After being introduced by comedian Amy Schumer, the singer told the crowd that they had slipped into a false sense of comfort. "We thought good would win in the end," she said.
"Well, good did not win this election, but good will win in the end."
— Best Evil Queen (@BreeVanodge) January 21, 2017
There will be a revolution of love, Madonna continued. Women must refuse "to accept this new age of tyranny, where not just women are in danger, but all marginalized people."
"The revolution starts here. The fight for the right to be free, to be who we are, to be equal. Let's march together through this darkness and with each step know that we are not afraid. That we are not alone. That we will not back down. That there is power in our unity and that no opposing force stands a chance in the face of true solidarity."
Every other line drew cheers from the crowd.
And then, to the horror of mainstream media airing her remarks live, the enduring iconoclast said, "And to our detractors that insist that this march will never add up to anything — f*ck you. F*ck you."
After her third f-bomb, CNN cut away and apologized.
— Greg Ansley (@gregansley) January 21, 2017
Today's demonstrations are the beginning of much-needed change, she went on, "change that will require sacrifice, people." Many of us will have to start making different choices, the pop star noted.
And though she and others in the crowd must be outraged, we cannot fall into despair, she said. "We must love one another or die," she said, quoting W. H. Auden, before leading a chant of "we choose love."
Madonna went on to perform three of her biggest hits, throwing in gleefully profane ad-libs about the new US president.
During her performance, the singer, who was a supporter of Hillary Clinton's presidential run, exhorted the new president to "suck a d*ck."
— herman berman (@hermancberman) January 21, 2017
This is the beginning, she told the crowd before she left. "Choose love."
Madonna's performance was followed, rather bizarrely, by a prayer for the organizers of the rally.
