This is something I wrote last year, after witnessing the last half-hour live of that epic battle of wits, courage and stamina that was Wendy Davis' filibuster. (Ted Cruz? You shoulda taken notes. This is how a REAL Texan filibusters, not by reading Dr. Seuss.)
The title is taken from Davis’ repeated reply to the Lege trying to silence her throughout her 11-hour filibuster June 27, 2013 to prevent the passage of a law that would close all but 5 abortion clinics in the state of Texas. Sen. Davis was assisted in her filibuster by State Senator Lillian Van de Putte, who literally came away from her father’s funeral to attend the special session, and also by male Democratic State Senators Kirk Watson and Royce West. The event was topped by the entire gallery of onlookers, male and female, roaring nonstop in the last 12 minutes to prevent the Lege from voting.
The tune is R.E.M.'s "Stand" (cause I don't create music, just lyrics). Politi-filk below!
I'LL NOT YIELD
Stand in the place where you Lege (Hour One)
Think about abortion access,
Clinics getting shut down en masse
Stand in the place where you work (Hour Two)
Keeping up the filibuster
Wendy Davis, don’t let this pass!
If she’s to defeat these Republican swine,
The rules must be followed, all toes on the line.
Her feet will have to stay on the ground
Don’t lean on the table, and don’t move around
So stand in the place where you Lege (Hour Three)
Think about the War on Women,
Right-wing closing clinics en masse
Stand in the place where you work (Hour Four)
If she keeps this up till midnight
Deadline for the bill will have passed.
If you are confused, just turn it around
(“Men can’t see a surgeon, except in five towns.”)
If we were equal, these laws would be falling –
Trust in the women, democracy’s calling
Stand in the place where you Lege (Hour Eight)
You talked about Planned Parenthood,
They said that that’s off-topic – that’s One.
Stand in the place where you work (Hour Nine)
Helping with a back-brace – Two
Just one more fault, your work here is done.
If we were equal, these laws would be falling –
Trust in the women, democracy’s calling
Her feet are going to stay on the ground
Her will is there to shut this thing down
So stand (Stand!) with Van De Putte.
Watson wants a rule in writing, reads…it…out…as…suh-low…as…he…can.
Stand (Stand!) Help from West;
People chant in the Rotunda, men and women calling –
Stand in the place where you Lege (Hour Ten)
Think of all they’ve taken and how women’s rights are falling
Stand in the place where you work (Nearly 12)
Van de Putte demands they listen – Gallery is calling!
Shout in the place where you are (Austin Hall)
Shout for this new Texas star!
Your voices are roaring and heard the world round.
The clock says 12:00:00, the bill has gone down –
Wendy, stand!