Five bands will perform at Rockin' the Rights at Cat’s Cradle on Saturday in order to raise money for the American Civil Liberties Union.
The money will go to further the ACLU's mission of protecting the civil rights and liberties of all people. Their efforts include defending the discriminated, lobbying, litigating in courts and trying to silence suppressors of free speech.
The goal of the ACLU is not only to protect, but also to advance the rights of all North Carolinians, said Molly Rivera, the communications associate of the ACLU's North Carolina branch.
“We are here to defend the Constitution and the laws of our state and our country, and through that, we work on a lot of different issues,” Rivera stated. "Including everything from voting rights to LGBTQ equality to reproductive freedom to criminal justice reform.”
The benefit concert starts at 7 p.m., and while admission is free, donations are encouraged. The lineup will consist of The Whiskey Honeys, Too Much Fun, Butcher and the Tin Man, Cyril Lance Band and The Allen Boys.
Rivera said that the event is a great form of publicity for the ACLU, especially for students. She wants students to realize their role in protecting civil rights.
“Students first and foremost have an important voice on college campuses and can use their voices to speak out on a lot of different issues not just affecting students, but just as North Carolinians,” she said. “There are certainly laws passed at the state legislature that affect UNC students, so it’s important to stay informed and to contact their representatives to make sure that the interests of students are being heard.”
Tommy Schopler, guitarist for The Whiskey Honeys, and his wife came up with the idea for the concert after deciding that they needed to make a personal effort to help their community. In their efforts to protect the rights of individuals, they reached out to the ACLU.
“It’s in support of a really good organization that is there to protect our civil rights," Schopler said. “We need to support that organization, especially during these interesting times now.”
