When I was a child, I stood up to my father’s racism even when I knew exactly what it could cost me.
He was a former Marine Corps drill instructor — strong, intimidating, and capable of inflicting real pain. But even then, before I understood anything about politics or history, I understood one simple truth:
You either do the right thing, or you don’t.
As a kid, that choice sometimes meant a beating.
I still didn’t back down.
Years later, that same conviction led me to found the Vilnius Jewish Library, the first of its kind in Lithuania. I spent years building it — organizing, fundraising, gathering materials, standing publicly for a community that had been nearly erased. And for that decision, I received years of death threats.
Still didn’t back down.
Because racism, antisemitism, hatred — none of these disappear when we stay silent. They grow. They spread. They thrive in the dark. The only thing that ever stops them is someone willing to step into the light and say:
“No. Not here. Not on my watch.”
This week I wrote a song called “Everybody Seen.”
I didn’t plan it. I didn’t sit down to make a political statement. I simply saw something so ugly, so openly hateful, that the song demanded to exist.
It’s not a gentle piece.
It’s not comfortable.
It’s not meant to be.
“Everybody Seen” is about the truth people try desperately to hide — the truth that racism rots the soul from the inside out. The song calls out those who cling to a fantasy world where color determines worth, where violence is heritage, and where cruelty is disguised as tradition. It exposes that sickness with brutal honesty.
But the deeper message is this:
We see it.
We’ve always seen it.
And we’re not looking away.
As artists, we have a responsibility — not just to entertain, but to witness. To challenge. To speak for those who can’t. To create work that refuses to back down, even when doing so comes with a cost.
I don’t claim perfection. I don’t pretend to have all the answers.
But I know what side of the line I stand on.
And I know this:
If a song can shake someone awake, even for a moment… then it was worth writing.
If you’d like to hear “Everybody Seen,” or discuss the creative process, the moral responsibility of artists, or the role of art in confronting hate, I’m here. Let’s talk.
— Wyman Brent
https://wymanbrent.bandcamp.com/track/everybody-seen
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Thank you, everyone for liking what I posted. All the best.
You're welcome, Rich Terdoslavich. Have a great day/night! All the best with your projects!