Occupy Museums statement to be read at General Assembly in front of Lincoln Center on the Occasion of the last performance of ‘Satyagraha.’

Thursday December 1, 2011

We are here

In the spirit of the TRUTH FORCE

to shine some sunlight

onto a glaring contradiction

that we perceive

in bringing ‘Satyagraha’

an opera about the early life of Gandhi

To Lincoln Center.

Right here, in recent weeks

protestors from Occupy Wall Street

Were arrested and forcibly removed

for exercising their First Amendment rights

of peaceful public assembly.

It’s a striking irony

that Bloomberg L.P

is one of the Lincoln Center’s

leading corporate sponsors.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg

The richest person in New York City

has stifled free speech,

has stifled free press,

and rooted out freedom of assembly

in an aggressive campaign

against Occupy Wall Street protestors

Against Americans

Against People

Who protest the economic injustice

That is poisoning our world

And choking our freedoms.

Satyagraha is a Sanskrit word

Used by Mahatmas Gandhi

It means “truth-force,”

and we at Occupy Wall Street,

by exercising tactics of nonviolent direct action

have insisted that the truth be told:

Our commons have been stolen from us

From 99% of the people

to profit the wealthiest 1%.

We have lost homes,

We have lost jobs,

We have lost affordable education,

We have lost natural resources,

We have lost access to public space.

Our culture has been co-opted

by a corporate elite.

Many suffer so a few may thrive.

We are here Not only to Call out injustice

But to promote as well

Our joy in what is common

In our society, shared by all

That which we vow to restore and protect

That is: Our dignity

Our compassion for each other

Our public space

Our Freedom of Speech

Our culture

All of our rights

From our joy in this struggle

Inspired by the work of

Gandhi, Martin Luther King

And so many others

We will inspire many

To wake up!

And recognize that which is All of Ours

Motivated By the Warmth

And Strength

Of Truth Force

We vow to continue this Struggle

Through the Cold Winter.

To the Spring!