It’s hard to comprehend everything that has happened in the past 24 hours, or even the past 10 minutes. The Supreme Court ruled the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and Prop 8 unconstitutional. Senator Wendy Davis spent 11 hours filibustering an anti-abortion bill that would’ve taken away the rights of women all over Texas, and sadly, Devo’s drummer Alan Myers died (earlier this week, but the news filtered out today).
I pretty much can’t stop tearing up today. There are just so many complicated emotions to deal with right now, and so I turned to music.
So far, here’s my soundtrack to June 26, 2013. Tell me what you’re listening to, and I’ll add it to the mix:
**Prop 8/DOMA rulings: this means that gay couples can marry in California. The court also ruled that the portion of DOMA that denies federal benefits to same-sex couples is unconstitutional. These are big steps forward. For our ongoing coverage, keep checking here, then dance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG2ixYJ79iE
Thanks for the tip, DJ Carnita:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQJG-36krgk
**Last night, Senator Davis talked for hours to filibuster a bill in the Texas State Senate that would have placed severe new restrictions on abortion clinics in that state (essentially shutting many down) and ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy — giving Texas one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country.
As Davis filibustered, President Obama tweeted “Something special is happening in Austin tonight, hashtagged #StandWithWendy. For more on what went down, check here and for more on Senator Davis go here.
An ode to Davis (via Kathleen Hanna’s Bikini Kill)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DSSFJJ5Wo4
And to fighting for your rights (OK, also via Kathleen Hanna, but her formerly solo project, Julie Ruin)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWtBD0uRN0g
**For a week full of wins, there was one notable loss: early Devo drummer Alan Myers, who died Monday of brain cancer. San Francisco-based jazz musician Ralph Carney (formerly of Akron, Ohio, where Devo began) was the first to post the news on his Facebook page last night, and it was reported this morning on RollingStone.com. In Myers’ honor, I’ll be listening to 1978’s Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! and 1980’s Freedom of Choice on repeat today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVGINIsLnqU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jadvt7CbH1o