FRAZIER: Do you hear the people sing?

Published 4:00 am Saturday, March 12, 2022

More than ever, this week, I have thought about where I live — not just Vicksburg, but in the United States.

Watching the news every day has reminded me of just how blessed I am. I have never had to leave my home, dodge bullets or bombs or fear that the life I know could be taken from me.

Those in Ukraine are not so lucky. They are under attack and every day is unsure.

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All of this is happening while I continue to dine at the table, sleep in my warm bed and adjust the thermostat in my house.

It just doesn’t seem fair. Here I am living in a land of milk and honey, while those across an ocean are fighting for their lives.

While in the midst of the horror we have all been witnessing on our TV screens, there is something else that is happening in Ukraine.

Have you seen it?

My favorite Broadway musical is “Les Misérables.” It is an adaptation of Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel of the same name.

The story takes place in early 19th century France during the 1832 June Rebellion and tells the story of a man named Jean Valjean. While there are many moving songs performed in the musical, one of the most powerful songs is “Do You Hear the People Sing.”

The words in the song are described as telling the universal story of rebellion — rebellion against an authoritative doctrine.

For me, as I watch what is going on in Ukraine and I see how President Zelenskyy is rallying his people, the lyrics of the song seem to be coming to life in an antithetical yet analogous way.

“Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again

When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes.”

The musical score, in my opinion, is just as powerful as its lyrics, especially as it crescendos with the first two verses. And while recalling the song in my mind, I see it, clearly, a heroic Zelenskyy calling his countrymen to stand against the foe — and they are.

I wonder if we could do the same?

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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