Not a Riot—A Reckoning

08/01/202608/01/2026 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Songs ai, christian ortiz, January 6 2021, MAGA, racism, settler colonialism, trump, US Capitol attack, white supremacy

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 6: Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as people try to storm the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. Demonstrators breeched security and entered the Capitol as Congress debated the 2020 presidential election Electoral Vote Certification. (photo by Brent Stirton/Getty Images) This song was inspired by … Continue reading Not a Riot—A Reckoning

Turning Battlefields to Peace: A Musical Tribute to Chuck Searcy (Project RENEW)

02/01/202602/01/2026 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Songs, video capstone education, chuck searcy, mark ashwill, project renew, unexploded ordnance, us war in vietnam, UXO, war legacies

Chuck and I after a recent lunch at our favorite Indian restaurant in Hanoi. I was delighted to see this music video on the first day of 2026, honoring the life's work of my friend Chuck Searcy, who has lived in Vietnam for 30 years. Below are the descriptions in English and Vietnamese, followed by … Continue reading Turning Battlefields to Peace: A Musical Tribute to Chuck Searcy (Project RENEW)

It’s Beginning to Feel Like Christmas in Vietnam

25/12/202524/12/2025 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Songs christmas, vietnam

For your listening pleasure, dear reader. I created this song with the assistance of two AI programs. It was inspired by the song It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas and this 2021 essay Christmas in Vietnam: bookending a long festival season. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WZpBM-KRm0k Merry Christmas from Vietnam! Peace, MAA

Breath by Breath, I Remember

23/12/2025 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Songs Breath by Breath I Remember, Buddha, five remembrances, Thích Nhất Hạnh, Từng Hơi Thở Tôi Nhớ Lại

ChatGPT created this image based on the lyrics. I was inspired to create these songs based on the Buddha's Five Remembrances. If you know nothing about Buddhism, this is a great place to start. Whether you follow a religion or are a secular humanist, read them from time to time and take them to heart. … Continue reading Breath by Breath, I Remember

Truth Social Dressed Up With Studio Lighting

20/12/2025 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Songs dear leader, donald trump, MAGA, Michael Jochum, prime time panic, us regime

Gemini created this image based on the text. This is a brilliant (a word I use sparingly) Facebook post by Michael Jochum. Below are two versions of a song I created, Prime Time Panic, based on the essay. Donald Trump hijacked prime time for twenty minutes and delivered absolutely nothing, no plan, no facts, no … Continue reading Truth Social Dressed Up With Studio Lighting

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi (Prayer for Peace)

21/11/2025 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Songs ai, chatbots, peace, prayer for peace, st. francis of assisi

ChatGPT created this image. This is one of my favorite prayers. I decided to create a song based on it. Here's the prayer in its entirety, followed by the lyrics and two musical versions. Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:where there is hatred, let me sow love;where there is injury, pardon;where there is … Continue reading Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi (Prayer for Peace)

The First Thing They Stole Was The Story

04/11/2025 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Songs france, haiti, korrine sky, slavery, UN, USA

I felt compelled to repost this LinkedIn post by Korrine Sky, who's a culture-first brand strategist & entrepreneur in England. I added links for more information. Scroll to the bottom for two versions of a spoken word piece based on the text. Peace, MAA ChatGPT created this image based on Korrine Sky's post. They say … Continue reading The First Thing They Stole Was The Story

Stephen Miller’s Cousin Has Something To Say…

17/10/2025 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Songs ICE raids, immigration, MAGA, racism, SS, stephen goebbels miller, stephen miller, submissive stephen, trump 2.0, white supremacism, white supremacy, xenophobia

I think it's time to upload this post for millions of subscribers (ok, a few hundred 😉) because I see it's gaining traction. Thanks to Rebecca Solnit for reposting this on her Facebook page. It's a July 18, 2025, post by Alisa Kasmer, Stephen Miller's cousin. Yes, THAT Stephen Miller, whom Gavin Newsom dubbed "Submissive … Continue reading Stephen Miller’s Cousin Has Something To Say…

Still Standing

17/10/202517/10/2025 Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Songs beit lahia, ethnic cleansing, gaza, genocide, greater israel project, Hani Almadhoun, israel, palestine, still standing

A beautiful blue sky with puffy clouds juxtaposed against this barren urban landscape created by Israel with US and other weapons. This is a spoken word version of a LinkedIn post by Hani Almadhoun, senior director of philanthropy at UNRWA USA and co-founder of the Gaza Soup Kitchen. (Please consider making a donation to both organizations, both of … Continue reading Still Standing

Voice Beyond the Night

14/10/202514/10/2025 Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Songs ethnic cleansing, gaza, gaza city, genocide, greater israel project, hamas, israel, palestine, Saleh Al-Jafarawi, voice beyond the night, صالح الجعفراوي

This song is dedicated to the memory of Saleh Al-Jafarawi, a 28-year-old Palestinian journalist who was killed on 12 October 2025 by members of an Israel-linked "militia" fighting Hamas in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City. (Two versions of Voice Beyond the Night are linked below.) May Saleh al-Jafarawi (صالح الجعفراوي) rest in peace and … Continue reading Voice Beyond the Night

An International Educator in Vietnam

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