Willie Nelson

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The New York Ukulele Ensemble interprets A Peaceful Solution by Willie Nelson and Amy Nelson. Their interpretation makes it clear that the only way to live in peace is to create a peaceful solution. Seems simple enough. But here’s the kicker, a peaceful solution cannot have anything to do with war.

How many times do we have to repeat the same error and have a war to end violence and create peace? It really becomes our individual responsibility to look inside ourselves and decide if war and violence will bring us to where we want to go.

Are we all so afraid of everyone that we choose a violent solution as the only way to solve problems? Maybe we are afraid of ourselves and don’t want anyone to know so we look outside ourselves for the enemy.

Peaceful people create peace. We need to honestly understand ourselves and our true intentions and motives.

Talk demonstrates what we think we believe or what we think others want to hear but actions demonstrate our true motives.

If we want to have peace then peace becomes the means to the end. We need to show the world by our peaceful actions that we mean what we say. If we spout out about peace and then our actions demonstrate our aggressiveness and propensity to fight then we lose all credibility.

No one will ever trust or respect us. Without trust and respect from our neighbors, we can never move forward to create a peaceful future. We need to work together.

America produces amazing creative individuals in all fields of study and demonstrates time and time again we have a huge capacity to solve complex problems with innovative solutions. We have everything we need right here in this country to create viable peaceful solutions except one thing.

True single minded commitment to a peaceful solution.

How can we demonstrate vast creative, intellectual and technical prowess but lack the will and common sense to commit to achieving a peaceful solution as an utmost priority?

We create our world every day by our seemingly disconnected thoughts, words and actions. We can move towards strife, anxiety and violence or we can move towards caring, love and peace. Let’s vow to examine our motives and consciously choose actions that will move us towards a future that benefits all life.

Thank you New York Ukulele Ensemble for your insightful and creative interpretation of A Peaceful Solution. May more people follow your example and speak up for what they believe in.

The band made this video with editing by Chaz at BGAStudios.com

* * * * * Artist’s Statement * * * * *

by Uke Jackson

The New York Ukulele Ensemble members are all saddened that our country has gone to war to satiate a slavish addiction to oil. When we met to rehearse the song the first time, we agreed that we had to change the words to reflect our firm belief that there will be no winners after all the violence and the final subjugation of the “enemy” by either side.

The “best” that America can look forward to under current “leadership” (in either major political party) is ever more expensive gasoline and further pollution. The best that we can look forward to after the war is lots of dead people – and, hopefully, enough sense collectively on the part of humanity, to avoid future wars.

Uke Jackson, founder of the band, has worked as an activist for peace, social justice, and the environment since 1971 when he came home from serving in the Vietnam war. Other band members are all committed to peace, as well, and work for peace and the environment in whatever ways they can.

Music is a healing force.

To avoid becoming cynical, we have to do what we can.

Much of the music the New York Ukulele Ensemble records and performs addresses social and political issues.

A song is a direct pathway into people’s minds and hearts.

We’re very fortunate that Crystal Field and Theater for the New City have provided us with a creative home and the space to rehearse and grow. Theater for the New City has a long history of supporting and encouraging socially active arts and we are proud to be part of this great place.

The draft is coming. Four times in the 20th century, Presidents from the Democratic party oversaw the use of the draft – Woodrow Wilson, FDR, Truman and Johnson. Expect nothing different after the next election. Hillary Clinton, the anointed one this time around (does anyone else find this Bush/Clinton /Bush/Clinton pattern repugnant and a danger to democracy?) has voted to go to war with Iran next. Some Dems have already called for a draft.

The best thing people can do now is start nonviolent resistance training. Organize now. Get ready to take it to the streets.

A general strike could bring the government down if enough people strike. A general strike committee opposed to the war and the draft should be formed immediately.

When you’re a ukulele player, or a ukulele band, you get to skip all the worries about a “music career” and like that and get right to the artistic nitty gritty.

Giving folks some laughter with a good dose of activist sentiment, that’s the artistic nitty gritty for us.

New York Ukulele Ensemble hosts NY Uke Fest, an annual event held at Theater for the New City. Last year the Fest has over 3,000 visitors who came to enjoy the music and hang out and enjoy free beer for 4 nights and 3 days.

The Delaware Riverkeeper Network

The Delaware Riverkeeper, Maya Van Rossum, is one of the brightest, most dedicated and passionate environmentalists I’ve ever met. She’s a scientist and an attorney. Her work as an advocate for the river is one of the most important, and under-recognized, tasks in the country. 20 million people get their drinking water from this watershed. The main stem of the Delaware River flows through some of the most-overdeveloped landscape on the planet. The threats to water quality are multitude and unrelenting from greedy developers and their lackeys in government.

The Delaware River supplies drinking water for 20 million people.

The connection of the DRN to NYC is that at least half the city’s drinking water comes from the Delaware River watershed. I actually live most of the time in Delaware Water Gap, PA and have been active with both water and river issues for a long time. The Riverkeeper brought out a CD of my storytelling and music for families, and all the proceeds go to that organization.

Please support the Delaware Riverkeeper. Buy Uke Jackson’s Tall Tales from the Watershed on the Riverkeeper’s website. Here’s a direct link to the CD:
http://www.delawareriverkeeper.org/donate/shop1.asp#TallTales

The Delaware Riverkeeper is a vital part of one of the 21st century’s biggest challenge–

clean drinking water for everyone.

www.delawareriverkeeper.org
www.nyukes.com for the New York Ukulele Ensemble’s website
www.nyukefest.com for NY Uke Fest
http://cdbaby.com/cd/newyorkukulele to buy the New York Ukulele Ensemble’s Ukulele Street CD
www.theaterforthenewcity.com

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