Gary Kanter   Songwriter, Humorist, Irritant!

For anyone who has visited this site over the past several months, for whatever god forsaken reason, you might have noticed it hasn’t been updated in like…forever!

Mea Culpa.

For those worried, I am alive and living on Facebook.  It’s an easier update…and I get to post almost daily pics of my grandson.

So, by way of update:

Familias Unidas Por La Justicia, our states indigenous farmworkers union, after a four-year ordeal, was officially elected to represent the workers and collectively bargain with Sakuma Farms.

Like most of you, I was immersed in the 2016 elections, actively working on behalf of local candidates, in a red legislative district that, unfortunately, chose to remain the blood color despite some excellent candidates running against the existing mediocrities and ALEC playthings.

I performed and campaigned for Bernie at a number of events and was a Bernie delegate at the combined county-LD cacus.  When Hillary was nominated, I joined the cause…fighting against the disaster that was somehow predestined…by whoever and whatever means…to occur.

Crushed by the elevation of the Evil Orange One…I even contemplated relocating to a warm and distant climate…until I realized my grandson’s future needed to be fought for and running wasn’t the answer.

Not exactly idle, I played at various events including the Washington Fair Trade Coalition Annual Breakfast and Fundraiser…where I believe I ate most of the profits.

There were a couple of events through the Whatcom Peace and Justice Center…including a songwriting workshop with Northwest social justice icon, Linda Allen.
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Linda and I linked up again as the music performers for the Whatcom-Skagit IWW‘s 100th anniversary commemoration of the Everett Massacre. Around 100 people from WA, OR, CA, UT, and other locales braved a torrential rainfall to convene at the site of the massacre, near where the actual dock had been located, lay wreathes, and complete the seven-block walk the wobs never got to make to “soapbox.”

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I played at a benefit to raise money for the “Whatcom Three”…a trio of brave young folk who were arrested for blocking The Evil Orange One’s caravan back in May enroute to Linden, WA, former stronghold of the KKK and, unfortunately, is still infected with the same toxic values

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I also managed, with the help of my music buddy, Greg Deer,to share some music with the older kids at the preschool where my daughter works and grandson attends.  JJ received special dispensation to attend the event and did…for about 10 minutes after which he decided that playing outside with his buds had a greater upside.

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And, along with out two new hosts, Mark Lowry (President of the Northwest Central Labor Council) and Lori Province (former Field Mobilization Director, Washington State Labor Council) we’ve been mapping out the road “We Do The Work” will travel in response to the election of…shit…I can’t write it again.

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So, what’s coming up?

There are two events in January I’m particularly excited about:

Sunday, January 15, Shoreline Library.  Under the auspices of Songwriters in Seattle, I will be teaching a workshop in writing music for social change with Seattle Bard, Jim Page.

Thursday, January, 19, Couth Buzzard, Jim and I will be together again on Pre-Disinauguration Day for a unity event along with poets, writers, and activists of every stripe to come together and officially begin the resistance.

Stay tuned.