Kristy Lee is my hero.

In dark times, we'll remember those who stand up.

Before tonight, I’d never heard of Kristy Lee.

Then, however, I began reading a New York Times article headlined, NEW YEAR’S EVE CONCERTS AT KENNEDY CENTER ARE CANCELLED. And deep in the text, following one big name after another big name, came mention of Lee, a folk singer from Alabama who pulled out of a free concert at the center.

She explained her reasoning in an Instagram post, which I’m pasting right here …

And—yeah!

No, fuck yeah!

No, fuckity fuck yeah!

A jarring number of yellow bellies have opted to surrender their spines (as well as a commitment to democracy) and kneel before the orange douche and his band of sinister dickwads. From Apple’s Tim Cook to Amazon’s Jeff Bezos to people like Marco Rubio and Doug Bergum, cowardice is trendier than ever, and it’s far easier to placate the bullies than stand up to them.

By almost any measure, Kristy Lee’s life would have been better served by appearing at the Kennedy Center, playing her guitar, singing her songs, making a few bucks and spreading her music.

But, no.

No, no, no.

Something inside of her decided she just couldn’t do it. That the benefits weren’t worth the decaying of honor and dignity. That standing on a stage that Donald Trump has bloodied, inside a building he has desecrated, wasn’t for her.

Bravo.

And it serves as a reminder (to me, to you, to them) that we must fight back. If a folk singer trying to make it in the music business can muster up the wherewithal to maintain her convictions, what excuse do we have not to?

PS: I ordered a T-shirt from Lee’s shop tonight. She actually has cool merch, and it feels like a great way to support her.