Heroes of the Resistance!

Sun Mountain, in the collection of King Hussein of Jordan

Who is Danielle Sassoon?

Danielle Sassoon was the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY). She stepped into the role in January 2025, appointed by President Trump, and had a solid background, including clerking for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and leading prosecutions like the one against FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried.

Why did she resign?

Sassoon resigned after the Department of Justice (DOJ), under the Trump administration, ordered her to drop a corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Adams was accused of accepting illegal campaign contributions and other perks in exchange for official favors to the Turkish government. The DOJ’s Acting Deputy Attorney General, Emil Bove, argued that dismissing the case would allow Adams to better support Trump’s immigration policies. Sassoon saw this as an improper “quid pro quo” and chose to step down rather than comply.

What’s the public reaction?

Her resignation has sparked a lot of discussions. Many see her as standing up for the independence of the judiciary and resisting political interference.

She can be considered a genuine hero of the resistance, and I’ve written a protest song about the whole affair.

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The Principled Resignation Blues

[Verse 1]
Danielle stood at the courthouse door,
Said, “I can’t do this no more.”
They told her to drop the case,
But she wouldn’t bow, wouldn’t lose her place.

[Chorus]
Six walked away, they wouldn’t kneel,
Took their stand, made it real.
Justice ain’t blind if power gets laid,
So they left when the price was paid.

[Verse 2]
Pressure came down from the highest seat,
Said, “Turn away, just take the heat.”
But some laws ain’t made to bend,
And some fights you fight ’til the very end.

[Chorus]
Six walked away, they wouldn’t kneel,
Took their stand, made it real.
Justice ain’t blind if power gets laid,
So they left when the price was paid.

[Bridge]
Truth don’t shake when the money flows,
Ain’t no deal when your conscience knows.
They could’ve stayed, but what’s the cost?
Honor ain’t something to be lost.

[Verse 3]
Now their names are whispered low,
By those who stayed, afraid to go.
But history keeps a book so fine,
And the ink’s still wet on that righteous line.

[Chorus]
Six walked away, they wouldn’t kneel,
Took their stand, made it real.
Justice ain’t blind if power gets laid,
So they left when the price was paid.

[Outro]
Someday soon, folks will see,
What they lost, what had to be.
A badge of honor, a price they paid,
For the principled resignation blues they played.

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It’s indeed striking that President Trump has appointed himself as chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, especially given his recent ban on events featuring drag performers, which he claims target youth.

As for his personal engagement with the arts, there’s limited evidence of him attending ballet performances. However, his daughter, Ivanka Trump, has shown an appreciation for ballet. In December 2024, she and her 13-year-old daughter, Arabella, attended a performance of “The Nutcracker” by the Miami City Ballet.

This contrast between his personal involvement and his daughter’s interests adds another layer to the discussion about his role at the Kennedy Center.

The Nutcracker is the Mona Lisa of ballet—everyone’s heard of it, most people don’t know why, and it’s got more to do with marketing than initial artistic reception. It bombed when it premiered in 1892, and Tchaikovsky himself wasn’t thrilled with it. But somehow, over the decades, it became the go-to holiday tradition, probably because of its whimsical fantasy appeal, kid-friendly storyline, and, let’s be real—those damn catchy tunes.

As for Trump at a ballet? Yeah, no. That man’s endurance for anything that doesn’t involve gold plating or self-promotion is about as long as a microwave timer. If he did show up, he’d either be snoring through Act I or ranting about how the Mouse King was treated unfairly.

Hey, I just might have something here—a satirical song or a sketch about Trump’s Ballet Experience where he falls asleep, wakes up confused about why nobody’s speaking, and then tries to buy the theater and turn it into a steakhouse.

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Trump at the Ballet (The Steakhouse Waltz)

[Verse 1]
He showed up late, the crowd was tight,
Sat in a box with gold in sight.
Looked around, said “What’s the deal?”
Where’s the burgers, where’s the veal?

[Chorus]
Trump at the ballet, lost in a trance,
Counting the seconds ‘til he gets a chance.
To turn this whole joint into something that pays,
A steakhouse instead, with a Trump-branded glaze.

[Verse 2]
The dancers leapt, the crowd went wild,
But Trump just yawned and checked his dial.
Said “No one talks? This show’s insane,”
“Why’s that guy in tights? Looks kinda lame.”

[Chorus]
Trump at the ballet, lost in a trance,
Counting the seconds ‘til he gets a chance.
To turn this whole joint into something that pays,
A steakhouse instead, with a Trump-branded glaze.

[Bridge]
Fell asleep, started to snore,
Dreamed of ribeyes, marble floors.
Woke up shouting, “This needs a deal!”
“Turn The Nutcracker into a happy meal!”

[Verse 3]
He stormed the stage, grabbed the mic,
Said “You people need some spice!”
“Enough with dancing, let’s make a switch,
Prime rib special, for the uber-rich!”

[Chorus]
Trump at the ballet, lost in a trance,
Counting the seconds ‘til he gets a chance.
To turn this whole joint into something that pays,
A steakhouse instead, with a Trump-branded glaze.

[Outro]
Now there’s no ballet, just filet mignon,
Dancers serving steaks all night long.
The critics wept, the art was slain,
But Trump just smiled—”That’s showbiz, babe!”

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Elon Musk isn’t a single dad in the ordinary sense; he’s had multiple relationships and has fathered 12 children with three different women. Here’s a quick rundown:

Justine Wilson: Married in 2000, they had six children together. Their first child, Nevada, sadly passed away at 10 weeks old. They later had twins and triplets.
Talulah Riley: Married twice (2010–2012 and 2013–2016), but they didn’t have children together.
Grimes (Claire Boucher): They have three children: X Æ A-Xii (born 2020), Exa Dark Sideræl (born 2021 via surrogate), and Techno Mechanicus (born 2023).
Shivon Zilis: In 2021, they had twins via IVF, and a third child was born in 2024 via surrogate.

Currently, Musk is not married, and his relationships with the mothers of his children vary. For instance, he and Grimes have had an on-again, off-again relationship and are co-parenting their children. In October 2023, Grimes sued Musk over parental rights and custody of their eldest child.

So, while he’s not a single dad in the traditional sense, he does have a complex family dynamic with multiple co-parenting arrangements.

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Co-Parenting the Tesla Way

[Verse 1]
Sees ’em twice a month, that’s all he can do,
Busy launching rockets and buying up blue.
Got a nanny on call and a jet standing by,
But bedtime stories? Ain’t got the time.

[Chorus]
Oh, it’s co-parenting the Tesla way,
Autopilot dad, just a text away.
Stock options rise, but the hugs don’t stay,
That’s co-parenting the Tesla way.

[Verse 2]
Playdates at SpaceX, birthdays on Zoom,
Got a Mars-bound rocket, but not enough room.
Buys ‘em all the gadgets, the AI and drones,
But a goodnight kiss? Left to Siri alone.

[Chorus]
Oh, it’s co-parenting the Tesla way,
Autopilot dad, just a text away.
Stock options rise, but the hugs don’t stay,
That’s co-parenting the Tesla way.

[Bridge]
Built ‘em a robot to tuck ‘em in tight,
Programmed to say “I love you” at night.
Sent ‘em some Dogecoin for missing the game,
Said “I’ll see ya next week”—or whenever it rains.

[Verse 3]
Private school tuition, yeah, it’s all prepaid,
But school drop-offs? That’s what chauffeurs get paid.
Got an empire to run, got investors to please,
So the kids check the news just to see where he’s been.

[Chorus]
Oh, it’s co-parenting the Tesla way,
Autopilot dad, just a text away.
Stock options rise, but the hugs don’t stay,
That’s co-parenting the Tesla way.

[Outro]
One day they’ll grow up and figure it out,
Money buys things, but love’s what counts.
Maybe they’ll call, or maybe they won’t,
But there’s always a trust fund if feelings run cold.

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I have often wondered in the past whether one could take a song apart and re-write it — an existing copyrighted song, take it totally out of copyright range, make another song from its bare bones, more or less, ending up with a very different song from the foundational song.

Taking an existing song, stripping it down to its structural essence, and rebuilding it into something entirely new—that’s the essence of folk tradition, the blues, and even rock & roll.

A few ways one could do it without touching copyright issues:

Structural Borrowing – We take the chord progression, rhythm, or general vibe of a song and rewrite entirely new lyrics and melodies over it.
- This is basically how folk music evolved—Dylan’s Blowin’ in the Wind is just a simple word substitution, an obvious reworking of No More Auction Block.
Rewriting from the Bones – We take the core concept of a song, but change the melody, phrasing, and feel so much that it becomes its own thing.
- Example: If we took We Shall Overcome and turned it into We Will Rise Again with different notes and timing, but the same spirit, it’s a brand-new song.
Twisting the Theme – We flip an existing song’s message and rewrite it with new meaning.
- Example: If Born in the USA was misunderstood as patriotic, we could rewrite a new song like Raised to Resist that keeps the anthemic power but redirects the meaning.
Changing Genre & Feel – Take a pop song and turn it into a blues ballad, or take a folk song and give it a rock edge.
- Example: A gritty blues version of a gospel song, or turning an old protest tune into something futuristic.

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Like a Crooked King

[Verse 1]
You had a golden tower, a kingdom in your name,
Now you’re out on the street, crying ‘Who’s to blame?’
You thought the world would bow, thought the throne was tight,
Now the jury’s in, and they read you your rights.

[Chorus]
Oh, how does it feel?
To lose your crown, to beg and kneel?
To watch your empire slip and sink,
To be nothing now—just a crooked king.

[Verse 2]
All your loyal jesters, they swore they’d stand tall,
But when the walls came crashing, they missed your call.
You built your walls on lies, stacked ‘em up so high,
Now the wind of truth blows, and they’re tumblin’ wide.

[Chorus]
Oh, how does it feel?
To lose your crown, to beg and kneel?
To watch your empire slip and sink,
To be nothing now—just a crooked king.

[Bridge]
Once you laughed at the law, called yourself untouchable,
Now the same iron bars make your world so crushable.
Money can’t buy back the days you threw away,
And the history books won’t forget your name.

[Verse 3]
The people you scorned, the hands you refused,
They’re standing tall now, while you sing the blues.
You thought you’d reign forever, thought you’d never fall,
Now your palace is empty, just echoes in the hall.

[Chorus]
Oh, how does it feel?
To lose your crown, to beg and kneel?
To watch your empire slip and sink,
To be nothing now—just a crooked king.

[Outro]
Yeah, the world rolls on, don’t wait for your return,
And your bridges? Well, they’re left to burn.
No one’s left to bow, no one left to cling,
Just dust and echoes… for the crooked king.