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A groundswell of musical talent is surfacing in conjunction with
the assault on democratic government. At the May Day 2025
protest in front of the White House in Washington, DC, the Steiny
Road Poet encountered a man singing a song he'd written to the
tune of "She'll be Comin' Round the Mountain." It's a call and
response piece entitled "When the Order Is Illegal, Disobey" that
begins as follows:
When the order is illegal, disobey (Disobey!)
When the order is illegal, disobey (Disobey!)
When the order is illegal
Don't just be a pliant beagle
When the order is illegal, disobey! (Disobey!)
The troubadour came prepared with a double-sided handout for
his ten cinquains (stanzas of five lines each) that push back on the
chaos that the billionaire Musk has exacted:
When the boss is unelected, disobey (Disobey!) [stanza 2]
If the Muskrat RIFs* your people, disobey (Disobey!) [stanza 3]
And the barbaric mayhem insidious to our Felon-in-Chief:
When the crook says "stop the payments" disobey. (Disobey!) [stanza 4]
When he says to whitewash hist'ry disobey (Disobey!) [stanza 5]
If the orders say to censor, disobey. (Disobey)… [stanza 6]
If your orders are to kidnap, disobey (Disobey)… [stanza 7]
If you believe his lies no longer, disobey (Disobey…) [stanza 8]
If they say you're out of order, disobey. (Disobey!)… [stanza 9]
The last cinquain circles back repeating the first line but adds
additional punch:
When the order is illegal disobey (Disobey!)
When the order is illegal disobey (Disobey!)
He's a tyrant, he's a felon,
We're not buyin' what he's sellin'
Tell him f*** right off to hell and Disobey! (DISOBEY!)
The handout did not include the songster's name but when Steiny
searched the Internet on the song's title, she learned that Joseph
Dalaker wrote this work of parody. It is part of the catalog sung by
the Rapid Response Choir, along with protest songs like Woody
Gutherie's "All You Fascists Bound to Lose."
Upon reaching Dalaker by phone, Steiny learned that he is a
composer whose works include a string octet for the University of
Michigan Composers Forum (1994) and the Census Bureau
Anthem for its 2002 Centennial. Writing song lyrics is a new
endeavor, inspired by the desire to energize those protesting the
outrageous Trump administration actions that are destroying the
infrastructure of U.S. government.
When Steiny asked Dalaker about the Rapid Response Choir, he
referred Steiny to Peter Burkholder, founder of this choral group.
Based on a phone conversation with Burkholder and perusal of
the Choir's website, Steiny offers the following profile.
Founded in February 2025, the Rapid Response Choir (RRC) is a
group of 20 to 30 people who are willing to assemble on short
notice to sing locally at events that involve communities that need
support. The choir does not interfere with law enforcement but
will provide information about people's rights under the U.S.
Constitution. Groups that may need support include immigrants,
LGBTQ people, Federal workers, etc. Volunteers working with the
group include various liaisons who work with police, media, and
the community. Marshalls play a significant role in organizing an
event. They stay touch with community groups needing sudden
support (e.g. immigrants undergoing an Immigration and
Customs Enforcement—ICE—raid). Initially, the marshals contact
RRC singers for a flash concert, then at the event they tell the
assembled RRC where to stand and when to move to another
location.
As of May 12, 2025, the RRC has appeared at 11 events in such
Maryland communities as Silver Spring, Takoma Park, and
Hyattsville. Their first performance was at the DOGE (Elon
Musk's Department of Government Efficiency) invasion of the
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Singers can be recognized by their pink safety vests which have
the choir's name printed on the vest. YouTube videos promote the
talent of this group.
Steiny heard the RRC on May 16, 2025, when she attended a
hearing by the U.S. Federal judge Paula Xinis in Greenbelt,
Maryland, on the Kilmar Abrego Garcia case. Among the
arguments made before the judge, the Trump administration
lawyer asserted that Abrego Garcia had been legally deported.
Judge Xinis without a pause said no, that wasn't true, that it had
already been established that the Federal Government had
mistakenly deported this 29-year-old man. In the court was
Jennifer Vasquez Sura, wife of Abrego Garcia. She left after a
couple of hours of exchanges between the judge and the lawyers.
It was clear that nothing was going to be resolved in this hearing.
The Department of Justice lawyers suggested that State secrets
were in jeopardy of being exposed. However, they would not
explain how this was possible, so the judge agreed to an "in
camera" session which canceled the public hearing. Another
hearing is expected to follow.
Outside the courthouse in the 84-degree Fahrenheit heat, a rally
took place simultaneously with the hearing. The assembled crowd
was asked "what do you want" and they shouted repeatedly "due
process." The Rapid Response Choir sang songs about reuniting
families, rising from the wreckage, and finding joy in resistance.
The RRC has participated in several rallies at the Greenbelt
courthouse. No doubt these talented singers will continue to show
up and support important democratic issues. Kudos to the
creatives keeping democracy alive.
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