David Rovics bumped for Bush bashing

BY BILL NEVINS

David Rovics, the US's most radical folksinger, stepped onstage in Albuquerque on October 2 wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the face of George Bush and the caption "International Terrorist". The audience applauded wildly.

Rovics sang a fast version of his song, "Operation Iraqi Liberation — O.I.L." and then treated the crowd to the true tale of how Rovics had been pulled off an airliner recently when another passenger, shouting "Bush is a man of God!", vehemently objected to flying on the same plane with someone wearing that same shirt. Rovics explained that he had no other T-shirt available and refused to cover up his anti-Bush shirt. "I think we call it freedom of speech", he dryly commented.

Eventually, Rovics was permitted back on a later flight, still wearing his anti-Bush shirt and with an additional free ticket provided by the airline in compensation for the delay.

"See, speaking up against Bush pays off", laughed Rovics as he plunged into the first of a full evening's worth of his sharply edged songs about the state of our world and the struggle for a better one. The audience was well pleased. Long may Dave Rovics, and his upfront protest, fly!

From Green Left Weekly, October 20, 2004.

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From GLW issue 603