last night the PBS series American Masters broadcast a tribute to activist and singer Joan Baez, titled "How Sweet The Sound". we can view the entire program online, from 15 october through 10 december. it was a spellbinding 90 minutes for me (summarized in text here). she was raised by quaker values of non-violence and bearing witness to wrong-doing, and she has spent her entire life being true to those values. her activism has included speaking out publicly for civil rights, against the vietnam war, against violence perpetrated on women, against violence in places as disparate as northern ireland and south africa, and against the proliferation of nuclear weapons. she joined non-violent civil demonstrations often, and was no stranger to being jailed for speaking her conscience. her resolve never wavered, and her voice remained true. it continues to do so to this day. she is one of my enduring heroes.
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