow of his adorers chanting isn’t “trying to stop” anything. He truly thinks that if he didn’t chant along with them, he can claim he’s completely blameless, even though the world at large can see his orchestration.”
**
6. iceape
"Follow the link to her twitter and read the replies to her tweets. It is sickening."
-snip-
“Sickening” here almost certainly has the standard negative definition of disgusting (something that makes you sick) and not the positive meaning from African American Vernacular English (something that is or someone who does something very well).
Here's the address for Rep. Omar's twitter account: https://twitter.com/IlhanMN
**
7. slbinva
"And he let them continue for 13 seconds, according to the New York Times, not 10 seconds, as the article here says. And he when he resumed speaking, he said nothing to indicate that he did not agree with what the crowd was chanting.
One of his toadies said something about it being “just a normal rally chant.” But I guess Goebbels said the same thing about “Sieg Heil!”
****
Twitter Excerpt #3
From https://twitter.com/search?q=istandwithilhan&ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Esearch
[Both of these tweets are from July 18, 2019].
1. Mona Eltahawy, July 18, 2019
Verified account
@monaeltahawy
8h8 hours ago
“Was it a racist chant?”
“The fact that you’re still asking that question is really what’s wrong ... we have said this president is racist ... we have said he is fascist,” @IlhanMN video h/t @rerutled #IStandWithIlhan
**
2. Aliya Khan
@aliyajkhan
5h5 hours ago
“And we are going to continue to be a nightmare to this president because his policies are a nightmare to us.” @IlhanMN #IStandWithIlhan #WelcomeHomeIlhan"
****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1:Trump Says He Wasn't Happy About 'Send Her Back' Chants. Is That What the Video Shows?
The Daily Beast,Published on Jul 18, 2019
President Trump waited 13 seconds for the "Send her back!" chants to die down at his North Carolina rally.
#TheDailyBeast #IlhanOmar #PresidentTrump
-snip-
This video includes captions in English.
Here are selected comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only. All of these comments are from July 18, 2019).
1. jmack619
"He didn't say send her back. He SAID "They can leave" "
**
REPLY
2. ExPFC Wintergreen v2.0
"jmack619 he can incite a mob he can’t control a mob?"
**
REPLY
3. tre artis
"Remember Lock her Up? Trump can easily incite rally chants. “Go back to your country” is an OLD racist trope. It isn’t an offer, it’s a demand."
**
REPLY
4. Seabass Cribel
"jmack619 And then he basked in it as they chanted send her back...."
**
5. SirWins2Much
"Not a fan of trump, still, I gotta side with him. He didn’t oppose or entice, he just waited it out.."
**
REPLY
6. Steven C Highley
"Bullsh&t*.
He holds rallies to attract his stupid hateful base and then he baits them.
He is evil."
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
**
REPLY
7. Seabass Cribel
"SirWins2Much He tweeted it and I bet he knew they would Chant it. And he obviously basked in it when it happened. A little different than waiting it out".
****
Example #2:Donald Trump supporters chant 'send her back' at rally - BBC News
BBC News, Published on Jul 18, 2019
US Democratic congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, has responded via Twitter after crowds at a presidential rally chanted "send her back."
Donald Trump was cheered at the rally in North Carolina after continuing his attacks on the four non-white Democrat congresswomen, known as "the squad". The chanting resembled those Mr Trump's supporters had chanted against Hillary Clinton during his presidential campaign in 2016.
-snip-
Here are selected comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only. All of these comments are from July 18, 2019).
1. Marin Angelov
"KKK meetings are now being televised."
**
2. Peter
"When I started watching, I thought for a second they colorized old footage from a Nuremberg Rally"
**
3. robert m.
"Why do I get a sinking feeling that this would be the same type of crowd that would've attended the lynching of a black man in the early 20th century. America has sunk to an all time low politically."
**
4. Wolfie Smith
"OMG. Am a student of History. This just reminds me of the Nuremberg Rallies of Nazi Germany from 1923 to 1938."
**
5. ElfHighMage
"Gives one a fright that so many "American Patriotic Citizens" actually support this level of hate. That's what it is: racism = hate. I can only hope the world watches this and learns from their own hate that America is presenting like a poster child."
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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