Monthly Archives: March, 2013

MAR 28, 2013 - I came across this awesome pic on Facebook of Willie Nelson, after an interview with Texas Monthly, showing his support for marriage equality with a customized version of the popular red equality logo that is going viral on social media. Christian Helms of Helms Workshop designed the sign with the customized logo, and changed the equal signs to two joints, something he has always been associated with. JTMP also supports marriage equality, and hopes the SCOTUS will come back and throw out Prop 8 and DOMA. Read the article on Texas Monthly here.  (photo credit: Texas Monthly)
 

Today's featured activist-musician is Thollem McDonas. From SouthbendTribune:

"Activism and music have been a part of Thollem McDonas’ life for as long as he can remember. He gave his first music lesson at 13, and his activism started a few years later. “My activism started in high school,” the pianist, who performs Tuesday at Merrimans’

McDonas worked with the ecological club and started an animal rights group while in college. He became an anti-war activist in the run-up to and aftermath of the Persian Gulf War of the early 1990s. “It was natural for me that once (the war) got started to get into the streets,” McDonas says. “At the very least, I felt that I could not participate in society the way that it was."

Read more on SouthbendTribune.com here.  (photo credit: Angela C. Villa/SouthbendTribune.com)

MAR 26, 2013 -Today's featured activist musicians that JTMP are spotlighting are Las Cafeteras, who "met in 2005 as students at free Son Jarocho classes at the Eastside Cafe in Los Angeles. The group says they use the folk music from Southern Veracruz, Mexico, as a tool to build autonomy, community and solidarity."

Read more on ColorLines.com here. Watch video of a performance by Las Cafeteras below of the traditional song, "La Bamaba" spiced up to reflect their activism.  (photo credit: LasCafeteras.com)

MAR 22, 2013 - Yoko Ono, in an effort to get behind sensible gun legislation, has tweeted pictures of John's glasses he was wearing the night he was shot by a handgun, along with statistics of gun deaths and violence. The pictures are very moving, and show blood stains on the glasses. Check out the pictures at Yoko Ono's Twitter page. JTMP recommends everyone contact their Congress Member and Senator and tell them you support sensible gun legislation, such as universal background checks, a ban on military-type assault rifles, and a ban on high-capacity magazines.

MAR 20, 2013 - Several Michelle Shocked shows have been canceled after the singer, who has been known to "speak her mind" in the past, went on an anti-gay tirade the other night. Fans are outraged, and the blogosphere has not been kind to her. She was actually somewhat of a "gay icon" at one time, but not anymore after this stunt. Even after she tried to  distance herself from her remarks, it looks like she may have burned a bridge. Check out the juicy details at Queerty.com here, and start up a discussion and tell us how you feel about this on our Justice Through Music Facebook Page here. Abby Huntsman from HuffPo Live has a video on the story below.  (photo credit: CC/RKeaton)