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Have you ever heard the song “This Land Is Your Land”? It’s one of America’s most popular folk songs- if not the most popular. The chorus goes…
This land is your land, this land is my land
From California to the New York island
From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and me.
It was first recorded by Woody Guthrie in 1944, and made popular again in the 1960s by the group Peter, Paul & Mary. If you still don’t know what I’m talking about (or just want to listen to the song) you can watch it on YouTube.
Now let’s get to the story.
The National Organization for Marriage, during their summer tour, would play this song at their anti-equality rallies. Doesn’t really make sense, does it? Why would they sing a song about inclusion, beauty, and unity at a rally based on homophobia and discrimination? I can’t answer that, but since when has NOM’s actions made much sense?
When Kathleen Perrin, a Peter, Paul & Mary fan, heard that this was happening, she decided to contract the group to let them know how their song was being used. As it turned out, they were not pleased. They sent this letter to NOM’s President, Brian Brown…
If you would like to send a thank you to Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey (Mary Travers passed away last year) for standing up to NOM, you may do at this link, courtesy of the Courage Campaign.
~ Samantha
Community Editor
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this is GREAT!!
# Posted By AFY_Abby
| 9/2/10 09:09 AM
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