This week marked one year since the mass shooting at an El Paso Walmart. One man has recorded a song to commemorate the event and honor the victims.
Doug Baum is known to many in Texas and around the world as the “camel guy.” He’s camel rancher and renowned expert on the beast of burden and its history in Texas. He’s also a west Texas Native and is a former professional musician.
Baum was deeply affected when news of the El Paso massacre became known.
“So immediately, as I learned of the event, I was angry,” he said. “A lot of people would act on that anger. And today, of course, how do we act on those emotions? Well, we translated into social media. And I vowed not to let that be the emotion that guided my response.”
Baum said he decided to adapt an old protest song “We Shall Overcome” and translate it into Spanish.
“It's applicable to anybody who feels oppressed. But I did think that it was a song of hope. I thought that it was a song about surmounting a situation. And that really is the direct link,” he said.
“Really, my overarching goal for the song and video is that it lands. On the ears of people who need it. It was a response to a very specific tragedy. But a year later, I found that this song has a lot broader relevance.”
Jerry Clayton can be reached at jerry@tpr.org or on Twitter at @jerryclayton.
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