Hillary Supporters: Which Side Are You On?
Of all the Pete Seeger songs I heard growing up, "Which Side Are You On?" always struck me as more of a dirge than a Labor anthem. When you listen to it, it's almost threatening in tone, and very dark throughout.
There's a reason for this. It was a threat. It's a song which can easily be sung through clenched teeth, to put it bluntly. As Benjamin Franklin quipped, just before he signed the Declaration of Independence: "We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately." He was not, it should be pointed out, speaking figuratively. Our Founding Fathers knew they were risking the hangman's rope by what they were doing to bring self-rule and democracy to America.
In the Labor movement, the same stark choice existed: you're either with us, or you're against us. This was a hard-fought lesson. Infiltration was constant, and telling friend from foe was a life-or-death choice at times.
"Which Side Are You On?" is a folk song. It was written by Florence Reece in 1931, in Harlan County, Kentucky. Her husband was forced from his home by the henchmen of J.H. Blair, a local mineowner. After "deputies" illegally invaded and searched her house (her husband was warned in advance, and escaped), Florence immediately wrote the lyrics to this song, on a calendar ripped from the wall of their home. So you can see, even though the music and tone of the song is rather confrontational and dirge-like, there's a valid reason for this. The woman who wrote it had just seen her husband driven from their home by corporate thugs.
Which explains the raw emotion of the song. You're either with us or against us. It's a stark choice, with no room for nuance whatsoever. Pete Seeger recognized this, and made the song famous, far beyond the local Labor dispute which caused it to be written.
This song has been running through my head for a week now.
Every time I visit an unabashedly pro-Hillary website and read the comments posted thereon, I keep thinking: Which side are you on? Will you, out of spite of losing, vote for a man who is the exact opposite of the candidate you supported so fervently? Will you tempt fate with the future of abortion rights in this country? Will you really vote for a man who sees 100 years of American troops in Iraq as a viable outcome? Is your belief in Barack Obama's defeat in November enough for you to contribute to a self-fulfilling prophecy that leaves the White House in Republican hands for the next four years? Hillary didn't win, she lost the nomination. Are you really that upset with Barack Obama (whose platform is virtually identical to Hillary Clinton's) that you would vote against everything Hillary has been fighting for? Even if she told you not to? In short, what kind of Democrat are you?
Like I said, this song has been running through my head of late. Which side are you on?
One of the best things about folks songs is that they are constantly being rewritten. Each writer, in each generation, adapts the song (and the feeling behind it) to fit it into current happenings, in order to keep the spirit of the song alive. The song evolves. That's part of what makes it a folk song.
I humbly offer the following rewrite of the lyrics to "Which Side Are You On?" in this spirit. I based it on Pete Seeger's version of the song. This should (again, in my humble opinion) be emailed to any supporters of Hillary Rodham Clinton who refuse to recognize the reality that Barack Obama is now the Democratic nominee for president, and is our only chance to beat Republican John McCain this fall.
And, in a pre-emptive defense, I maintain that my changes to the lyrics are not sexist in any way. I use the word "girls" in the chorus, it is true, but this is always paired with the original (at least in the Pete Seeger version) "boys," since there are fervent Clinton supporters of both sexes out there. The original song, even though written by a woman, is far more sexist than the version I present -- using such lines as: "Will you be a lousy scab / or will you be a man?" And "ladies" or "women" just doesn't fit the scansion of the song (too many syllables). Also, Hillary Clinton has not only called herself a "girl" during this campaign, she's actually used it in fundraising [PDF]. So calling Clinton supporters "girls" and "boys" merely fits in with the spirit of the song, nothing more. As I said, I pair the two, and move to the generic "Dems" to indicate all Democrats at the end.
It does make me a little nervous, suggesting lyrics for a song with such an illustrious history. But I address this version to all Hillary-supporting Democrats: can you truly call yourself a Democrat and vote for John McCain in November? And hope that Florence Reese and Pete Seeger will forgive me.
Which Side Are You On?
Which side are you on, girls?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on, boys?
Which side are you on?They say with Hillary and Barack,
There are no neutrals now.
You'll either be an Obama fan,
Or a thug for John McCain.Which side are you on, boys?
Which side are you on?
Tell me, which side are you on, girls?
Which side are you on?Obama's our party's man now,
And Hillary's got to fade,
But if you vote for John McCain,
You will kill Roe vee Wade.Tell me, which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Sing it! Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?The Supremes call the shots,
The Pres names all'a them.
Will you really back a Court
Full'a Republicans?Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Tell me, which side are you on?
Which side are you on?There just ain't no middle ground,
In two thousand and eight;
You're either part'a the solution,
Or part'a the problem.Tell me, which side are you on, Dems?
Which side are you on?
Tell me, which side are you on, Dems?
Which side are you on?Are you really a true Democrat,
Or just a Clinton fan?
Should we get out of Iraq,
Or just invade Iran?Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Tell me, which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Chris Weigant blogs at: ChrisWeigant.com
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I was a Clinton supporter, but now I support Obama, because he is the candidate of the democratic party. But as for all you Hillary-slaggers who are disgusted and sick and tired and glad she's gone, etc., please give it a freaking rest. The single worst thing I can think of Obama's campaign is how attractive he's been to you, and how much fun has been had by so many misogynists and ageists playing at politics and character assassination among Obama's most fervent supporters who have tagged along just for the chance to give Mommy a slap.
You won. She lost. Shut up.
I for one am sick and disgusted with Hillary's supporters. If they don't believe in what the Democrats stand for, then we don't need them. We can do better than that. Yes we can!
Many of Hillary's supporters were just Rush Limbaugh Republicans trying to screw up the Democrats. They were never going to vote Democrat in November, regardless of who the nominee would be. Take them away, and she didn't have that much appeal, at all.
These people who say they're going to vote for McCain because Hillary lost are NOT Democrats! They're not patriots. I'm not even sure that I can say what they are, but they have no truly held beliefs, no care for country.
They have bashed George Bush along with Hillary but will vote for McCain because suddenly he's right in step with what they want our country to look like? Huh?
It's like trying to argue with a Republican (read: impossible) and it's scary.
"what kind of Democrat are you?"
I'm the kind of Democrat that doesn't call a former DEMOCRATIC POTUS who has raised more money than God for my Party and for charities a racist, a womanizer, and I would give him the benefit of the doubt regarding mistakes he's made. I'm also the kind of Democrat that doesn't call a sitting, DEMOCRATIC U.S. Senator and the first viable female running for my Party's nomination, a shrew, a bitch, a racist, a liar, a thief, a backstabber, overly ambitious, a would-be assasin, etc. I believe a DEMOCRATIC Sen. deserve more respect than that. I also believe that they deserve the benefit of the doubt with regard to mistakes they've made. I'm also the kind of Democrat who wouldn't call other DEMOCRATS idiots, morons, uneducated, rednecks, racist, losers, etc. And, if I did do all these things, I'm the kind of Democrat who would apologize afterwards as would be clearly mistaken. I also wouldn't dismiss the views of 18 million fellow Democrats as unimportant and irrelevant, i.e. "I don't need you other Democrats to win. I can win enough votes without your support. I'm in charge now and none of you people matter."
THAT is the kind of Democrat I am. A damn freakin' good one....
What kind of Democrat are YOU, Chris?
Ok. Then can you please tell us which Democrats actually said those things? Documented, if you please. Thanks!!
Just read the blogs from the bloggers on this site, and you'll have your answer.
At what point did Obama or anyone in his campaign say those things you accuse him of? You cannot contribute everything forum trolls and bloggers say to the candidate or every supporter. Remember the GE is five months away. Many HRC supporters just need to calm down from the nastiness of the primary and focus on what is really important: beating McCain.
"I'm the kind of Democrat that doesn't call a former DEMOCRATIC POTUS who has raised more money than God for my Party and for charities a racist, a womanizer, and I would give him the benefit of the doubt regarding mistakes he's made."
Why not?? if it's true..
Regardless of all that, the Clintons have been given the benefit of EVERY doubt imaginable and THEN some..
If their names hadn't been CLINTON and they did not occupy the positions they had, they would have been in jail a long time ago..
So, don't come whining about the "benefit of the doubt".. They were given it and more and they squandered it...
"THAT is the kind of Democrat I am. A damn freakin' good one...."
If Hillary had been the kind of Democrat that you claim to be, then maybe she wouldn't have had her arse handed to her by a relative unknown, eh??
Think about it...
Michale.....
"Why not?? if it's true.."
Because I'm a loyal team member, and I love my teammates. We have the same goal and dreams for my country. If I want to win in order to get those shared dreams to come to fruition, I support my teammates..win or lose. Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith pretty much single handedly lost the 2006 National Championship game for Ohio State. He admitted this in several interviews and felt terrible about his performance. Not one of his teammates publicly agreed with him. They ALL came to his defence and put the blame on themselves for not being prepared. The coach, blamed himself for not having the team prepared. Why? Because they loved and respected their teammate. He made mistakes, but that was okay to them, because it is a TEAM SPORT. It's called being on the SAME SIDE. When team members "hate" each other, they are less likely to win.
Also, please don't tell me what I'm supposed to think about my own Party 's candidate if you don't even live in this country or have a right to vote here. MYOB.
Oh crap, I just read this.
I had answered only the title.
pathetic.
Now, please, an equal opportunity song about which side you boyz are on... all those who say they won't vote for Obama if he picks Hillary for VP.
(they can trust him to run a country but not to pick a VP.)
duh.
Let the frigging love fest begin.
When the thugs start behaving like decent human beings, stop the hate mongering, the malice, the disrespect... maybe you will find more coming to your side.
Unfortunately that doesn't look like its going to happen. Just as they/you have been nasty, dirty fighters so you are sore winners.
PLUS, you project your own shit all over Clinton and her supporters.
I've never seen such a bunch of bully boyz and their little chickies hangin on the playground acting tough since I was in Jr. High.It was silly and stupid, but understandable then. Its just stupid now.
By the way, you know what they say about bully boyz don't you?
You ask for respect, then spew insults. You say Obama supporters are thugs, but look at what you wrote. Know thyself.
I'm a woman and I would have reservations about voting for a "unity" ticket if he picked her as VP because I really don't think the Clintons can pass a real vetting process of looking at what they've been up to for the last 8 years. Why don't I trust her? It's not because of Bill and the blow job circus. It's because of Mark Penn. The Democrats don't need their own meaner, uglier version of Karl Rove. Hillary surrounded herself with bullies and has even borrowed Karl Rove's math, but you're saying Obama's camp are the bullies?
Go do some research on what girl bully behaviors look like. It's not the same as what boys do.
The side who gives us respect.
The side who treats others they may disagree with respectfully.
The side that doesn't bully people with hate speech, malice, name calling.
The side that doesn't treat us like enemies.
The side who has been kind, decent, and gracious to us from the beginning.
the side who doesn't hate monger and demonize others.
The side that doesn't resurrect neocon talking points to smear others.
The side that doesn't jump on any imagined offense and turn it into a national disgrace.
The side that doesn't deliberately distort, misrepresent, and "misunderstand" in order to smear and denounce and marginalize.
The side who doesn't deny sexism exists and was present in this campaign.
The kind that doesn't deny their own misogyny.
The side that doesn't deny the media bias that was so blatant during much of this primary.
The side that doesn't have their manhood so wrapped up in the outcome they had no decency left in them.
The side who doesn't think its ok to beat their partners and then expect them to make nice.
The side that doesn't race bait, doesn't accuse racism to win.
The side who are not sore winners.
I came looking for them this evening.
They still aren't here.
When they show up, I'll be on their side.
In the meantime.
See ya,
Wouldn't wanna be ya.
LOL
the question for you ohmercy is not what side are you on?
but what planet were you on during the entire race?
"The side who gives us respect.":
Paraphrased Quotes from Barack: "I am a better candidate for having competed with Hillary Clinton" "Hillary Clinton is a true patriot" "Hillary Clinton has opened up possibilities for my daughters"
"The side who treats others they may disagree with respectfully."
Barack is talking about having a bipartisan cabinet. Next?
"The side that doesn't bully people with hate speech, malice, name calling."
Hillary Clinton: "And the skies will OPEN, a celestial choir will be SINGING..." Next?
"The side that doesn't treat us like enemies."
Hillary Clinton: "I believe *I* bring a lifetime of experience to the table. I know Sen. McCain brings a lifetime of experience to the table. Obama brings a speech he made in 2002." Next?
"The side who has been kind, decent, and gracious to us from the beginning."
Barack has ALWAYS made a point of complimenting Hillary and her supporters in every speech I've heard him give (I've seen him speak live 3 times and countess times on television). In any press release after a gaffe from her, he's been all of the above.
"the side who doesn't hate monger and demonize others."
"hard-working, white hard-working people". Next?
"The side that doesn't resurrect neocon talking points to smear others."
How about the side that doesn't use neocon TACTICS in their campaign?
"The side that doesn't jump on any imagined offense and turn it into a national disgrace."
How about the side that doesn't cry victim/"they're picking on me because I'm a girl" at every turn?
"The side that doesn't deliberately distort, misrepresent, and "misunderstand" in order to smear and denounce and marginalize."
One word for this one - Bittergate.
"The side who doesn't deny sexism exists and was present in this campaign."
How about the side that doesn't deny CLASSISM exists and knows a real "elitist" when they see one?
"The kind that doesn't deny their own misogyny."
Barack is more of a feminist, behaviorally, than Hillary is.
"The side that doesn't deny the media bias that was so blatant during much of this primary."
You reap what you sew. She locked them out and so they didn't like her, he was nice to them in the beginning and they were nice back. Has little to nothing to do with gender or other demographics.
"The side that doesn't have their manhood so wrapped up in the outcome they had no decency left in them."
How about the side that doesn't focus on genitalia so damn much? Seriously, did your head get lost on the way to your ass on this one?
"The side who doesn't think its ok to beat their partners and then expect them to make nice."
Gee, cuz that's not the way the game's been played in EVERY OTHER EFFING ELECTION.
"The side that doesn't race bait, doesn't accuse racism to win."
How about the side that doesn't gender-bate and use chromosomal makeup to win?
"The side who are not sore winners."
It's rather hard not to be sore at this point, since the winning was so obvious for so long but only the sore loser still needing "a few more days to make my decisions" dampens our celebrations. As subdued as the celebrating was, what WOULDN'T have qualified as a "sore winner" to you?
great song! i think i may adapt this song and play it myself.
See Chris Weigant's Profile
nypoet22 -
Feel free! I hereby renounce any claim to copyright for the lyrics. Consider them in the public domain. It is, after all, a folk song...
-CW
HuffPost's Pick
very nice of you...I was initially going to comment (before getting distracted by feeding what may be trolls, feeling like giving them the benefit of the doubt and assuming they are sincere), your rhyming doesn't match the original. The rhyme sequence of the original verses was a-b-c-b (2nd and 4th lines rhyming, 1st and 3rd not). You miss this pattern several times. Suggested edits (I'm too young to be familiar with the original so excuse if the meter is off):
First off, gals instead of girls and guys instead of boys. Girls and boys don't vote. Gals and guys do.
"They say the Dem's
Are in a zero-sum game
You'll either be an Obama fan,
Or a thug for John McCain."
"Obama's our party's man now,
And Hillary's got to fade,
Vote for John McCain,
You risk more than Roe vee Wade."
The Supremes call the shots,
The Pres names all'a them.
Will you really back a Court
Full'a neocons?
There just ain't no middle ground,
In two thousand and eight;
You're either part'a the solution,
Or part'a spreading hate
hopefully that helps... Open-source song writing! YAY!
I have been holding my nose and voting Democratic for the last two presidential election. I am voting for Ralph Nader this time. I think Obama can get elected with out my vote since he is a little right wing anyway. So after all these years here I come Ralph.
That's really going to make a difference... you replace one desperate ego with an even more desperate one. Hillary at least had it almost. Ralph never had it. But like her he believes in himself over everything else. There's got to be something attractive about that. I just can't tell what. I am totally turned off by either of these people.
Obama is a little right wing? LOL
Yeah, OK.
Obama, right wing? Ummm, no.
Please don't vote for Ralph Nader. Obama will be a great President, and will fill the position of commander in chief perfectly. I just want him and his campaign to PUBLICLY call off the dogs on the Clintons, show some respect for them and their years of hard work and service, apologize for the nastiness that was flung their way (and the way of Hillary's supporters) by some of the Obama supporters, and give them the benefit of the doubt that they aren't racist, would-be assasins who are lurking in the background waiting for something bad to happen. They were called incredibley vile things from people in their own Party, and I think they are owed an apology. They may have some apologizing of their own to do too, but if Obama is the NEW leader, he needs to do it whether the Clintons do it or not. He is in charge now, and he needs to step up to the plate.
Ralph actually likes Barack. Check it out. No idea where you get that Obama is "a little right wing"
NADER,NADER, NADER
No...
NEENER NEENER NEENER :D
Michale.....
All these comments on "voting the person" come from the same misguided center as "voting the party." These people are just exchanging the cult of identity for the cult of personality. They remind me of the lyrics to another song:
I am the person, and you are the people
the people must do what the person has said
I am the vampire that will keep on sucking
Until the whole world is rotten, brain-dead
Bow down unto this, ignorance is bliss
Just give away all the things
That made you different and so brave
Don't ask why, conform and comply
Just lay down and play dead
Just remember that this is all in your head
Try not to choke as you're force-fed
http://www.myspace.com/seancefiction
That's because they don't teach "voting your conscience" in school. And if you are a Republican, they even failed to get through to the conscience part.
Age and cunning will defeat youth and beauty every time. That's why McCain will win.
Yea??
How did that "Age and Cunning" thing work out between Obama & Clinton??? :^/
Michale.....
"Cunning?" Please give examples of this "cunning." I haven't seen anything resembling "cunning" from him since...well, I just haven't.
All McCain has to do now is pick a conservative woman for a running mate. She would placate the
conservative Republicans, and, in this extraordinary year, she would attract millions of these crazy-mad Hillary woman who are just livid about Hillary's treatment by everyone.
There is really nothing the Obama campaign can do. You've lost these people. They will either vote for McCain or not vote. You better hope for the latter, and register a helluva lot of new voters.
You assume that there are millions of them. I don't think so. The internet magnifies even the voices of a few thousand people to an incredible level of noise. But thousands are not millions. We will see. In any case, if America is not ready for Barack Obama, it will have to suffer four years longer.
I agree. There might even be a million clinton people who will not vote at all, and Barack will still have more than McCain. Most will vote dem because he is undeniably the better choice. Some have already switched over to Obama, they voted in early primaries and then saw how Clinton acted and were dismayed. I even liked her way back in December, early January. I don't think it'll do much damage, I think he brought so many first time voters with him, it'll be ok. Only a relative few people won't vote for him our of bitterness. They have bigger issues to work on.
To me all Hillary supporters can go vote for McCain. I care less. If Obama loses in November the whole world would know why America is the way it is now. Don't blame anyone when America becomes a gated community with no one wanting talk to or play with her. There is a clear choice in November and Democrat who think voting for McCain is a democratic thing to do can do their worst. As for Obama he has already made history whether he wins in November or not. Speeches around the world would be enough to see him through the rest of his life. It is the future of American children that is at stake. So in your anger and desperation (as Bush) vote for McCain and tell the future generation how you squandered the best opportunity America ever had.
I can't express forcefully enough how obnoxious and insulting I see it that so many people are
talking about the new boss of the Party, Obama, and sweeping change: out go all the Clintonites and the boomers - a whole generation. Now tell me, Obamamaniacs, why would you want our votes, really, when we are the ones who messed up this world so completely?
The Clintons are old, out of touch and so are their supporters..
Check out Hilary Rosen's commentary here on HuffPo.. A former Clinton supporter who knows the score..
Out with the old, in with the new and good riddance, I say...
Don't let the door hit you on the arse on yer way out and please don't steal the drapes or furnishings.
Thanx ever so much...
Michale.....
Ummmm, "old" people are the largest voting block. You DO need their votes.
UGH, the inexperience of the Obamaites is starting to show.
Lesson #1 - ALL votes count (Al gore "lost" by less than 500 votes)
Lesson #2 - See lesson #1
"Now tell me, Obamamaniacs, why would you want our votes, really, when we are the ones who messed up this world so completely?"
Exactly.... I am heartened to see that you finally get it..
Michale.....
Johnnn, I am not so sure we want "your" votes, whoever you think you represent. If "you" want to go out with a bang, go for it. We have neither the power nor the will to stop you from the collective suicide that you seem to crave so much. I will survive in any case. Will "you"?
This is a hopeless situation, which is why John McCain will be the next President.
We who support Hillary are the so-called "Reagan Democrats". I even married one. We both voted for Reagan in 1984. We vote the person. If our Party screws up, we vote for the other guy. We are not going to vote for a young, unknown junior Senator from Illinois who couldn't wait four years to run after Hillary takes her shot, and, I admit, probably lose. But Obama will not win either.
For those of you Obama supporters who want to tell me it's not Hillary's turn, she not entitled, yada, yada, yada...I say: yes, it was her turn damn it!
So now try to win without us.
Based on what??
And what will you do if Obama does win without you??
For the record, and as many can tell you, I am all for "Vote The Person, Not The Party"... That is actually my MANTRA from way WAY back in Sep 2005..
And if ya'all think McCain IS the better person, then by all means, vote McCain.
But I have a feeling that you (and Clinton supporters like you) don't really believe that McCain is the better candidate. You are like the person who gives someone advice and then get emotionally irrational when that person doesn't take the advice. At that point, you get pithy and vindictive and sets about to sabotage the effort, just so you can get some perverse pleasure saying, "I TOLD YOU SO!!"
For me personally, it's a WIN WIN election.
If Obama wins, it will change the face of politics in DC. It will be a heady time to be an American.
If McCain wins, it's gonna be "same ol same ol" as far as politics go, but at least there will be a few countries out there who get their asses kicked because they so richly deserve it.
So, by all means. Throw your childish little political temper tantrum. Stomp your foot, hold yer breath til your blue and then take your toys and go home..
And then, if Obama does win without you, allow me to stoop to your level (in advance) & say, "NEENER, NEENER, NEENER!!" :D
Michale
Michale.....
So this election was Hillary's entitlement? By what measure of the law? The way I understand it, there are these things called ELECTIONS, and some people called DELEGATES, and Hillary is required to do more than phone in an order like the nomination was a pizza.
She ran, she lost, GET OVER IT.
HuffPost's Pick
I was a defender of the Clintons for many years. I used to feel like Hillary was a strong Democratic leader. I don't see her as such anymore, but if she would have won the nomination, there's no way I would have voted for McSame over her. There's way too much at stake for this election (Supreme Court justices, repairing foreign policy, staying out of war with Iran, Global Warming, etc.).
You and those who think like you are cutting off your nose to spite your face. However, I am reasonably confident that over the next few months, after the pain of losing has dissipated, most of this garbage talk will fall by the wayside. And for those who at that point in time still feel as you do, well I suspect that you would never have voted for Obama, so there's no point in trying to convince you otherwise.
"after the pain of losing has dissipated"
It's not the "pain of losing" that has the Clinton supporters in a tither. Please, were are part of the same Dem. party that lost to GWB twice. We've tackled that emotion and have it way under control. It is the lack of respect that she, Bill, and her supporters were shown over the last few month that is causing the issue. Plus, the only thing worse than a sore loser is an arrogant winner. Obama supporters may want to remember that.
Looks like you are taking yourself a bit too seriously. Trolls mostly do.
When Bob Dole ran in 1996, that was his reasoning, too. It's my turn.
Just curious, in 1992, did you vote for the young, unknown governor from Arkansas?
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