I'd bet my right to vote on it

I received the following email from a fellow Portsmouth resident.

Your recent "Sunday evening musings" rings a bell to what has occurred in communities like mine (predominately African-American). On one hand you have creative leaders and thinkers like Martin Luther King Jr who vehemently believed in non-violent social change. They believed that confrontation was warranted only when those who opposed civil rights for everyone literally stood in their way (i.e. voting poll). The results of their efforts and doctrines are unarguably monumental. On the other hand, you have many of today's leaders, often clergymen, in communities similar to mine that devote far too many resources to personal "blessings" and the hereafter rather than the here and now. I'm still waiting for someone in my community to tell me to "Have an involved day" rather than "Have a blessed day".

The lives of Dr. King, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and according to Christian theology, Christ all represent altruism. Altruism when combined with non-violent social change always has and always will change the world forever and for the better. I'd bet my right to vote on it.

Thank you, Robert. May we, indeed, stand together, involved and, ideally, blessed.

Jamming to the very end of the day

We were all having such a grand time that the hours slipped right past us. We were jamming to the very end of the day.

Sometime after five o'clock, Mia -- that would be Mia from the Mia Johnson Band -- looked up and noticed that the nearly two hundred state troopers who'd been listening to the Rally's music and poetry had taken off. We were left with three trooper cars: more than enough to keep the peace, I might add.

Anyway, what a fitting end to the day. Mia and her band played in Valley Forge. The Band showed they can jump between straight-up rock grooves and swinging world beats as they jammed the late afternoon away.

Dave Quicks helped out on guitar; here you can barely see Rico Joseph on bass.


Here's Rico on bass with Tom Walling wailing away on drums.
All in all, what an awesome day.

PLEASE NOTE: These photographs are Copyright (c) 2005 by Cathy Dixson and are used here by permission. These photographs may not be used further without the written permission of Cathy Dixson. All rights reserved.

Catching some rays of sunshine

Not quite "girls day out," Mia Johnson of the Mia Johnson Band caught some rays and some good music before closing out the Rally.

Some people brought their own shade.

PLEASE NOTE: These photographs are Copyright (c) 2005 by Cathy Dixson and are used here by permission. These photographs may not be used further without the written permission of Cathy Dixson. All rights reserved.

Quick! Quick! You've got to hear this.

The BurnDown All-Stars, in the form of Dave Quicks' Brainchild, played the Rally. Dave Quicks (shown here) also played at this past September's Valley Forge Rally. The Brainchild rocked.

PLEASE NOTE: This photograph is Copyright (c) 2005 by Cathy Dixson and is used here by permission. This photograph may not be used further without the written permission of Cathy Dixson. All rights reserved.

We invited all people who wanted to make a positive statement

Who didn't come to the Rally for Social Justice? Well, these folks (and I'm not sure if they are anarchists or members of Anti-Racist-Action) did not drop in. They started to come our way, and then they realized there was no one they could argue with at the Rally. News reports indicated they not only yelled at those in brown shirts across the park, but also took offense with law enforcement officers and the other counter-protestors. I think they realized they were no match to the power of being for something, as we were/are; their antics would ring empty at the Rally for Social Justice.

Who did show up at the Rally for Social Justice? Well, these two young, flower-decorated, sun-dress clothed women did drop in. The music kept them for more than a spell, too. These young ladies provided no antics; their presence helped us assert that we, and they, stand for diversity, tolerance, non-violence, and social justice.

PLEASE NOTE: These photographs are Copyright (c) 2005 by Cathy Dixson and are used here by permission. These photographs may not be used further without the written permission of Cathy Dixson. All rights reserved.

From the "Rally for Social Justice" to "Live 8"

A huge shout-out and thanks go to Barb, our sound expert and all-around production guru. Here's Barb at the Rally; pictures of Barb a week later would find her in Philadelphia working on the Live 8 concert. That's right: a week later and Barb was in front of the steps of the Museum of Art in Philly doing sound for the likes of Alicia Keys, Dave Matthews Band, Linkin Park, Toby Keith, and a dozen other musical groups. Well, the day of the Rally, she was with us, doing sound for our varied and talented and dedicated musical groups.

Barb is a person who puts her actions with her words. A strong believer in social justice, Barb volunteered her time for the Rally. Not only did she help the day of the event, but she spent innumerable hours the three months leading up to the Rally helping to arrange for all the technical details, including contracting for the sound equipment. And, the morning of the Rally, Barb earned a Purple Heart when she was injured in an accident, caused by my eldest son, during the set-up of the tent. A little ice to cool the injury, and she was back at it. (Note, however, the tape on her finger; I'm thinking she's wincing in pain, here, even hours later.)

PLEASE NOTE: This photograph is Copyright (c) 2005 by Cathy Dixson and is used here by permission. This photograph may not be used further without the written permission of Cathy Dixson. All rights reserved.

And straight from venues in Europe...

The music kept on coming. Here's Ben Arnold (on the left) and Todd Barnison.

We were so blessed to have Ben on stage at the Rally. Ben arrived in the States the evening before the Rally; he'd been on tour in Europe for more than a month playing in such venues at House of Live in Paris and Festhalle in Finnentrop, Germany. He also played in Affalter, Lunzenau, Greiz, Worms, and Solingn (all in Germany) and Lyon and Bresse in France. Talk about a tour! Well, Ben was on stage at the Rally having weathered much jet lag. His dedication is fabulous. As is his music.

Ben's web site notes that Ben isn't just any singer/song writer. He draws from the history of Dylan, the cantankerous spirit of Randy Newman, and the soulful singing and showmanship of Van Morrison. His set rocked.

PLEASE NOTE: This photograph is Copyright (c) 2005 by Cathy Dixson and is used here by permission. This photograph may not be used further without the written permission of Cathy Dixson. All rights reserved.

Scat, soul, & jazz -- all wrapped up in one beautiful package

When I first saw Nadine Goellner, she was walking across the fields of the Yorktown Battlefield with her guitar in a case and strapped to her back. She'd parked about as far away from the Rally site as possible. I wondered how I'd missed her (I was parking cars), and then I realized that when she drove in she looked as if she knew what she was doing: she asked no questions; she was here on a mission. And, indeed, she was.

Her unique acoustic-driven blend of scat, soul, and jazz won me over. She is the consummate musician, and she looked to be at home on our stage at the Rally. I get the sense she'd be at home anywhere acoustic music is held in esteem.

I shouldn't be surprised that Nadine volunteered to play at the Rally for Social Justice. Nadine is a proud volunteer for NYC-based charity, Musicians on Call. Musicians on Call are a wonderful organization helping thousands of people in New York City area hospitals through the healing power of music. Nadine is a woman with a huge heart who understands the positive power of music; her contribution was well received by all.

PLEASE NOTE: This photograph is Copyright (c) 2005 by Cathy Dixson and is used here by permission. This photograph may not be used further without the written permission of Cathy Dixson. All rights reserved.

Peace and Goodwill

I know I've mentioned it before, but I'll mention it again. The Rally for Social Justice was a peaceful, family-friendly event. Diversity. Tolerance. Non-violence. Social Justice. These were, and these are, our watch words. People came to the Rally for Social Justice to enjoy themselves, not to spout off.


All ages... Our rallies truly are appropriate venues for families. We're not teaching hatred or opposition. We are for, not against.


Smile! We're all at the Rally for Social Justice!

PLEASE NOTE: These photographs are Copyright (c) 2005 by Cathy Dixson and are used here by permission. These photographs may not be used further without the written permission of Cathy Dixson. All rights reserved.

The big sound of Seed Is

Seed Is gathered off to the side of the stage before making music, a quiet moment together in prayer. Let me tell you: their funk was like a prayer reaching to the heavens. What a great sound.

Biggs jammed out on guitar. According to the Seed Is website, he is not the illigitimate son of Richard Nixon who "wears a fat man costume so people from his past will not recognize him." That would be Mike Peace. Biggs is a native of Washington, DC, and a self-taught musician. Biggs has played with a number of bands; with Seed Is, his current family, Biggs adds immensely to the sound of this funk, soul, rock, rap, folk, jazz, go-go, reggae band. He's not alone, of course.


Here's Big T, the band's trumpeter, warming up before their set.

I really liked the big sound from Seed Is, and Big T's brass was a large part of that. There's just something about a horn, you know.

Nikki, the last band-member I found playing on the roll of film, plays bass. I'm thinking "cool."

PLEASE NOTE: These photographs are Copyright (c) 2005 by Cathy Dixson and are used here by permission. These photographs may not be used further without the written permission of Cathy Dixson. All rights reserved.

Rally Poets: Revolutionaries with words

Pete Freas of the Chesapeake Bay Poets says, "Poets are the revolutionaries in society." Well, I don't know if revolutionary describes our poets and poetry featured at the Rally, but it was strong, personal, and on-the-mark. Pete read a couple of his poems; he had also helped spread the word about the Rally throughout the arts and poetry community.

Joining Pete on stage was poet and MFA student Eddie Dowe. Eddie read several very powerful pieces. His words were able to stop us in our tracks and force us to think and examine our own lives. I imagine you'll be seeing more of this young poet in the years to come.If you'd like to read some of Eddie and Pete's poetry, feel free to surf over to Poetry 360, an online poetry zine that has published poems by both this strong and heartfelt poets.

PLEASE NOTE: These photographs are Copyright (c) 2005 by Cathy Dixson and are used here by permission. These photographs may not be used further without the written permission of Cathy Dixson. All rights reserved.