The Watchman – with Ezekiel, Karen & Violet

Ezekiel was a prophet who pointed out national faults and failings. His words, his acted-out parables, took courage, integrity, strength…

Sometimes his message was opposed, sometimes it was ignored… Some saw him as ‘…nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.’

He was often called a ‘watchman’ – a look-out who warns people of danger. Today we talk of ‘whistle-blowers’ – those who see and call it out what is wrong – Ezekiel’s watchman duties were as a trumpet blower. He was accountable for blowing his trumpet; the people were then accountable for their response.

Karen Nussbaum was a clerical worker in Boston in 1972. Experiencing and seeing the sexual harassment and discrimination that female office workers were subjected to, she was involved in the formation of the organisation ‘9to5’. It was through actor Jane Fonda’s friendship with Karen, learning of these inequalities in the workplace, that the 1980 film 9 to 5 came about…

9 to 5 follows three working women, Violet, Judy and Doralee, who unite to confront and outwit their egotistical, sexist, chauvinistic boss, Franklin. Last night we watched the stage show of the film. It’s a feel-good comedy, but it still carries its important message…

Violet’s a widow with four children, a senior supervisor, responsible for training Judy; Doralee works in Franklin’s office. They’ve each been wronged by Franklin’s blatant discriminatory sexism and fantasise about what they would like to do to him.

They realise that they have to take action. Together they sing ‘I just might’, Violet starts:

What to do and where to start,
Things are falling all apart,
Trying hard to move ahead,
But keep losing ground instead.

Still, I have to take a chance,
Putting fear and doubt aside,
Had no warning in advance,
Nothing left to do but try.

It’s Ezekiel’s, the trumpet-blowing watchman, Karen, calling out what is wrong, and then doing something. Together they bring about change.