Joan Baez to sing for Occupy Wall Street on Veteran's Day

Source: International Business Times

Joan Baez to sing for Occupy Wall Street on Veteran's Day

By Grace Zhou | November 11, 2011 11:59 AM EST

Despite the coldness on Veteran's Day of 2011, Occupy Wall Street is heated up for a rally and concert featuring folk singer Joan Baez, who has been impressed by the movement as a human rights activist and protest singer.

On Friday, the Foley Square in downtown Manhattan will see Occupy Wall Street protesters holding their first permitted event in the city. Originally planned for Washington Square Park, the concert was moved to the Foley Square as city officials' compromise.

The event is dubbed "Honor the Dead, Fight Like Hell For the Living," featuring artists and speakers including Joan Baez, Sergent Shamar Thomas, Ryan Harvey, Max Rameau from Take Back the Land, a speaker from OWS Direct Action, and a speaker from the Iraq Veterans Against The War, according to an announcement on Occupy Wall Street website.

Hundreds, if not thousands, are expected to pack the tiny square, said the organizers.


http://newyork.ibtimes.com/articles/247890/20111111/joan-baez-sing-occupy-wall-street-veteran.htm

That song is haunting.
Yet beautiful.

She was one of the faces of the 60's peace movement.

I hope for the crowd that there's as much music as there is talking.

I figured she would show up sooner than later, and since she will be a big draw, some of those who come to hear her will decided to stay with OWS, I am betting.
We need to emulate Japan and have a Living Treasure designation for people like Joan.

Absolutely!

I knew about this a week or so ago. I had tried to sign up for a Joan Baez discussion email group, only to find it had closed. But the kind gentleman who answered my email request went on to answer some questions for me. I was mainly thinking in terms of her passive, non-violent studies and teachings with regard to activism. He pointed me to some books, and told me Joan would be attending some Occupations while her current tour winds through the east.

She is a treasure, no question! The pictures of her walking with Martin Luther King are iconic American visions of freedom!

I heard Joan singing through some small trees on the Mall. I pushed through and I could see young folks sitting in small groups like the (my) old days. I could still hear her singing on stage and I could have sworn I was back in the 70's. She's graced many of our protests and marches with her wonderful voice. I can just hear her now . . .

So awesome!

Christmastime in Washington

It's Christmastime in Washington
The Democrats rehearsed
Gettin' into gear for four more years
Things not gettin' worse
The Republicans drink whiskey neat
And thanked their lucky stars
They said, 'He cannot seek another term
They'll be no more FDRs'
I sat home in Tennessee
Staring at the screen
With an uneasy feeling in my chest
And I'm wonderin' what it means

Chorus:
So come back Woody Guthrie
Come back to us now
Tear your eyes from paradise
And rise again somehow
If you run into Jesus
Maybe he can help you out
Come back Woody Guthrie to us now

I followed in your footsteps once
Back in my travelin' days
Somewhere I failed to find your trail
Now I'm stumblin' through the haze
But there's killers on the highway now
And a man can't get around
So I sold my soul for wheels that roll
Now I'm stuck here in this town

Chorus

There's foxes in the hen house
Cows out in the corn
The unions have been busted
Their proud red banners torn
To listen to the radio
You'd think that all was well
But you and me and Cisco know
It's going straight to hell

So come back, Emma Goldman
Rise up, old Joe Hill
The barracades are goin' up
They cannot break our will
Come back to us, Malcolm X
And Martin Luther King
We're marching into Selma
As the bells of freedom ring

More chills... she truly is a national treasure!