May 13, 2011
Things I Think After Jail: Reflections on Koch Brothers Drive-In at Lincoln Center
On Wednesday night 500 people marched on Lincoln Center in a most unusual way. The protest – this commons-retaking – filled the plaza with a from-everywhere kind of diverse crowd. They turned the imagery the great buildings into a comic critique of Charles and David Koch. The oil moguls who gave Lincoln Center $100 million are the bucks behind the Tea Party, climate change denial, homophobia – just the beginning of a long list of Evil-doing.
The “Guerrilla Drive-In” at Lincoln Center was an experiment that many of the activists of New York attended – as if this cliff-hanger protest might reveal the future (which, yes, it has). Brave New Foundation, Agit-Pop, The Other 98%, Yes Lab, Critical Mass, the Rude Mechanical Orchestra and our own Church of Earthalujah worked in concert.
I enjoyed a role like that of a band-leader, motioning the congregation toward the west wall of the New York State Theater Building, preaching there a while from the top of a planter. Meanwhile guerrilla projectionists focused giant and savagely funny images of the Koch brothers on the white edifices.
The whole thing was over in a little more than an hour. As we were walking toward our car with our troupe’s director and my partner Savi, who carried our 13 month old Lena, we noticed three muscle-men running toward us through the darkness of the Avenue. SWAT-team-like, they pushed around a while shouting in my face, cuffed me and pushed me into a black car. I vanished into the system for 24 hours in this continuing fetish the NYPD has for jailing the “Billy preacher guy.”
While sleeping on the floor in the underground gulag of the apple, with its Hispanic and African-American population of prisoners, I was worried that Lena had seen something violent – her daddy taken away in that thuggish way. I was assured after I got out yesterday afternoon that Lena was asleep in her mother’s baby-sling at the time – as the choir shouted at the cops and took their pictures.
This is the city’s campaign against democracy in parks or streets, in place since 9/11. The guy who wears gospel whites and can shout trips an automatic policy response in the security codes. I was charged with trespassing – but there were 500 of us! But Osama’s gone now and 9/11 is approaching its ten year anniversary. Why don’t we bring back democracy in the city? The history of New York – labor rights in a most basic way, like the 8 hour day - come from our rich tradition of out-door protests, chants, music, big signs. Despite the technology of the “Guerrilla Drive-in,” we’re working inside a long tradition here. And yet, the police and press deploy their harassment and suppression so habitually now. It’s the old normal.
We are fighting for all of our lives. We are putting ourselves at risk for Life on Earth. Our children deserve life. When I see a cop or a press persons on the sidewalk and talk one-one – then we usually agree. But as institutions, the big information and security systems act like corporations, doing things as a group that the individuals would never do.
Right now - you silence the message with the messengers. No-one is more responsible for climate change than Charles and David Koch. And yet their names are plastered all over our most prestigious buildings. Let’s break from our old misguided ideas of “security.” Earthalujah!
Watch a video about the action from Brave New Foundation: http://youtu.be/6AfPGcpajtg
Video of Rev. Billy's arrest: http://vimeo.com/23632588
Join us this Sunday at our Billionaires Costume Ball: http://bit.ly/billionsball
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Our cops.
Dear Officer Gore of the 20th Precinct in Manhattan, and others who treat protesters as a threat,
Those people were out there to protest against YOUR salary cuts, cuts to YOUR benefits, or maybe even your job. We were there to demonstrate that when our services - namely those, civil servants like you are supposed to be providing FOR all of us - are cut in favor of keeping rich people from having to pay for them, that we won’t take it lying down. These are the very services you so kindly provided, by “dispersing” the peacefully assembled protesters at Lincoln Center last night.
When civil servants, our teachers, firemen and police officers are made to suffer so the uber-rich can avoid paying for the very job you were there doing at Lincoln Center, we have indeed become docile. I believe you were being sarcastic when you said I was scaring you. But when you asked if I needed to go to the hospital, and whether I was ready to face disorderly conduct for calmly trying to reason with you, then, I think you were using bullying as a defense mechanism.
It’s ok, I understand, I happen to be a teacher. And as such, I will make very certain to teach all of my students this story so they learn that adults too can be bullies, even the ones that are supposed to be protecting us. Even though we are the people whose money ACTUALLY pays their salary.
To me, it feels good to be angry at the greedy people who are taking away our jobs so they can keep making more money. Maybe to you it feels good to be angry at those who were idealistic and generous enough to spend their time, and risk their safety to SAVE YOUR JOB.
Lieutenant Chantel, and Sergeant Arias, thank you for proving that there are smart officers out there who know when to be reasonable, and diplomatic. Thank you for making me believe that the police really are there to protect me. Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect indeed.
I hope I will never see a baton wielded in my face while I try to save your job (and mine), again.
bringing back democracy and history
Sorry to say the police and the guys in charge have an equally long and "rich traditon" of violent smack downs of people's movements. Whenever people fought hard for justice - especially economic justice, they were hit all the harder with brutal responses.
The good old days were not all that 'good', really. What was good then, and is good, now - is when people like you are inspired to gather al kinds of folk together and fight for what is right and just. That is sweet.
When you are arrested, it means you are on the right track! So right on, Brother Bill! Thank you and keep the faith.
A time to reflect
I wonder if it's a scare tactic. Maybe they're thinking "If we keep arresting Mr. Talen, maybe he'll get tired and go away".
Tut, tut, silly "law" enforcement officers, it doesn't matter if Billy gives up his life of "crime". There are those of us who will take his place. It's been awhile since I've had the grace of your charity down at 100 Centre street. Maybe it's time to join the Never ending Cabaret of creative expression again. For surely, nothing makes me happier than to do what I am entitled to do under the laws of our Constitution. If you want to take those rights away from me and others, well, we won't go quietly.
I have all the love and respect for Billy and Savitri because they instill the love of fighting for my rights, be it through song or through street theater. They and everybody else involved in our Church truly inspire me.
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