The Sun Goes Down on Watertown

Talking about a revolution can sometimes sound like a whisper. Other times it sounds like a brief orchestral piece without any words at all.

In any event, revolution is in the air in Watertown, Wisconsin. When the local high school’s music director chose a piece for this year’s graduation ceremony called  “A Mother of a Revolution” by Omar Thomas, part of the community lost its mind. This is an instrumental piece inspired by Marsha Johnson, a trans woman credited with being an instigator of the 1969 Stonewall uprising, which was a pivotal event in the LGBTQ liberation movement, according to Thomas’ website.

Watertown school district board members freaked out. But what they should have done instead is listen to the music. I did (and you can listen to it here or, if you have a smart speaker, just ask for it) and what I heard was an inspiring and even stirring piece that felt entirely appropriate to send kids off at a graduation ceremony. Forget for a moment about the specific political movement that it is intended to honor and just listen to it. It feels like it’s about struggle and bravery and prevailing in the end. All stuff going through the minds of any 18-year old facing a future that is equal parts exciting, frightening and bewildering.

If we stop taking a piece of music at its face value for what we actually hear and start imprinting political meaning on it (even when that meaning is suggested by its own composer) we’d miss out on a lot of good stuff. I mean, forget Wagner altogether.

Now, to be sure, I’m not likely to get any awards from transgender rights groups myself. I’m a strong believer in tolerance, acceptance and fighting discrimination against anyone. But I don’t think anybody should be forced to list their pronouns if they don’t want to, I think parents should be informed if their kid wants to change those pronouns in school and I think we should leave the question of biological men playing on women’s school sports teams to athletic governing boards.

But let’s face it. Stonewall happened at a time when gay people could be arrested and even beat up just for being gay. It was awful. It was wrong. And somebody had to stand up and say so. Johnson’s alleged “violent” participation in that riot came down to throwing a shot glass at a mirror and (maybe, it’s not proven) dropping a rather heavy purse on the head of cop. The severity of all that depends on the quality of the liquid in the shot glass. If she wasted a really good single malt, well, I do think less of her.

In any event, the Watertown school board voted 7-1 to nix the song, inviting well-earned derision upon them. If they don’t want to listen to “A Mother of a Revolution.” I’ve got another one that might be appropriate. It’s called “Harper Valley PTA.”

That’s it for this week. Looks to be a toasty weekend. As God is my witness, by next week I will have fixed my slice once and for all, so help me Martin Hall.