One of the lovelier things to come out of the criminal federal Occupation of Minnesota is The Singing Resistance. After the murder of Renee Good by an ICE agent (who is still roaming free and no one is safe), it got REALLY bad here in Minneapolis. Beatings and tear gassings were a normal, every day thing, and everyone was terrified – but not too scared to act. We soon started seeing videos of a group of people showing up to protests and actions all around town, peacefully singing to the ICE Agents that it was ok to change their minds. That our neighbors knew we loved them and would protect them, at all costs. This was The Singing Resistance.
No website to announce the singing resistance
There was no website to find out when things would happen, and that was by design. And still is, even now when the idea has spread to over 200 other cities around the country. We’re already seeing similar ICE activity in Vermont, so the need to resist continues to be national. I’m caregiving for my dear Mom, and she wants to do all she can to help too, but she’s 85. I’m not going to have her out at the Whipple Building. She has sung with her Augsburg Alumni Choir since she graduated, so I knew that singing would be the perfect way to resist. I just had to find out how to meet up with them.
That opportunity came when I participated in the Mosaic of Love human butterfly we made in Powderhorn Park a few week ago. Members of The Singing Resistance were there leading songs as we got set up, and I mentioned to the woman next to me that I was dying to join in on one of their actions around town. She said, “Oh, do you want to join the Signal group?” and I almost tackled her in my excitement that YES, I wanted to join! So, after a beautiful day making a 1,000 person monarch, I left looking forward to hearing from the group chat.
So sad that this is even necessary
The need is so great for help around town, and will be for a long time to come. The message soon came through that a group would be meeting at the Courthouse to sing for people being evicted, to try to get Mayor Frey to have some mercy with a rent freeze. I couldn’t make it to that, but it’s awfully sad that we have to go sing for mercy when it’s so easy to help people and do the right thing. Frey vetoed the moratorium. Yeah.
Another message soon came through that there would be a mass meeting and singing at the Hennepin United Methodist Church that coming Friday evening. Now THAT we could do. The sad thing is, the Annunication Church shooting is still fresh on Minnesotans’ minds, and we know that you’re not even safe in a church anymore. But we were still going to go, of course, and my Mom was so excited to get to take part in something for The Resistance.
Singing resistance in the Hennepin United Methodist Church
This was a Friday night in Minneapolis. There are LOTS of things people could be doing around town, but that church parking lot was FULL. The sanctuary was FULL. The People were ready to SING.
And sing we did. They have song leaders that sing the first verse, and then the group responds, so no one really has to know the songs ahead of time. I was emotional from the very start. There’s something about human voices rising as one, when that chord happens that unites everyone on the same held note … knowing what we’ve all been through, how hard everyone has been working, how much our country means to us, and how hard we’re trying to save it … I know I wasn’t the only one choked up.
A couple of times we broke into small groups, so you could get to know the stories of other people in these times. This is not a super comfortable thing for Minnesotans, so I found myself leading the discussions, and was happy to do so. They asked what was the biggest change you’ve experienced in yourself, and for me, it was that I no longer feel I can put myself in between an ICE officer/Cop/Sheriff whatever and think I’ll be ok because I’m a blonde, white woman. I might get shot in the face now. But in a hectic moment in January, I learned that, knowing that, I would turn TOWARD the danger, not away. Judy in our group was very shy, but she said she started coming to things like this because she didn’t feel like she was doing enough, and wanted to do SOMETHING. That’s beautiful – and that’s how we win.
Many new Singing Resistance groups
There are always a lot of speakers at these things, and we heard from many. That’s how we learned that so many new Singing Resistance groups have cropped up! Between this and the Red Hat movement, and the utterly peaceful, often hilarious protesting, the good work of Minnesotans is really catching on. One woman shared about going to the Courthouse to sing, and only four people had shown up, and she’d never done anything like this before. She forgot the words when it was her turn. She turned and others started singing with her. Later on, a gentleman who had nothing to do with the group sang HIS statement to a Prince song. I wish I’d been there.
At one point, they led a song where the chorus was just singing “Grateful” over and over. As we sang, they asked different questions, and asked people to raise their hands if they’d done any of the things stated, and if so, to feel the gratitude of everyone singing around them. I raised my hand a lot, and again felt so emotional to all be in this thing together. When asked if anyone felt they had been changed forever, the entire congregation of singers raised their hands as one. Because we have been. This time will go down in history, and we can be proud of each other and our collective love for our neighbors forever.
It is good to be among people who feel the same
It felt so good to be among people who all feel the same way, and who all raised their voices together as one to hope for and work for a better future for us all. Patti Smith was across town singing at The Parkway, but if anyone would have walked into the doors of Hennepin United Methodist Church on Friday night, they would have seen a living example of People having The Power. And it was a beautiful thing to experience. Together.
This is something you can do. And should. Because “Our love for each other will carry us through.”
GO!
Any Singing Resistance Action
Ever
Read the original post which includes a video of the singing here
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