- Photo: Michael Moore - David Shankbone
Occupy Wall Street protesters had just returned to Zuccotti Park (renamed Liberty Plaza) from the latest of their daily marches through the streets of New York. It had been a peaceful progress with none of the controversial arrests, which had marred a similar progress two days before. Several people Tweeted that they had made it to the famous Wall Street bull, before turning around and heading to the small urban park that many have been calling home for the past ten days.
They were in good spirits. This was September 26th 2011, when Noam Chomsky had announced his solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement. The protesters had seen their inspiration create several parallel demonstrations around the USA. OccupyChicago has already been set up. As the first of the New York marchers entered Liberty Plaza, a huge cheer went up. Another legendary American activist was standing in their midst. Michael Moore had arrived in person.
Michael Moore: "100 Years From Now People Will Remember."
With the bullhorn removed for legal reasons, Michael Moore gave a speech amplified by the 'human microphone' technique. Every sentence he said was repeated in unison by all in earshot and, by this method, even those at the very back caught every word. What he had to say caused goosebumps on the arms of his listeners and ended in rapturous cheers and applause.
"100 years from now people will remember that you came down to this plaza and started this movement." He said, surrounded by protesters echoing it all. "Thank you very much. I am honoured to be in your presence."
This was the climax of an impassioned address. Approximately 100 people heard him in person, but another 5000 were watching from the Global Revolution Livestream. He explained how he had landed in New York City twelve hours previously and 'came down as soon as (he) could'. Unfortunately, it was only a flying visit. He was due to participate in a live debate in the studios of CNN at 9pm. It was already a quarter past seven. But he had to see Liberty Plaza.
"I'm so impressed by what I see here. You have done something very historic and very important. It had to happen somewhere, it might as well be here."
Michael Moore: One of the First Protesters to be Arrested on Wall Street
Michael Moore's speech began with an anecdote, "About eleven years ago, myself and Rage Against the Machine decided to storm the doors of the New York Stock Exchange. For some reason, they're a little faster than I was. I got arrested." He chuckled, self-effacing about his own physique, in comparison with that of his indie-rock band companions. Amid laughter and cheers, he repeated, "I was arrested on Wall Street."
Having established his credentials, he claimed his right to add his own voice to the rhetoric of the campaign, "I know you're in the process of coming up with our demands. If you would allow to state my own personal two cents." He paused, as people shouted their encouragement and consent. "I want to see the people responsible for destroying the lives of millions of people in handcuffs; and led away to justice."
It was just the right tone to use with people, who had experienced over 100 arrests during the past week. But Michael Moore hadn't finished. He raised his hand, "Number two it's time to make the rich pay. Tax them! How much? Not enough! How much? Still not enough!" The repetition of the crowd made the latter sound like a chant and it became one. Voices rose together in a round of 'Tax the rich! Tax the rich!'
Michael waited until it died down, before pressing on, "They are thieves. They are gangsters. They are kleptomaniacs. They have tried to take our democracy and turn it into an hypocrisy."
Michael Moore Encourages the Protesters in Liberty Plaza with Reference to Stonewall
As a long-standing activist himself, Michael Moore knows a lot about standing against large corporations. He urged protesters not to despair by their low numbers. He had been working for twenty years, with a much smaller group of people, and his achievements have been well chronicled. He reminded them that every person there represented another thousand people at least, who couldn't make the protest in person and that 'warmed (his) heart'.
"Do not despair because there is only a few 100 people here now. All great movements start with just a few 100 people. It was just a few people down the bar at Stonewall. This month for the first time, 54% of the American public said that gay marriage should be legal. That took too long. This has to happen sooner. Amen."
Stonewall was a bar in New York City. The resistance of some of its patrons, after a police raid in 1969, is largely credited with kick-starting the Gay Civil Rights movement.
Michael Moore: "Our Power is Derived from the People."
Michael Moore then talked about how only four hundred people owned the vast majority of the wealth in America and that made them vastly out-numbered by the rest of the population. "What we have to do here is realise how much more power we have than they have. They think power is derived from bank accounts, but our power is derived from the people. All the people, not 400 people."
The protesters started a chant of 'Michael Moore! Michael Moore!' But he silenced them with a shaking of his hands, saying, "No, no, no, no."
That's when he told them that they would be remembered as the people who started this movement. The atmosphere was electric, even felt as a Livestream witness through a shaky camera feed. The applause, when it came, was deafening.
Jo Harrington - Jo has a BA (Hons) in History and Philosophy and a MA in History. She has a book published on the history of Wicca.
