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Don​’​t Despair about the Supreme Court

from Cradle Songs, Grave Songs by Brivele

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lyrics

On this day, we the people
In order to form a more perfect union
On this day, we the people

We shall not be governed by tyrants
In order to uphold justice
We will engage in civil disobedience

It would be naive to depend on the courts
Or to depend on the Constitution
Workers, queers, women, people of color:
Our rights come only when we organize

No Supreme Court will stop the wars
Or establish free health care for all
Or redistribute the wealth
of this country
Or end mass incarceration

The law is not the same as justice
"Equal Justice Before the Law"
Has always been a sham

Don’t despair about the Supreme Court
Don’t despair about the President
These are not our only choices
Political leadership, be damned

We the people have the power
To bring democracy by organizing
We all have to shake the system up

In order to uphold justice
We the people will protest
demonstrate, strike, boycott
Rebel, violate the law,
and cause such a commotion
In order to uphold justice
On this day, we the people
In order to uphold justice
On this day, we the people

credits

from Cradle Songs, Grave Songs, released May 1, 2021
Attributions:
The ideas and many actual lyrics in this song were lifted from the text of an essay by Howard Zinn, z”l, titled “Don’t Despair about the Supreme Court,” published on October 21, 2005 by The Progressive Magazine.

The melody is from the Yiddish zingeray “Oyf di Veygalakh,” which was taught to us by singer/folklorist Ethel Raim at KlezKanada in 2018. Raim presented the song in a recording as sung by Mariam Nirenberg (recorded 1969 in Toronto by Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett); selections from the Max and Frieda Weinstein Archive at YIVO Sound Recordings, prepared by BKG with Mark Slobin and Eleanor Gordon Mlotek (Global Village Music GVM 117).

Lyrics written by Stefanie Brendler.

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Brivele Seattle, Washington

A discontented punky-klezy trio of Yiddishists.

Brivele is:

Stefanie Brendler (accordion, vox, glockenspiel, slide whistle)
Maia Brown (banjo, vox)
Hannah Hamavid (violin, ukulele, vox)
... more

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