We started International Clash Day on the Morning Show over a dozen years ago, more or less on a whim. We just got on a roll playing Clash songs, and didn't want to stop. Simple as that — good music sounds good, so keep playing it.
But it struck a chord with the listeners. Clearly, there was something bigger going on. So we did it again the next year, and the year after that. The thing kept growing, until we eventually put together a whole international trip complete with a dozen Live on KEXP sessions with favorites like IDLES and Ibibio Sound Machine, and we had civic and world leaders making official proclamations for International Clash Day: the Mayor of Toronto, the Governor of Washington State, Katy Perry's boyfriend, etc.
It got to be a pretty big deal not just for KEXP listeners, but for fans of the music all around the world. It took off because the Clash rules, obviously. But even more than that, it’s what the band stands for — and what the band stands against. As Joe Strummer put it, "I think people ought to know that we're anti-fascist, we're anti-violence, we're anti-racist and we're pro-creative. We're against ignorance."
Unfortunately, this pretty simple, pretty straightforward declaration just keeps being important for people to hear. It keeps mattering that we talk about this band and their message, because something as simple as declaring yourself to be against fascism, violence, and racism is somehow controversial.
Something else Joe Strummer is famous for saying is "Know Your Rights." Especially important to think about right now, isn't it? So this year, as we celebrate International Clash Day, we’re talking about our rights — our rights as human beings, and the specific set of rights we hold here in the good ol’ USA.
You have the right to speak your mind, write what you think, and gather peacefully to protest. The government can't punish you for your opinions. You can practice any religion you choose, or no religion at all. Police can't search your body, your home, or your private documents without a good reason and a warrant signed by a judge. The government can't take away your liberty, your property, or your life without following the rules first. The government can't use torture or barbaric punishments. And the law must treat everyone equally — the government can't discriminate against you based on your background or identity. And, by the way, these rights don't just apply to you if you're a citizen — they apply to every person in this country, whether you're here legally or not.
This idea that we all deserve rights — that we all deserve to be treated with dignity, kindness, and respect — is a message that's been delivered by many people, in many ways. But I keep coming back to the Clash. I think it's not just what they said, but it's about the way they said it. The aggressive, fearless, open-hearted, sometimes messy and sometimes angry attitude — it matters because it shows us a way to be aware and engaged without being overwhelmed into inaction and ambivalence.
When we see injustice, when we see rights being violated, well, that should piss us off. We should be mad about it. We should say something about it, do something about it, in whatever way we can. Henry Rollins was giving an interview at the end of 2016, on the Joe Rogan Podcast. He said something that I've seen pop up on social media posts and audio clips since then: "This is not a time to be dismayed, this is punk rock time. This is what Joe Strummer trained you for. It is now time to go. You’re a good person. That means more now than ever... you can be thunderous in your own life, and being cool to the eight people around you? It rubs off. Goodness is viral."
Do not let darkness take over. Keep trying to make this world a better place. You don't have to do it perfectly — hell, Joe and the Clash sure didn't — but do your best. Keeping that mindset is a full-time job, and it's not easy. But maybe the music will help a bit.
Don't give up, and don't give in.
