Recent Grammy nominee Allison Russell knows what oppression and violence are like.
She endured much as a young person, including physical, sexual, and mental abuse by adults who were supposed to care for her. The trauma is the subject of her award-winning album, Outside Child, and will also be included in her forthcoming as-of-yet unpublished memoir.
Videos by American Songwriter
With this as the backdrop, Russell took to social media on Monday (June 27) to share a new haiku with her audience about the recent decision by the United States Supreme Court to controversially overturn the 50-year precedent of Roe v. Wade, which, until this month, federally protected a woman’s right to choose and whether or not she could have an abortion.
Taking to Twitter, Russell wrote:
“Classic Fascist Moves
How far back will this train go?
Reinstate three fifths?
#haiku #MondayMotivation #SupremeCourt #Theocracy#BansOffOurBodies time to #Fight #vote #resist in #coalition“
For those that know their history, the “three-fifths” is a reference to the American Constitution, which, during slavery, counted Black slaves as three-fifths of a human being when it came to the population of a southern state and determining the number of representatives for Congress it was allowed.
In her haiku, therefore, Russell is wondering aloud how far back restrictions on humanity and personal freedoms will go? Will it remove contraception? Marriage equality? Interracial couples? Re-institute slavery?
Some may think Russell is going too far here, but given SCOTUS Justice Clarence Thomas recently referring to rolling back marriage equality and contraception, perhaps Russell is truly—and sadly—onto something.
Russell, of course, is one of many musicians to come out in protest against the recent SCOTUS ruling, including others like Jack White, Taylor Swift, Pearl Jam, PINK, and many, many more.
Photo by Marc Baptiste / Grandstand Media
Most Viewed
-
ARLINGTON, TX – Musician Eric Church (L) presents musician Kenny Chesney with the Milestone Award for First Fan-Voted ACM Entertainer Of The Year onstage during the 50th Academy of Country Music Awards at AT&T Stadium on April 19, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Kevin Winter/ACM2015/Getty Images for dcp) -
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Singer Kelsea Ballerini accepts her New Female Vocalist award onstage at the 4th ACM Party for a Cause Festival at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on April 1, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for ACM) -
The Beatles on the set of 'Top Of the Pops', plugging their new single 'Paperback Writer'/ 'Rain', 16 June 1966. The group had previously appeared on the show but this was their only appeararance live in the studio. Left to right: Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison and John Lennon. (Photo by Daily Mirror/Mirrorpix/Mirrorpix via Getty Images) -
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – Guitarist Matt Pike of American heavy metal group Sleep performing live on stage at The Roundhouse in London on April 30, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Nixon/Metal Hammer Magazine/Future via Getty Images) -
HOLLYWOOD, CA – DECEMBER 02: Dolly Parton and Stella Parton attend the premiere of "Dolly Parton's Coat Of Many Colors" at the Egyptian Theatre on December 2, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic) -
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – SEPTEMBER 04: Steve Miller and The Steve Miller Band perform during the San Francisco Fest 2016 – On The Green at AT&T Park on September 4, 2016 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by C Flanigan/FilmMagic) -
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – Tyler Farr performs on FOX News Channel's "Fox & Friends" All-American Summer Concert Series outside Fox News Channel Studios at Fox News Studios on June 23, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Dominik Bindl/Getty Images) -
Kris Kristofferson, honoree during 37th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Ceremony – Show and Dinner at Marriott Marquis in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by L. Busacca/WireImage for Songwriter's Hall of Fame)