Blowin’ in the Wind

To the Editor:

I have been thinking a lot about protest songs these days. Back in the 60s, there were war protest songs and songs about racial inequality. Those songs are just as relevant today, all these years later. I was in a progressive church called “a church without walls.” We met in parks, homes, rented buildings, anywhere that seemed appropriate for an informal service with music accompanied by guitars. One of our favorite songs to sing at that time was “Blowin’in the Wind.”

“Blowin’in the Wind” was written by Bob Dylan in 1962. It was first sung by the folk group, New World Singers. In 1963, Peter, Paul, and Mary recorded it, and it blew up on the charts. Dylan himself recorded the song that same year on his Freewheeling album.

The song is about the difficulties of achieving lasting peace and justice. Questions related to the struggles of the day are asked in the song, and the answer is repeated, “The answer my friend is Blowin’ in the Wind. The answer is Blowin’ in the Wind.” Lots of folks have given reasons for what that means, and we all may have our ideas of the meaning. The meaning is somewhat ambiguous. Some folks think it is obvious, and others think it is intangible and elusive as the wind. So many years later, we are still asking the same hard questions.

“How many years can some people exist before they are allowed to be free?

The answer my friend is Blowin’ in the Wind. The answer is Blowin’in the wind.”

One possible answer is this quote by American Indian, Jo Haijo, “We are all connected. No border-your children are my children.”

“How many ears must one man have before he can hear people cry?”

“How many times can we turn our heads and pretend that we don’t see?”

“How many deaths will it take till we know that too many people have died?”

How many tears must families shed before they are whole again, I am asking.

“The answer my friend is Blowin’ in the wind. The answer is Blowin’in the wind.”

Patty Reid La Grange