Art is Salvation

I don’t know what to say.

Last night I sat in a bar with a group of friends–bright, articulate, kind young people–and watched as our nation decided that fear, economic anxiety, and racism were more valuable than common decency. I sat, tingling in my own skin, and my heart slowly broke. We, especially economically advantaged white folks, had the opportunity to send a message, to blow up the Death Star, but instead we kicked Yoda in his tiny green balls and threw a parade for Vader.

My heart breaks for many reasons. I’m so sad and scared for so many of my friends who are black and brown and queer as hell. I’m sorrowful that my femme friends were just resoundingly informed that their experience and intelligence will not matter in the face of male rage. I’m angry that so many of the people who I love and respect weren’t allowed the opportunity to vote for their own liberation because the lesser of two evils is still an evil. But most personally, I’m heartbroken that many of the people I grew up with, who loved, and nurtured, and shaped me, decided, in the midst of their own fear, that the safety and well-being of others was a fair price for comfort. I’m sad and scared but I have it so much better than so many, and that’s disgusting.

This was supposed to be a review of Soft Hair’s new self-titled debut full-length. Long story short, it’s really good. Go listen to it. I don’t really feel like writing about something that seems so inconsequential while everyone is hurting. Maybe next week I’ll be able to muster up the necessary fucks to give and I’ll write that review. Maybe not.

I can’t offer you much–truthfully I’m not sure how things are going to get anything but worse. But I can offer you my beliefs: that the long arm of history bends towards justice, that love is a radical act, that art, and music, and dancing, and sex, and laughter, and flowers, and ferocious joy are powerful enough to keep the darkness at bay. I fully believe, with every atom of my being, that art is salvation, and that if we listen hard enough and create with enough abandon, that we can work our way into the light. I hope I’m right.

So, in that vein, I’ve collected some of the music that soothes my fears and worries, and I’m sharing it with the hope that it will do the same for you. Some of it is political, some is not. Many of the songs are hopeful, but some are sad. Please feel free to post your own selections in the comment section and I’ll add it to the playlist.

We can weather this. I love you.

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