Tag: activism

FEB 6, 2013 - An all-girl rock band out of Kashmir, "Praagaash", were forced to disband after a top cleric issued a fatwa against them. The 3 girls got scared for their lives and dissolved the group. They were starting to get many supporters, and even a "I Support Praagaash" Facebook page was put up to try and support them, but the pressure and fear was too much. A petition has been started on Change.org asking for the cleric to step down. The name of the band, Praagaash, means "first light" in Kashmiri, and they hoped to bring about more freedom for girls and music in their country; but their was a massive backlash against them by conservative and religious Kasmhmiris to what they saw as supposed bad western influence on their culture. Read more on Yahoo news here, including a video with video clips of the band. Watch a small clip of them playing below.

What do you think? Leave a comment on our JTMP Facebook Page!

FEB 5, 2013 - Teabagger and gun nut mouthpiece (and has-been musician) Ted Nugent told Piers Morgan in an interview that he wants Obama and the government to "just leave us the hell alone". Apparently, we have to solve our gun safety problem with out inconveniencing gun owners in any way shape or form. I don't know if we could do that Ted. Click the link below to watch the full video on CNN.com. 

Want to comment? Please visit our JTMP Facebook page and leave a comment, and maybe start a discussion!

JAN 29, 2013 - One of my favorite activist musicians, John  Prine, did the song, "Some Humans Ain't Human" back in 2005 protesting the Iraq War and the administration of George W. Bush that kind of slipped under the radar. Prine wrote one activist song back in 1971 called "Paradise"; which sang about a coal company destroying the beautiful woods he used to explore as a kid singing, "Mr. Peabody's coal train has hauled it away." This song, "Some Humans Ain't Human", is a tongue-in-cheek style song  obviously aimed at the George W. Bush administration. In the 3rd verse Prine sings:

"Or you're feeling your freedom, and the world's off your back,
when that hotshot from Texas, starts his own war in Iraq."

Watch John Prine perform the song below, and if you want to comment check out our JTMP Facebook Page here.

JAN 24, 2013 - Sir Paul McCartney, has thrown his support behind the decriminalisation (or decriminalization as we Americans spell it) of marijuana use. He says, "People are smoking pot anyway and to make them into criminals is wrong." He has joined the campaign of the MarijuanaMajority.com campaign; where activists, celebrities, musicians and more are all coming together to try and stop the insane marijuana drug war that has ruined people's lives. If you want to learn more and join their campaign, check out their website here. JTMP urges you to contact your elected officials both state and federal and tell them to stop the war on drugs, which is an unjust war on the poor.  (photo credit: CC/Jim Summaria)

JAN 24, 2012 - Taylor Swift met with cancer patient Kayla, after her parents and friends started an Internet drive to get the activist musician to meet with her. They started a Twitter drive called #OperationGetKaylaToMeetTaylorSwift, and then set up a web page called TeamKaylaKinCannon.org, to tell her story and push for a meeting with the young artist. Taylor caught wind of it, and Kayla's dream came true when Ms. Swift visited her, and they said it was no quick meet-and-greet, she stayed for hours, ate lunch, gave presents, and even signed pictures. The family was moved and happily surprised and impressed with her great quality as a person. Kayla's dad said, "She is the sweetest, most down to earth person I have ever met!" Read more on Today.com here, and check out Kayla's story here.  (photo credit: TeamKaylaKinCannon.org)