How one Jewish woman triggered Brown v. the Board of Education and the desegregation of southern schools
On this day in history… May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court of the United States unanimously made a “landmark” ruling that the “separate but equal” doctrine of racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. [1]Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote in the opinion, “We conclude that in the field of public education, the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. Therefore, we hold that the plaintiffs and others similarly situated for whom the actions have been brought are by reason of the segregation complained of, deprived of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the 14th Amendment.”[2]
The album opens with an intrinsically ‘Elizabeth’ song:
White Dress. This delicate track with ethereal vocals sees her reminisce on “simpler-times.” The dreamy, celestial sounds transport listeners to her adolescence, when she waitressed, blissfully ignorant of the fame she would soon experience: “I felt free ‘cause I was only nineteen.”
Del Rey’s high-pitched singing matches the sentiment of the lyrics
Del Rey’s high-pitched singing matches the sentiment of the lyrics, as she explores how her innocence and fragility at the time were commercialised by both her waitressing job as well as the music industry. The vocals on
White Dress see her embracing the vulnerability she once felt forced to hide.
Happy Saint Valentine’s Day
By Kathy Monnin - Versailles News
Who was Saint Valentine? It appears that there were at least 12 men named Valentine and proclaimed saints according to the Roman Catholic Church roster of saints, so differentiating them gets a bit sketchy, however it seems the first Valentine was a priest during the rule of Emperor Claudius II. Wanting an unmarried military, Claudius outlawed marriages and engagements, however Valentine secretly married couples, that is, until he was discovered and beheaded on Feb. 14, 270 AD.
With at least a dozen Saint Valentine’s it is little wonder that he is the patron saint of many things, such as beekeepers, epilepsy, engaged couples, happy marriages, fainting, as well as the plague. There was even a Pope Valentine, who served only 40 days around the year 827.
STFU! – the lead single – is similarly audacious. Blending metal and 2000s pop, Rina creates a fiery song, unleashing her pent-up anger towards the microaggressions she faces as a Japanese-British woman. The robust electric guitar instrumental can only be done justice when blasted at full volume.
Both
Akasaka Sad explore intergenerational depression: “the pain in my veins is hereditary”.
Akasaka Sad sees Rina pay homage to her Japanese heritage, singing in Japanese and English. Instrumentally, this song is substandard, with an over-repetitive trip-hop chorus. The album’s closing song,
Snakeskin, also falls into this same, slightly jarring trap. However, lyrically, it’s a strong ending, as Rina uses the metaphor of a snakeskin to reveal how she’s shedding the trauma identified on earlier tracks.