This Week with David Rovics

"Poor People's March on Washington" REMIX

There is a widespread belief that the FBI was not just running a character assassination campaign on Martin Luther King, Jr., but that they were also directly culpable for his murder. There is also a widespread belief that the reason why they escalated their campaign to the point of killing him was that the establishment was deeply worried about the unifying impact of MLK's active plans to lead a huge occupation of Washington, DC of a broad cross-section of poor Americans who were to stay until victory. A symbolic version of his vision was enacted, a month after his death, as it happened, but it was nothing like the campaign he had planned to lead.

This rendition of the song I wrote earlier this month was enhanced by Chet Gardiner's banjo, bass and other instruments from his studio in Hawai'i.

"Hani Mahmoud and Tareq Abu Azzoum" REMIX

As I sit here, most of the journalists still reporting from Gaza seem to be somewhere in a hospital complex in Rafah that is currently under siege by the Israeli military. This song is not a prediction of their deaths, but rather a plea for their lives.

"My Techno-Fascist God" REMIX

Out of the ashes of the free internet, our techno-fascist future has arrived, with billionaires and their algorithms in control of our means of communication and our very minds. Here's Chet Gardiner's remixed rendition of the song.

New song: "Since Long Before October"

And now watch them justify the missiles that they sent
To bomb the starving children dying in their tents

Fear and Suspicion in the Northwest

Amidst all the solidarity is the unavoidable observation there is a whole lot of fear and suspicion making sure it's unlikely to spread.

Nakba 2.0: Songs for Palestine

On the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, as what Israeli politicians have openly dubbed "Nakba 2.0" is well underway, I livestreamed a concert from my living room consisting of relevant songs.

New song: "Hani Mahmud and Tareq Abu Azzoum"

As the Israeli military shoots its way into the center of Rafah, they have made it abundantly clear that there are certain broad classes of Palestinians that are targets for assassination, and that seems to include anyone who works for Al-Jazeera.  Those of us who have been watching this genocide unfold live on Al-Jazeera's English channel for the past 7+ months are all especially familiar with and probably enamored of two reporters in particular who have been with us day in and day out the whole time.

To Sing or Not to Sing?

A brief analysis of some of the considerations that go into deciding whether or not to have live music at your protest rally or other social movement event.

New song: "The Poor People's March on Washington"

A song for Mother's Day, 1968 -- in deep appreciation for Cheri Honkala and the great organizing work of the Poor People's Army, the heir to the spirit of Resurrection City, who are organizing marches to both the RNC and the DNC this summer.

Where's the Music?

For many years now we hear a lot on the news about "the culture wars."  But there's another war that's been going on for decades:  the war against culture itself.